Visit by Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, in Albania: 27th World M. R. Ch. and WMRA Calendar 2011.

Tuesday, 22^nd June 2010, in Tirana, in the presence of Sergey Bubka, IAAF Vice President, IOC member and President of Council Ukrainian Olympic Committee, and of Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, Gjergji Ruli, President of the Federation Athletics Albania (AAF - Federated Shqiptare and Atletikes), with the assistance of Nikolin Dionisi, AAF General Secretary, (see photo) has officially announced that Albania has interest for sending the application in way ,to organize the 27^th World Mountain Running Championships 2011 in Albania.

Bamir Topi, President of Albania, prof. Sali Berisha, Albanian Prime Minister, and mr. Agim Fagu, President of Albanian National Olympic Committee, with mr. Stavri Bello, General Secretary of Albanian National Olympic Committee supported this declaration of interest, ensuring full support for the nomination in every respect.

At the organizational and technical level, the 27^th World Mountain Running Championships in 2011 might take place in the capital Tirana, running in the National Park starting and finishing in the main Stadium of Tirana. ,The Albanian capital also offers other possible solutions for tracks.

The meeting in Albania was made possible thanks to the IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss, who is always extremely cooperative with the WMRA for the development of the discipline of mountain running.

After the visit to Tirana, the WMRA is now awaiting the official application by AAF, which would certainly be an important application. However, of course, the deadline for the application is still open to possibly other National Athletic Federations. The possible dates could be the 11^th September 2011.

In the meantime WMRA is going on the preparation of WMRA Calendar 2011 with the most important competitions in world.

On 18^th June 2011 the 8^th WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge will be held at Petrovo Brdo (Slovenia), on 25^th June 2010 the 6^th WMRA Youth Challenge (competition for 16 - 17 years old) will be run at Gorenja vas (Slovenia) and the 11^th WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships in Paluzza (Italy), probably on 18^th September 2011.

At the continental level, 10^th , EA Mountain Running Championships (uphill) Bursa (Turkey) will be held on 9^th July 2011, whilst date of the 8^th , NACAC Mountain Running Championships, of the 6^th , CONSUDATLE Mountain Running Championships and of the 3^rd AAC Mountain Running Championships (probably - ,once more - ,together the 6^th , Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race).

In 2011 should also take place the Balkan Mountain Running Championships and the Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships, which are already in the past events that have been successful.
Regarding WMRA Grand Prix 2011, WMRA Council would like to meet the organiser of the most important, ancient and popular mountain races in the world (specially in Europe) on next September in Kamnik in way to discuss a new format of ,the WMRA G.P. ,series.

WMRA hopes that always more National Athletic Federation will stage in 2011 their National Mountain Running Championships, because this is the first step for the development of the discipline inside the Country.

Photo in the main page: (from left to right) N. Dionisi, S. Bubka, B. Gozzelino, G. Ruli.
Photo in this page: prof. Sali Berisha, Albanian Prime Minister, receives a WMRA pennant by Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President. ,

 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , by Bruno Gozzelino