Villages and Champions, A celebration of Mountain Running spirit crowns the final day in Friuli

After Saturday’s storms, Meduno woke up to clear skies and rapidly rising temperatures for the final day of the World Masters Mountain Running Championships.

The Classic Distance race closed the 2025 edition with a festive yet demanding challenge, a course threaded through narrow alleys, stone villages and the slopes around Monte Valinis.

The Classic Distance race closed the 2025 edition with a festive yet demanding challenge, a course threaded through narrow alleys, stone villages and the slopes around Monte Valinis.

If Saturday had tested the field with two hours of intense rain, Sunday brought the opposite. The sun climbed early and with it the temperature, amplifying the final test of the championships.

The day unfolded in three distinct waves: the men M35–M50 set off at 08:30, the women all together at 09:10, and the men M55–M75 rounded out the morning at 10:30. Each start was greeted with cheers, church bells and the clatter of shoes echoing through Meduno’s cobbled lanes.

Originally planned as 14.1 km with 735 m of climb, the course was adapted to 16 km and +800 m to account for damage from Saturday’s heavy rain. The adjustment ensured safe racing while keeping the essence of the classic format intact.

From the town centre, runners flowed out towards Borgo del Bianco, a postcard-like hamlet draped with flags and lined with neighbours applauding from windows and doorsteps. The passage through these villages created some of the most magical moments of the championships—faces beaming, footsteps echoing on stone, and the shared joy of community. The terrain alternated between rolling forest paths and steeper climbs, demanding both patience and courage.

Mexico’s Justino Coronado Ibarra (M35), already crowned uphill champion on Friday, confirmed his class by winning the men’s overall once again in 1:01:52. Italy’s Andrea Schweigkofler (W40) doubled up too, adding the classic distance victory to her uphill triumph with a commanding 1:15:19.

Behind them came a rich tapestry of stories. Spain’s Margarita Fullana Riera (W50) added a second medal of the weekend, proving that her Olympic pedigree still shines bright on the trails. Italy celebrated the legendary Franco Torresani (M60), the priest-runner and mountain icon, as he collected his 10th world title in masterful style.

Full results: https://www.endu.net/en/events/mondiale-master-di-corsa-in-montagna/results

All pictures © WMRA by Marco Gulberti