WORLD LONG DISTANCE MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIP, 21.44 kms, PIKE’S PEAK ASCENT, USA, 21 August
Australia’s team of Andrew Lee, Stuart Gibson and Brendan Davies face an epic altitude challenge in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship on 21 August at the Pike’s Peak Ascent in the USA. Elevation gain (start to summit) is 2,382 metres; the start is at 1,920m and the summit is 4,302m where there is 40% less oxygen than at sea level. The Ascent has very few stretches which are not going uphill with the average percent grade being 11%.
Gibson and Lee are used to big climbs, as joint winners in race record time in this year’s North Face 100 kms. Gibson has also competed successfully at high altitude in the Everest marathon.
The race website is at www.pikespeakmarathon.org
Men: Andrew Lee NSW, Stuart Gibson VIC, Brendan Davies NSW
WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS, SLOVENIA, 5 SEPTEMBER
Picture: Scott McTaggart winning the 2010 Kosciuszko Run (photographer: John Kennedy)
Australian champions Scott McTaggart and Vanessa Haverd head the team for the World Mountain Running Championships in Slovenia on 5 September. Scott has won 5 Australian Championships with dominant performances each time while Haverd finished 7th in the 2009 World Long Distance Championship, with fellow team member Colleen Middleton from Albury 8th in the same event. David Bayley and Rosie Donegan from Victoria head up strong teams for the World Junior Championships. The Championship website is http://www.wmrc2010-kamnik.si/HomeENG.aspx
Senior men: Scott McTaggart ACT, Stephen Brown NSW, Adam Byles VIC, John Winsbury ACT
Senior women: Vanessa Haverd ACT, Ellie O’Kane NSW, Deahne Turnbull QLD, Colleen Middleton VIC.
Junior men: David Bayley VIC, Ben Duffus QLD, Ben Buckingham VIC, Jordan Nelson VIC
Junior women: Laura Rose Donegan VIC, Bronwyn Humphry VIC
Manager: Tim Crosbie, Athletics Victoria Club Development Manager