Skip to main content

WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION

Tag: World Cup 2021

World Cup Stage One: Tatra Race Run

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

The hugely anticipated first race in the 2021 World Cup took place on Sunday 27th June, in Zakopane, Poland. Tatra Race Run was the venue for stage one and it was classified as a long mountain race, at 24km, with around 1700m of ascent.

 The Tatra Mountains provided a stunning backdrop to the opening stage of the World Cup. The mountain range is the highest in the Carpathian Mountains, which span Poland and Slovakia. The area is a dream for mountain sport and we were really excited to experience it for the first time.

The race hub was at Zakopane, with registration taking place on the Saturday. Runners were transported to the start at Kuźnice for a 6.30am start. The route then took them through the Kondracka Pass and Czerwone Wierchy to the Tomanowa Valley and the Hala Ornak, and then through the Iwaniacka Przełęcz, the Starorobociańska and Chochołowska Valley to the finish line at Siwa Polana.

307 runners started, with 8 countries represented. Among the favourites were Italian runners Alice Gaggi, Bernard and Martin Dematteis, Lorenza Beccaria and Henry Aymonod. A strong contingent travelled from Hungary, including Sandor Szabo, who finished 8th in the 2019 World Cup. The World Cup debut of Spain’s Raul Criado was also hotly anticipated. Despite a few other GB and Ireland athletes appearing on the initial start list, Charlotte Morgan, world long distance mountain running champion of 2018 was the only British runner, and a strong contender. There was also a deep field of strong Polish runners, some of whom we’ve seen in previous World Cup and World Championship competitions, and it was clear they would also be challenging for the podium.Tatra race image 3 web

The women’s race was close at the front, with Alice Gaggi and Charlotte Morgan exchanging the lead. In the end it was Charlotte Morgan who came out on top, winning in 2.46.03. Alice Gaggi was just a minute behind in the end (2.47.12), followed by Polish runner Iwona Januszyk in third (2.50.51). Lorenza Beccaria was close behind in 2.51.36, then there was a gap to fifth placed Lucie Marsanova from the Czech Republic (3.06.56) and local runner from Zakopane Katarzyna Jakiela-Rzadkosz was sixth (3.07.35).

Tatra race image 2 webIn the men’s race exciting young Polish talent Marcin Kubica led from the initial stages through to the finish, winning in 2.18.51. He’s taken part in 3 World Championships and 2 European Championships as a junior and it will be exciting to see him taking part in more races this year. He was chased by compatriot Piotr Lobodzinski, who is probably best known as two-time world tower running champion. Piotr finished in second in 2.20.21, with Vertical Kilometre champion Henry Aymonod third in 2.21.40. Martin and Bernard Dematteis finished in fourth and fifth respectively in 2.23.23 and 2.24.20, with Sandor Szabo sixth in 2.25.34.

Full results at: https://bgtimesport.pl/online/open/zaw_id/510/bieg/TRR

After so long without a World Cup race we are thrilled to be able to bring you races again. Next stop is Grossglockner in Heiligenblut, Austria on 11th July. Over the years this event has brought us some incredible racing and we look forward to experiencing it again.

See full World Cup calendar at: https://www.wmra.info/calendar/2021-major-events

All photos credit Marco Gulberti

Tatra race w podium web

Tatra race m podium web

World Cup 2021 Kicks Off At Tatra Race Run in Poland

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

Following a 2020 mountain running season highly effected by the global pandemic, excitement is high for the launch of the 2021 World Cup in Zakopane, Poland. It was impossible for a World Cup to take place in 2020, so we haven’t seen a World Cup race since Smarna Gora Race in 2019. But the organisers of the 16 stages are primed and ready, the athletes are itching to race and we at the WMRA can’t wait to bring you all the news, live action and results. Let us tell you about the race that will kick it all off on June 27th, Tatra Race Run.

 Tatra Race Run takes place in the Tatra Mountains, an area with a rich history of mountain running. In fact, the Tatra Mountain Walk, which took place in 1925, was the first mountain run in the republic of Poland. Tatra Race Run is inspired by another historical event – Tatrzański Chod – so the organisers will be taking all the best historical features and combining them with the fast and furious world of contemporary mountain running. 

TatraRR2

The Tatra Mountain range is the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains, which spans Poland and Slovakia. The area is renowned for skiing, mountaineering, walking and running and is a dream for those who love spending time in the mountains. Zakopane is in the south of Poland, approximately 85 kilometres south of Krakow.

Athletes will compete on a route of 24 kilometres with 1700 metres of positive elevation. The course will take the runners along the Tatra paths and ridges from Zakopane to Kościelisko. They will start at Kuźnice and run through the Kondracka Pass and Czerwone Wierchy to the Tomanowa Valley and the Hala Ornak, and then through the Iwaniacka Przełęcz, the Starorobociańska and Chochołowska Valley to the finish line at Siwa Polana.

As well as a stacked field of local mountain running talent, which we’re looking forward to seeing, international runners who will be among the favourites include: Sarah McCormack (current women’s World Cup champion),  Bernard Dematteis (4th in the 2019 World Cup), Martin Dematties (7th at the 2019 World Cup), Alice Gaggi (2013 World Mountain Running Champion), Lorenza Becaria (number 10 in the current WMRA World Ranking), Henri Aymonod (Italian VK Champion 2020), and exciting young talents Cecilia Basso and Raul Criado (Spanish national U23 champion).

Programme:

SATURDAY June 26, 2021

12.00-20.00 registration, Dynafit Store, Krupówki 40 Shopping Center, Zakopane

SUNDAY June 27, 2021

6:30 start, Kuźnice

13:00 finish line closes – Siwa Polana

15.00 award ceremony, Krupówki 40 Shopping Center, Góralski Browar – Zakopane, Krupówki 40

How to follow the action:

We will be bringing you the latest news and results on our social media:

www.instagram.com/wmramountainrun

www.facebook.com/worldmountainrunningassociation

www.twitter.com/wmramountainrun

#WMRAWorldCup

 

First Look at World Cup Race Montee Du Nid D’Aigle

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

This year’s World Cup is made up of some old favourites, some newer races you may not know so well, and some classic races which are joining the World Cup for the first time. Montée du Nid d’Aigle is definitely in the last category. This iconic race will be taking place for the 34th time this year. But because it’s new to the World Cup, we thought we’d tell you a bit more about it.

Montée du Nid d’Aigle has been an integral part of St Gervais’s identity for the past 34 years. The race has a rich history, boasting the same course since its early days – 19.5 kilometres in majestic surroundings. Departing from the Thermal Park, the participants run up through Saint-Gervais towards the charming village of Champel and the Plan de l’Are before reaching the final climb. The finish, at the Nid d’Aigle (Eagle’s Nest), is a renowned departure point for mountaineers who want to climb Mont Blanc via the Voie Royale (Royal Route). The race ends in style with a ride down to Le Fayet aboard the famous Mont-Blanc Tramway, the highest rack and pinion railway in France.

Montée du Nid d’Aigle is not just a race, it is also a true moment of sharing and conviviality, an opportunity for athletes, spectators and nearly 200 faithful volunteers, to gather together every year around the same passion. Renowned for its authenticity and simplicity, the Montée du Nid d’Aigle is due to take place this year
on Saturday 17th July.

This year the organisers are calling it ‘the mountain race that constantly reinvents itself’! And we know that adaptability is pretty important these days. Here are the major changes taking place and what you can expect from the race this year.

Firstly, as we might have mentioned, the race is joining the World Cup this year. This is something the organisers feel very proud of, as it will give them the chance to showcase this amazing race on an international stage. And as well as hosting some of the greatest mountain runners in the world, they are also super excited to give their regular runners, young and old, the opportunity to race against and rub shoulders with the best in the world. If you’re an elite racing hard in the World Cup, or a runner of any level just looking to enjoy it, they want everybody to have a great experience in the mountains.

Secondly, they’ve worked hard on their ethical and environmental approaches for 2021. They promise a 100% local organisation, involving a maximum number of local partners and professionals. Plus, they have made a very strong commitment to reduce their carbon footprint and general waste, with more recycling and a reduction in plastic waste among other initiatives.

Lastly, they’ve decided to overhaul their communications this year, with a fantastic new race poster (above), a new Facebook page (see here) and an Instagram page (give them a follow). They’re also promising some great options to follow the race digitally, which we’ll tell you more about closer to the race. So wherever you are in the world, you’ll be able to see the race unfold in real time.

Find out more and enter the race here.