November 23

WMRA WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING CUP 2021.

Posted by Héctor Rubio on November 23, 2020 in trail running spain | 3 Comments

USA, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, France and Austria. These are the locations who will be staging the 2021 WMRA World Cup. It is really pleasing to be able to present today the 2021 World Cup Calendar in its 22nd Edition!!!

What is especially pleasing is the level of interest and positivity from our races and athletes about the possibilities of racing next year. We know and expect the challenges of Covid-19 to be with us during 2021 and with new measures of safety and adapting to travel restrictions the WMRA is ready to work with the races in order to run the series and have exciting opportunities for our Mountain Running athletes to race each other on some exciting courses in spectacular locations.

Squaw Valley 2019

Being adaptable and working together has been the concept for next years event as well as an earlier launch to allow for best planning possible. it has been a pleasure seeing how all of our race applicants are committed to the sport.

We are also very excited to see such great support from long time World Cup supporters as well as new races wanting to join us on our World Cup journey. WMRA have decided to continue the format of offering 3 race categories with category champions as well as overall World Cup champions that was proposed in 2020.

We have 12 event locations in 8 countries with 16 races across the 3 categories. There are 3 Vertical Up races, 7 Classic Mountain races and 6 Long mountain races that offer an incredible variety of terrain and landscapes.

The World Cup points rules have been modified to take account of the number of races we are offering.

We have a great mix of iconic, new (to the World Cup) as well as very experienced race events in the 2021 edition of the World Cup that the Mountain Running Community can enjoy and share. Two iconic mountain races at Sierre-Zinal (Switzerland) and Grossglockner (Austria) come back in 2021.

There are races that join the World Cup for the first time. Here we have under the shadow of Mt Blanc in the French Alps La Monte’e du Nid d’Aigle join us. We welcome three new events for the World Cup in the eastern area of Europe where we have two of these in the Tatra Mountains of Poland (Tatra Sky Marathon and Tatra Race Run) and then the experienced Mountain event organisers at the Krkonosky half marathon in the Czech Republic. Italy has more competitions than ever before with Lagunc in Chiavenna who will host the final race of the year in October, we visit southern italy with the Trofeo Ciolo. Nasego with many years of mountain running experience hosts two races. The World Cup will travel to Spain for the first time in 2021 with two venues and four races. One in the Basque region (Zumaia-Gipuzkoa) where the passion for sport is always very strong and then Canfranc that is in the beautiful Pyrenean mountains. So it’s an exciting lineup kicking off on June 20th and running through until October 10th!

The races are all open for every runner to participate and join in the World Cup competition. The more races you run, the more points you will get towards a higher World Mountain Ranking! WMRA would like to wish all people involved the best of health in these difficult times.

Summary 2021 World Cup key facts:
8 Countries
12 Event locations
16 Races in 3 categories
10,000+ Participants

18-20JUN The United States opens season, with the Broken Arrow Skyrace in Squaw Valley, California. It shares headquarters with the departure of the ultra Western States 100. It will be a great event during 3 days, from 18th to 20th of June. It will host a Long Distance 26k/+1700 m and also the Uphill over 5.1k/+900m. The race describes itself as “an alpine-inspired mountain race, characterized by an off-path struggle, technical terrain and great snow fileds”. Most of the route runs at more than 2,000m altitude, with snow, rocks and fixed ropes on the outside of the Olympic ski resort of Squaw Valley. https://www.brokenarrowskyrace.com
26JUN Poland debuts with the Tatra Race Run on a 24k/+2.019 in the country’s iconic mountains. It’ll be the second Long Mountain race.
11JUL We returned to Grossglockner Berglauf in Heilenblut, Austria, on July 11th for the next Classic Mountain. Runners will face the 13km race with 1265m climb (no descent) against the stunning backdrop of Austria’s highest mountain ascent. http://www.grossglocknerberglauf.at/berglauf.html/
17JUL Spectacular meeting at the foot of Mont Blanc with La Monteé du Nide d’Agle in Saint Gervais. Race in Classic Mountain mode to the iconic refuge of the Mont Blanc normal route, climbing 2,000m in 19.5km.
24JUL Second date in Poland with the Tatra Sky Marathon, thihs time as Long Mountain about 42k/+3,300m.
7AUG The world’s highest level mountain race arrives: The Sierre-Zinal in Switzerland, celebrates its 48th edition with more than 4,000 bibs running. The 2019 edition will be remembered for the double record achieved by Jornet and Mahtys. In 2021 it will race in Long Mountain mode on its iconic 31k/+2,200m. https://www.sierre-zinal.com
15AUG. We travel north of the Czech Republic for the Krkonossky Half Marathon. A world cup veteran arrives only a week after Sierre-Zinal and will be the next Classic, on a 21k/+1,200m http://www.maratonstav.cz
4-5SEP Journey goes to northern Italy to experience the Vertical Nasego and Nasego Trophy. It will start with the Uphill about 4.2k/+1000m and the next day the Classic about 21.5k/+1.336m. http://www.trofeonasegocorsainmontagna.com/
11-12SEP Spain debuts with the spectacular Aragonese Pyrenees offered by Canfranc Canfranc. Will hold two races climbing up to almost three thousand meters of altitude. They will be the 45k/+3910m Long Mountain or the Classic over 16k/+1,600m. https://canfranccanfranc.com
26SEP Return to Italy with the Ciolo Trophy. High pace race, about 11km/+496km in Classic mode.
3OCT Zumaia Flysch Trail will give the winners of Classic and Long Mountain. There will be a Long Mountain over 42k/+3000m, and also a Classic with 22k/+850m ascent. http://www.zumaiaflyschtrail.com
10OCT Vertical Kilometer Chiavenna-Lagunac will give Uphill champion. This classic of Italian mountain racing has already been a WMRA-affiliated race and is known as the “vertical race of records” with a 3.2k/+1,000m trace its conditions are perfect for breaking the world record. http://www.kilometroverticalelagunc.it