The grand finale of the 2024 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup takes place this weekend in the Lombardy region of Italy in Chiavenna, a town steeped in mountain running history. On Saturday 12^th October it’s our final short uphill race with the 25th edition of Lagunc KM Verticale and the following day it’s the last long race, Val Bregaglia Trail.

Chiavenna is the perfect place to conclude this year’s World Cup. Not only has it featured in multiple World Cups previously, it was also the venue for the world’s first official, certified vertical kilometre. The Lagunc KM Verticale remains one of the most prestigious VK courses in the world. This small town also boasts two mountain running clubs, and the region’s passion for the sport makes the support of this weekend of events exceptional.

Both races are point to point. The vertical race starts in Chiavenna and climbs to Lagunc, whereas Val Bregaglia Trail actually starts just over the border into Switzerland and the runners finish in Chiavenna.

RACE ROUTES

The Lagunc KM Verticale runners start at 352m in the historic centre of Chiavenna. This vertical kilometre course is about as pure as they come, with no flat or downhill sections, making the profile a perfect sloping line up to the finish in the small mountain village of Lagunc at 1352m. Along the way the runners will follow ancient, steep and sometimes technical tracks.

Val Bregaglia Trail begins in Promontogno in Switzerland at 856m, then it picks up the Via Bregaglia trail, following it through stunning woodland tracks over the border into Italy at Castasegna. After following the river for a short time the runners pop out at Lago di Villa di Chiavenna before starting a long, gradual climb up to Savogna, before beginning the final downhill or flat 7k into the finish at Chiavenna.

THE FAVOURITES

The start lists for both races are stacked, and with 100 points on offer for an athlete winning both races, this will be a crucial weekend for the World Cup. Theoretically it’s possible that any one of six men could emerge World Cup champion, as could any one of three women. See the full current rankings here.

WOMEN’S RACES

In the women’s race the athletes occupying the top three spots in the overall World Cup will be taking on both races. Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Atletico Saluzzo) leads the competition, with her double win at Broken Arrow as well as Trofeo Nasego and Smarna Gora just last weekend. She has a good buffer between her and Scout Adkin (HOKA EU)  with 288 points to Adkin’s 244, but the latter has also had an incredibly consistent season with wins at Montemuro Vertical Run and La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and that unforgettable second place at Sierre Zinal. Similarly, the third placed runner in the women’s World Cup, Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Run2gether On Running) has also had an extremely strong season, with podiums in four out of six races, and just two points separate her and Adkin. Kisang won both races here last year, which could be important.

But with such a deep field the race is still wide open. Susanna Saapunki (New Balance) is currently in fifth place after strong performances at Montemuro, Vertical and Trofeo Nasego and Smarna Gora. There’s little doubt she will overtake Gloria Chebet, who is currently in fourth and does not appear to be racing here, and she will be one to watch in both races.

Some strong runners are travelling from the US, which will add another dimension to the competition. Lauren Gregory (Nike), who was 6^th at Vertical Nasego, will be taking on the vertical race, as will Rachel Tomajczyk (Merrell) who achieved two 6^th places at Broken Arrow this year. Australian who lives in the US, Lara Hamilton, will be taking on both races.

In addition we will see a formidable Italian contingent. Alice Gaggi (La Recastello Radici Group), who was second in the Val Bregaglia Trail last year and had a strong run at Smarna Gora, will race both days. Vivien Bonzi (La Recastello Radici Group) will be racing the vertical, and she was second here last year. Camilla Magliano (Altra) will be doubling up and is always one to watch.

Other women to watch include Sara Willhoit (SCARPA), 3^rd at Giir di Mont and currently seventh in the World Cup standings, and Amairei Ioana Madalina (Asics Xterra), our winner of Giir di Mont, both of whom take on both races.

MEN’S RACES

The men’s line-up is equally strong. We will see the top six men in the World Cup rankings taking part and it’s very close at the top! Patrick Kipngeno (Run2gether On Running) leads with 235 points, after two wins at Broken Arrow and two at Nasego. Can he do his third double of the season here? Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Run2gether On Running) is just eight points behind him after an incredibly consistent season, including that unforgettable duel with Kilian Jornet at Sierre Zinal. Just 11 points behind Kiriago is Josphat Kiprotich (also Run2gether On Running). He has also had a great season, with second places at Grossglockner, La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and Vertical Nasego. Could he go one better here and potentially win the World Cup? All three of them are entered into both races.

There’s also another trio of Kenyan athletes still in contention for the World Cup. Michael Selelo Saoli (Run2gether On Running) won Giir di Mont and has had a string of strong results. Richard Omaya Atuya (also Run2gether On Running) has won all but one of the World Cup races he has entered this year – Grossglockner, La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and Smarna Gora, with just Sierre Zinal eluding him. He is on 151 points, so a long way behind Kipngeno, but two wins this weekend isn’t out of the question based on his season. Just behind him is Paul Machoka (Atletica Saluzzo), who could also be a contender here. Again, all three runners are entered in both races.

As with the women’s race we will also see a strong team of US runners. Joseph Gray (HOKA), who has a legendary status in the sport, winning a huge number of high profile mountain races in the US and Europe, as well as the World Championships in 2019, will be in the vertical race. He will be joined by Christian Allen, who won the USA National Running Championship  (up and down race) earlier this year and Liam Meirow (Nike), who achieved a number of top 10s in the World Cup last year, including a third place at Sky Gran Canaria, will also compete in the vertical race.  Tyler McCandless (Merrell) and Andy Wacker (The Trail Team) will double up, doing both races. 

There will of course be a number of top Italian runners competing on home turf. Henri Aymonod (The North Face) won the vertical race last year, as he has multiple times. He was third at both PizTri Vertical and Vertical Nasego this year, and can never be bet against in a short, uphill only race. Andrea Elia (La Recastello Radici Group) is currently eighth in the World Cup rankings and a strong run here in the vertical race could see him improve on that. Alberto Vender could do well in the vertical race and Luciano Rota (La Recastello Radici Group) could be one to watch in both.

Others to watch include Jacob Adkin (New Balance), who won the vertical race here in 2022 and was second in the EA European Championship uphill race earlier this year, and Michael Sutton (Athletics Tauranga) from New Zealand.

All the action starts on Saturday at 9.15am with the Lagunc KM Verticale. Then on Sunday Val Bregaglia Trail starts at 9.30am. Find more information here.