Portugal’s One-Hundred Douro Pavia Hosts Longest Mountain Running World Cup

Written by Maria Avila for the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA). Photos: One-Hundred Douro Pavia.

One-Hundred Douro Pavia is the competition with the longest distance of the silver label WMRA Mountain Running World Cup races in 2022. The race will be tomorrow, the 3rd of July, and it will take athletes into breathtaking landscapes along 45 km of the famous Port Wine Route.

The One-Hundred Douro Paiva will be part of the series of races to crown Women’s and Men’s Mountain Running World Cup Champions. The 22nd running of the World Cup is divided into Gold and Silver Label Races. This year, the last-mentioned category consists of five competitions. During these races, the athletes can gain lower points than in the Gold Label; however it still contributes to their overall score.

One-Hundred Douro Pavia

Photo: One-Hundred Douro Pavia.

Portugal is the destination of the second meeting of this year’s silver races. The competition consists of 45 km with an elevation gain of more than 2100 meters. If this is not challenging enough, there are 30 degree (C) temperature forecasted for this weekend. Additionally, the event will host more than 100 participants. This race is designed for lovers of challenges. Marcel Martin Konecny will be the official representative of the WMRA during this competition. He believes this event is particular because it “takes place in a unique environment in the interior of Portugal with charming nature, nice people and dedicated organizers.”

The main location for this race will be Cinfães, a village of about 3500 inhabitants surrounded by mountains on the south bank of the Douro River. This region has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2001 and is the home of Port Wine production. The closest airport to the village is one hour away, in Porto.

The runners picked up their kits on the 1st of July at the Museu Serpa Pinto. The runners can already check the route and download it to GPX from the race’s web page. The starting point will be at Fonte Dos Amores at 8:00 AM. Athletes should be 30 minutes earlier for the welcoming. From this spot, runners will have to complete a course accompanied by the landscapes of Sierra de Montemurro. Rivers like Rio Bestança will traverse the circuit. It will have asphalt zones and pass next to high peaks such as Serra de Saõ Pedro. From his runner perspective, Marcel Martin advises the racers to “be very well prepared because the weather conditions won’t be easy due to sun fatigue; they should think about hydration.” The expected time of the first arrival is around 1:15 PM at the same starting point.

One-Hundred Douro Pavia

Photo: One-Hundred Douro Pavia.

In addition to the victory in the race, the winners will take 20, 17, and 14 points for the first, second and third place, respectively to the Mountain Running World Cup classification. The local organizers will offer money prizes ranging from 500 euros for the first place and 100 euros for the fifth place.

We are sure that we can expect surprises from new athletes joining this race. Among the signed competitors is Lucinda Sousa. She had the best qualification in the feminine category representing the Portuguese team in the MaxiRace and the top position in the world circuit of ultra-trail.

You can check the results of the previous Mountain Running World Cup races on the ATRA website and follow the race LIVE through One-Hundred Douro Paiva’s YouTube channel and WMRA social media.

About the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup:
With 12 Gold Label races across 6 countries and 9 locations, and a further 5 Silver Label races in 5 different countries, the 2022 World Mountain Running Association’s Valsir Mountain Running World Cup promises 5 months of quality racing in the mountains. All World Cup events are World Athletics (WA) Permit Mountain Races. Races fall into one of 3 categories; Short Uphill, Classic Mountain and Long Mountain. As well as the overall World Cup standings, calculated from an athlete’s best 6 results, there will also be a classification for each category, calculated from an athlete’s best 3 results in that category. Seven Sisters Skyline is a Silver Label World Cup event in the Long Mountain category. WMRA Long Mountain races are generally 21 km to 42 km in length.

About the WMRA:
Formed in 1984, the World Mountain Running Association is the global governing body for mountain running and has the goal of promoting mountain running for all ages and abilities. As well as the Valsir World Cup, the WMRA organizes Masters, U18 and area championships and this year will work in partnership with the World Athletics, ITRA and IAU to deliver the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The WMRA also maintains the Mountain Running World Ranking, a system of points allocated to athletes based on the results in designated races. More information on the WMRA website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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