Record entry received for the 3rd edition of the Masters Championships
The following news about the Masters World Mountain Running Championships, to be held on 27th September, has been received from Unterharmersbach (The Black Forest, Germany)
Alaska waits to welcome the worlds top mountain runners.
With just a few days to go before the 19th edition of the World Mountain Running Trophy (Patrons IAAF), it is now fairly clear who the contestants will be.
The courses this year are up & down so the descending experts will start as favourites.
Both current World Champions are absent. Svetlana Demidenko (Russia) has been on marathon duty for her country at the World championships in Paris. Jonathan Wyatt (New Zealand) who is already the 2003 WMRA mountain running grand prix winner, has plans to run a marathon qualifying time for next years Olympic Games.
In the ladies race, this throws the favourites mantle onto last years silver medallists, Antonella Confortola (Italy). She will however face stern challenges from Angela Mudge (Scotland) the 2003 European silver medallist, Izabella Zatorska (Poland) already winner of the 2003 WMRA grand prix, and Melissa Moon (New Zealand) champion in 2001.
In the mens race could this be a record 5th World title for Marco de Gasperi (Italy)? He must start favourite on any course involving downhill running. However, European champions Marco Gaiardo (Italy) is in fine form. Emmanuelle Manzi (Italy), silver medallist in 2001 cannot be discounted. Raymond Fontaine (France) should now be reaching the peak of his performance following his silver medal last year and is a favourite once more to be amongst the medallists.
Twenty-six countries have entered athletes, including for the first time Norway.
Each competing athlete will receive a travel subvention of $250 contributed by IAAF and WMRA.
Details of the courses can be found by visiting the Alaskan web page via the link on the WMRA web page www.wmra.info
The WMRA 2004 international mountain running calendar will be drawn up in the near future.
Organisers of international mountain races are invited to submit details of their event for inclusion in the WMRA 2004 international calendar. Look at the WMRA calendar on our web page to see the 2003 listing and format. The calendar is also published in the EAA and IAAF international calendars. The calendar will shortly be finalised at the EAA/IAAF calendar congress. If you wish your race to be included you must send race details and date of competition to WMRA secretary, Bruno Gozzelino ‘bgozzel@libero.it’ by the end of September. There is a WMRA affiliation fee of $50 US to be paid (plus a $12 US wire fee) and you will receive payment details following your application to be listed.
The IAAF congress approves mountain running as an integral branch of the athletic family.
The recent IAAF congress held in Paris approved a proposal from San Marino, submitted by their general secretary Paola Carinato, to include mountain running in the definition of athletics (rule 1). The IAAf release reads as follows:
‘The IAAF also agreed that it should be known as the World Governing Body not only for track and field athletics, road running, race walking and cross country runnning but also for mountain running.’
Paolas proposal was strongly supported by WMRA in their report to the IAAF cross country committee. They in turn recommended it to the IAAF council and the council recommended it to the congress.
All involved in bringing about this important step in the development of our branch of athletics are to be heartily congratulated.
WMRA continues to work ever more closely with IAAF for the benefit of athletes partaking in the sport of mountain running.
The statistics of the World Mountain Running Trophy, the European Trophy and the European championships are now available on the WMRA web page
Due to some very hard work by Tomo Sarf (WMRA Director of Development) and Nick Russi (EAA Media and Internet manager) we are pleased to announce that fully comprehensive statistics on the WMRA and the recent EAA mountain running events are now available for your inspection and use.
Virtually any question you wish to ask concerning the results of our mountain running events since 1985, can now be answered rapidly.
Results, Report, Photographs.
If you have not visited the WMRA web page recently, please do so for up to date information on the EAA mountain Running Championships held on 6th July in Trento, Italy.
2002 results and 2003 Grand Prix rules
The full results of the 2002 World Mountain Running Trophy and the 2002 Masters World Mountain Running Championship have been listed on our results page for the record.
The WMRA council, at their recent meeting in Monaco, agreed with the 2003 Grand Prix rule proposals of the Grand Prix working group. these can be seen on the Grand Prix page, together with the 2003 Grand Prix races.
WMRA Calendar
The WMRA calendar of international mountain races for 2003 now appears on our web page.
It consists of those races which have registered as associate members of WMRA, including the Grand Prix races, the Masters championship, the European championship and the World trophy.
Decisions & Results
The WMRA 2002 congress took place in conjunction with the World Trophy races.
Full results of the races can be seen via the link on our web page to the Innsbruck web page. There is also a brief report on the IAAF web page also accessible via the link.
Congress agreed to some World Trophy rule changes and these now appear under ‘,Rules’, See sections 1.4, 1.5, 2.6. and 3.
Congress also accepted the bid of Sauze d’,Oulx (Italy) to stage the 2004 World Trophy on the first weekend of September.
WMRA council accepted the bid of the same city to stage the World Masters Mountain Running Championships on the last weekend of August 2004.
Any international mountain race organiser who wish their event to appear in the WMRA international calendar, as associate member races, should contact WMRA secretary Bruno Gozzelino before 14th October.
Agreement has been reached with international mountain race organisers that in 2003 there will be just one Grand Prix series ‘,The WMRA Grand Prix’, A WMRA working group has been set up to agree rule and races for inclusion in 2003.
Arrangements for future events
The contract for the 2003 Masters World Mountain Running Championship has been signed.
The event will take place in the Black Forest area of Germany (Harmersbach) on Saturday September 27th 2003.
WMRA council now will accept bids for the 2004 Masters championships for a decision to be taken later this year. Details of what is required in the bid documents may be obtained from the WMRA General Secretary.