The 16th WMRA World Cup on the top of the Vosges.
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After the opening race on the Muttersberg at Bludenz (Austria), the Mountain Running World Cup will continue with the second race in the series this Sunday, June 15, at Grand-Ballon, France.
For the past six years, the Grand-Prix - and now renamed: World Cup - has held one of its stages on the top of the Vosges.
Last year, the race of the Monté,e du Grand-Ballon also hosted the French Mountain Running Championship with more than 700 runners.
This year, 500 runners combined are expected at the start line of the two events, one , in Willer-sur-Thur for men and the other at Goldbach-Altenbach for women.
" "The men's race is 13,5km with +1200m of elevation gain.
Three Eritrean runners will be on the start line including Azaria Teklay, winner of last year 's Grand Ballon and winner of the two last Grand-Prix, Primo Mamu, the World Champion of 2012, and Debessay Tsege. Also competing this year will be Julien Rancon, the French Mountain Running Champion the past two years and winner of the Grand Ballon in 2007 and 2010.
Rancon will be joined by French National Team member Benjamin Bellamy.
Emanuele Manzi (Italy) and , Glenn Hughes (NZL) are also registered and the organization is waiting for confirmation of Hirum Wandangi (Kenya), who was recently second at the Gamperney Berglauf in Switzerland and third at the opening race in Bludenz.
Italy, Great Britain and Germany are organizing their national mountain running championships and trails for the upcoming European championships in Gap (France) which will be held the same day as the Grand-Ballon.
This second World Cup stage seems very competitive in the men's division, but for the women, Valentina Belotti (Italy), winner of the two last Monté,e du Grand Ballon, and Helene Froehlich, the duathlon French champion, are the only top competitors presently registered.
For the past six years, the Grand-Prix - and now renamed: World Cup - has held one of its stages on the top of the Vosges.
Last year, the race of the Monté,e du Grand-Ballon also hosted the French Mountain Running Championship with more than 700 runners.
This year, 500 runners combined are expected at the start line of the two events, one , in Willer-sur-Thur for men and the other at Goldbach-Altenbach for women.
" "The men's race is 13,5km with +1200m of elevation gain.
Three Eritrean runners will be on the start line including Azaria Teklay, winner of last year 's Grand Ballon and winner of the two last Grand-Prix, Primo Mamu, the World Champion of 2012, and Debessay Tsege. Also competing this year will be Julien Rancon, the French Mountain Running Champion the past two years and winner of the Grand Ballon in 2007 and 2010.
Rancon will be joined by French National Team member Benjamin Bellamy.
Emanuele Manzi (Italy) and , Glenn Hughes (NZL) are also registered and the organization is waiting for confirmation of Hirum Wandangi (Kenya), who was recently second at the Gamperney Berglauf in Switzerland and third at the opening race in Bludenz.
This second World Cup stage seems very competitive in the men's division, but for the women, Valentina Belotti (Italy), winner of the two last Monté,e du Grand Ballon, and Helene Froehlich, the duathlon French champion, are the only top competitors presently registered.
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Edited from Tomo Sarf and Nancy Hobbs (WMRA)
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Source of the pictures:
on front page (from LOC):
- front page of the brochure,
on second page (from Tomo Sarf):
- Valentina Belotti.