The World Mountain Running Association’s Greatest Mountain Race of All Time (GROAT) contest has reached the quarter final stage. Eight mountain running races remain; four long distance and four short distance and all extremely special in their own way.
New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Road Race made it through the initial round of voting and goes up against Slovenia’s Smarna Gora. The 7.6 mile Mount Washington Race Race climbs 4200′ and has been held annually since 1966 but it actually originated in 1936. Previous winners of this American “greatest mountain race” include course record holder Jonathan Wyatt, Colorado’s Shannon Payne (2 times), Anna Pichrtova (6 times) and Colorado’s Joseph Gray (4 times).
You can learn more about each of these quarter final races including the distance and elevation gain/loss on our website HERE.
Now the long distance (over 21 km) races you voted for go head-to-head to find the greatest, and the short distance (under 21 km) do the same. The quarter final match-ups are:
- Sierre Zinal (Switzerland, 31 km, +2200m and -1100m) vs K42 Argentina (Argentina, 42 km, +-2184m)
- Canfranc-Canfranc (Spain, 45 km, +-4000m) vs Three Peaks Race (England, 37 km, +-1608m)
- Smarna Gora (Slovenia, 10 km, +710 and -350m) vs Mount Washington Road Race (USA, 7.6 miles, +1402m)
- Grossglockner Berglauf (Austria, 13 km, +1265m) vs Snowdon Race (Wales, 10 miles, +-994m)
Cast you votes now the form below for the 2020 Greatest Mountain Race of all Time! The deadline is Saturday, 27th June.
Photo top of page by Joe Viger Photography. Shannon Payne winning the 2017 Mount Washington Road Race.
