With less than one week to go before the legendary Sierre-Zinal and only three races remaining in the 26th WMRA Mountain Running World Cup, the competition for the overall titles is reaching a dramatic climax. The latest rankings paint a clear picture of the front-runners—but with three high-profile events still to come, anything can happen.

In the men’s overall standings, Paul Machoka (KEN, Atletica Saluzzo) sits firmly at the top with 337 points, thanks to a season of dominant performances. Fellow Kenyans Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (265 pts), Michael Selelo Saoli (227 pts), and Richard Omaya Atuya (212 pts) complete a formidable Kenyan quartet, all representing Run2gether. Italy’s Andrea Rostan (166 pts) and Germany’s Lukas Ehrle (119 pts) are leading the European charge, hoping to disrupt the Kenyan stronghold in the final weeks.

On the women’s side, Scout Adkin (GBR, HOKA EU) leads with 338 points, closely followed by Valentine Jepkoech Rutto (KEN, Atletica Saluzzo) with 323 points. Kenya’s Joyce Muthoni Njeru (223 pts), a former overall champion, remains a strong contender if she competes again. With three Kenyan women in the top five—including Gloria Chebet and Philaries Jeruto Kisang—the East African presence is as dominant as ever. European hopes rest on Austria’s Andrea Mayr, Britain’s Elle Twentyman, and France’s Mathilde Sagnes and Nélie Clément, all sitting within the top ten.

The remaining three races—Sierre-Zinal (Switzerland), Velika Planina Uphill (Slovenia), and the Šmarna Gora Classic (Slovenia)—will decide the final outcome of this year’s thrilling World Cup season. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

Slovenia will host the final weekend of the 2025 WMRA World Cup on August 23rd and 24th, with two spectacular races on Velika Planina and Šmarna Gora.

As the CanfrancPirineos 2025 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships are scheduled for late September in Spain, the WMRA opted to bring the World Cup finale forward—allowing athletes to first focus on the World Cup and then prepare for the season’s conclusion in Canfranc, beginning with a dramatic double-header in Slovenia.

The 2025 World Cup includes 15 races across three continents (Europe, America, and Asia), hosted in eight countries: Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, France, China, and the USA.

The Velika Planina Uphill Race on Saturday will serve as the final uphill-only event, and the 46th Šmarna Gora Race on Sunday will conclude the season in the classic up-and-down format. The final award ceremony for the overall World Cup winners will take place on Sunday evening.

Organised by the Papež Mountain Running Club, this iconic uphill race features an 8 km course with 1,280 meters of elevation gain and just 80 meters of descent, climbing from Vegrad via Primož to Gradišče on Velika Planina.

This route previously hosted the 2010 World Championships and the 2017 European Championships, and will once again feature in the 2026 European Offroad Championships.

The start is scheduled for Saturday 23rd August at 9:00 AM, and the awards ceremony will take place at 1:00 PM at the finish line with over 100 dedicated volunteers who will ensure the event runs smoothly.

This World Cup race is a major event for both the local community and the Slovenian mountain running scene, shining a spotlight on Kamnik and the breathtaking Velika Planina as a destination for sport and tourism.

Organized by Šmarnogorska Naveza Running Club, in collaboration with the City of Ljubljana and Ledinek Inn, the 46th Šmarna Gora Race will wrap up the 2025 WMRA World Cup season with one of the sport’s most storied and atmospheric events.

There will be four race distances:

• 65 km and 2.5 km for youth under 16
• 5 km and 10 km for older runners

The 10 km race, counting for the World Cup, climbs 705 meters and descends 350 meters, starting at the Police Academy Sports Park in Tacen, passing over Grmada, and finishing at the summit of Šmarna Gora. Start is at 9:00 AM, with the awards ceremony planned at 12:00 PM.

Overlooked by the historic Church of the Mother of God, a Baroque landmark dating back to 1711, this race offers a truly unique atmosphere. As runners push toward the finish, the traditional “pritrkovanje” church bells will ring, symbolically accompanying them to the end of an unforgettable season—one that perfectly blends heritage, competition, and innovation in mountain running.

The Šmarnogorska team, known for its professionalism and warm hospitality, promises a memorable finale for all participants and spectators.

With three races to go, and everything still to be decided, the 2025 WMRA World Cup is heading towards one of its most exciting finishes in years: Sierre-Zinal and two races in Slovenia.

Will the current leaders maintain their dominance, or will the mountains deliver one final twist?

Join us in our social media channels—where the season ends, and the legends begin.