2nd WMRA Grand Prix race
13/07/2007
preview of the Grossglockner race on July 15th
2nd WMRA Grand Prix.
Grossglockner (Austria) July 15th.
Preview.
Both 2006 Grand Prix winners, Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) and Anna Pichrtova (CZE) enter the 2007 Grand Prix series for the first time and are clear favourites to amass enough points from the remaining three races to repeat their 2006 victories.
Strangely, both suffered injuries (not related to running) during the winter, which required surgery. Jonathan injured his knee in a sledging accident and Anna’s traumatic car accident in Nigeria resulting in a shattered arm has been well reported.
Both have proved that they are completely recovered as they recorded victories in the Mt Washington (USA) race in June, and Anna had an excellent run last weekend to take silver medal in the European championship. She will not have the winner of that event, Eversten (NOR) to contend with so her nearest challenger should be her fellow citizen, Iva Milesova
Wyatt will resume his tussle with Marco Gaiardo (ITA) who repeatedly finished second to Jonathan in 2006. Marco is in fine form as he showed in winning the first Grand Prix race in Switzerland and finishing in Bronze medal position in the European championships. He will not have the gold and silver medallist of that event to contend with so these two will battle it out for first and second positions.
The race starts in the village of Heiligenblut and ascends 1514m over 12.6km to the lower slopes of Austria’s highest mountain, the Grossglockner.
Danny Hughes