World Mountain Running Championships
The 2007 world mountain running championships are being conducted during September. Plans are also underway for the 2008 world championships, with a mountain marathon selection race on 2 December 2007 for the 2008 world long distance championship.
A. World long distance mountain running championship, 15th Jungfrau Marathon, Interlaken, Switzerland 8 September 2007
Australian team:
Men: Matthew Robbie, Neil Labinsky, Trevor Jacobs, Simon Fairweather.
Women: Isobel Bespalov, Jackie Fairweather, Vanessa Haverd, Elizabeth Bennett.
2005 and 2006 world champion Emma Murray had to withdraw with injury. However, Matthew Robbie, Neil Labinsky, Isobel Bespalov, and Jackie Fairweather all look to be potential top ten finishers.
Website: http://www.jungfrau-marathon.ch/ws/jm/en/marathon/
B. World Mountain Running Trophy, Saillon-Ovronnaz, Switzerland, 15 September
Australian team:
Senior men: Scott McTaggart, Stephen Brown, Mark Bourne, Stuart Doyle.
Junior men: Matthew Bayley, Ben Guest.
Senior women: Hubertien Wichers, Cindy King, Jessamy Hosking.
Junior women: Veronica Wallington, Lara Tamsett, Lauren McKillop.
At the Australian championships, Matthew Bayley and Veronica Wallington clocked winning times which would have been medal-contending two years ago at the last up/down world championships. Three-time Australian champion Scott McTaggart has demonstrated that if he runs up to his potential on the day, he can match it with anyone.
Website: http://www.coursedes2bains.org/2007/
C. 2007 World veterans mountain running championships
The 7th WMRA/WMA Master World Championships will be held in Bludenz, Austria, on 23rd September 2007.
Website: http://www.berglaufteam.com/index_e.html
D. 2008 world long distance mountain running championships
In 2008 the 5th WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship will be the Three Peaks race, staged in Great Britain, on Saturday, 26 April 2008 in Settle (Horton in Ribblesdale – Yorkshire).
See www.threepeaksrace.org.uk and www.johnmayall.btinternet.co.uk/threepeksfellrace.htm
This race is 23.4 miles and climbs up and down three big mountains, giving a total climb of 4900 feet.
Australian team selection trial
The Australian Mountain Running Association is organising the following selection trial for the Australian team for the 2008 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship.
Sunday 2 December 2007: Deep Space Mountain Marathon, former Honeysuckle Creek Deep Space Tracking Station, Apollo Road, Namadgi National Park A.C.T.
The Deep Space Mountain Marathon is a 43.4 km trail and road run with a total elevation gain of 1800m, meeting the World Mountain Running Association's criteria for a championship long distance mountain running championship.
Race program:
5.30am 43.4 km marathon and 25 km run; 7am18 km bush walk; 7.30am 8.4 km run, 18 km run, 8.4 km bush walk. See entry form and map at http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/ Contact John Harding ph 6248 6905. hackettrunner at hotmail.com
E. 24th WMRA World Trophy 2008.
The 2008 world mountain running championship will be an uphill championship on 14 September at Sierre/Crans Montana in Switzerland.
The principal selection trial will be the 2008 Australian Mountain Running Championship, expected to be in late April at a venue to be confirmed.