We put the scene for this weekend Big Weekend of Mountain Running
After 13 exhausting internships on three continents and four months of high -octane competition, the World Cup reaches its final dramatic this weekend. And where is this year’s champions better than the iconic slopes of Smarna Gora, a place rich in mountain history and prestige?
Slovenia occupies the center of the stage for this best confrontation, organizing a box office success of a mountain weekend that promises advantage races. The action begins in Velika Planina in Kamnik on Saturday, August 23, with a last race uphill of the lung classic. Then, all eyes turn to Smarna Gora on Sunday for the grand finale, a classic and low career to decide the best winners of the World Cup.
Velika Planina follows a course used in the World Mountain Running 2010 Championship and the off-road European championships 2017. This same route is scheduled to organize the European Off-Running champion Next year. It is a course of 8.5 km with 1280 mo ascent, starting in Stahovica and ending in Gradišče.
The next day, the World Cup is heading 20 km to Ljubljana, the scene of many World Cup competitions over the years and a race with a deep mountain history. Smarna Gora Begó in 1979 and is an absolute “essential” in the racing calendar. In 2020 he was voted as the best mountain race of all time by the public, in a WMRA survey. Smarna Gora might not take place in the high mountains, like some of the other World Cup races, but has a blow in its 10 km with 705m or ascent and 350 mo descent.
Both races show the best of the Slovenian race and culture. Velika Planina is a breed of alpine landscapes, forests and meadows and offers panoramic views of the Alpes Kamnik-Savinja. He is also home to one of the few high mountain shepherd villages in Europe, with oval huts with fir tiles. They carry their cattle to contemplate the plateau in what is a centenary tradition.
Smarna Gora Race takes place in a famous hill in the area that has a baroque church dating from 1711. The church bells, a distinctive seal or a Slovenian tradition known as “Pritrkovanje”, will sound on Sunday, welcoming the runners. And while they take this impressive and, in some places, the technical route will enjoy the views of the Alpes Kamnik and Julian.
There is a particularly strong community spirit around this event, with a long history of local people who maintain their traditions, while covering innovations in sport.
The upper fields are assembled both in male and women races. Five of the 10 best women in the World Cup ranking will be in the departure line of both races, and nine of the 10 best men will be in action on the weekend.
Women’s career
Scout Adkin (Hoka EU) leads the female field at this time, incredible ending first or second at all, except a race, in this year’s World Cup. Unfortunately, he cannot compete this weekend due to an injury that suffered the Ulle -trial race for the World Championship next month. His closest rival, Valentine Jepkoech Rutto (Saluzzo Athletics), will run boats, and has proven to be as expert in different types of race as Adkin, if not so coherent.
Gloria Chebet (Run2gher), another consistent interpreter, is currently in fifth in the World Cup classification, but the good results here could see her jump in the absence of Joyce Mumchoni Njeru and Philaries Jeruto Kisang. It will really be exciting to see how it goes to Nelie Clement rates (GAP HAUTS ALPES ATHLETISM), after that innovative performance in Vauban, where he won the classic career and downstairs and ended third in the classic Upper Career. With only 22 years, he definitely has one of the stars on the rise of this year’s World Cup.
Andrea Mayr (Hoolirun) has continued evidence that he still has a performance at the higher level this season and will undoubtedly be one of the athletes to establish the rhythm. Elle Twentyman (England athletics) is currently in eighth place in the classification of the World Cup, only Beind Mayr, and will also compete with both events. Kirsty Dickson (Careshy Hill Running Club) comes to the race directly winning the British uphill trial for the World Championship, so it could be one to see, partly in the classic Upper Career.
Susanna Saapunki (On Running) will run Smarna Gora Race, outside the back of her recently Top 10 in Sierre Zinal. She has a strong record on Smarna Gora, after having made double here, winning the race and record in 2023 and ending room in the races last year. Alice Gaggi (Brooks), another formidable competitor, will also be the line at Smarna Gora.
The legendary premises, Lucija Krkoc (šd Nanos) and Nuša Mali (ad kronos), also have strong records of trajectory here and are expected to appear highly. There will also be a strong and young contingent from the United States, including Courtney Coppinger (Brooks) and Kyla Christopher-Moody, who will be interesting to see.
Male race
Paul Machoka (Saluzzo Athletics) leads the male World Cup and makes the tasks part of all races apart from Broken Arrow, achieving incredible consistent results. But it could be caught by PHILEMON OBOMBOGO KIRIGO (RUN2GETHER), who, as Machoka, will run Bots. Michael Selelo Saoli and Richard Omaya Atuya (both Run2Gether), whom we saw in some epic duels between us and with male this year, are currently third and fourth in the World Cup and still have a podium place for. Three athletes confirmed the Smarna Gora racing stage last year.
But the main threat to them can come in the form of Patrick Kipngeno (Run2Gether), who we house are both in the World Cup this year, but had an extremely strong race to take second place in Sierre Zinal two weeks. Likewise, Run2Gether’s teammate, Josfat Kiprich, could also be a danger. Lolkurraru Langen (Pegakenya) is also back, after coming second here in 2022 and it will be interesting to see what he can produce on his return.
European challengers for men include Andrea Rostan (Sportiva/Athletics Saluzzo), Andrea Elia (Topo Athletics) and Henri Aymonod (The North Face), all of which are running Bothes. Alberto Sell (New Balance) will participate only in the Smarna Gora race, having achieved sixth place last year. Jacob Adkin (New Balance) continues his return to superior competition, as we saw in Vauban, and could be one to see this weekend.
The former local winner Timotej Bečan (Tekači) will know how to compete better than most, and his teammates Luka Kovačič and Klemen Španring have had a good success in the Smarna Gora record. As with the female race, a strong team of American corridors is making the trip to the race in Slovenia, including Andy Wacker and Jeret Gillingham.
