While the majority of races have been cancelled, the World Mountain Running Association has been trying to keep great mountain running content coming to its community. First they took a look at the greatest of all time (GOAT) mountain runners and now they’re looking at the greatest of all time mountain running races – e.g. “GROAT”. Just as they did with the GOAT athletes, you get your chance to vote for your favorite mountain races using the ballot at the bottom of this page.
After two rounds of voting the GROAT moves into the semi final phase. As a reminder of all 22 greatest races the WMRA has been celebrating in this contest, see the full list here. Hopefully it will give us some inspiration for future years of mountain running.
The semi-finalists for WMRA’s greatest mountain races of all time are:
K42 Argentina vs Three Peaks Race
K42 Patagonia (Argentina)
Distance: 42 km (+-2184m)
History: this race started in 2003 and takes place in Villa La Angostura in Patagonia. Previous winners include the record holders Elisa Desco and Miguel Heras and in 2019 it was the race for the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships (as well as the short distance championship) resulting in wins for Jim Walmsley and Cristina Simion.
Three Peaks Race (England)
Distance: 37 km (+-1608m)
History: the first race was run in 1954, though it was already a well-established long distance walking route. Past winners include WMRA council member Sarah Rowell (4 times), Rob Jebb (4 times), Anna Frost, Tom Owens, Anna Pichrtova and Victoria Wilkinson (5 times). The race incorporated the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in 2008.
Smarna Gora vs International Snowdon Race
Smarna Gora (Slovenia)
Distance: 10 km (+710 and -350m)
History: the race is 40 years old and it has been part of the World Cup (perviously Grand Prix) 18 times. Previous winners include: Ines Hižar, Rosita Rota-Gelpi, Izabela Zatorska, Petra Majdič, Mateja Kosovelj, Victoria Wilkinson, Andrea Mayr, Lucija Krkoč, Alice Gaggi, Sarah Tunstall and Lucy Murigi for the women and Lucio Fregona, Marco De Gasperi, Jonathan Wyatt, Emanuele Manzi, Mitja Kosovelj, Antonio Tornielli, Ahmet Arslan, Alex Baldaccini, Yussief Tekle, Fred Musobo, Petro Mamu, and Johan Bugge for the men.
Snowdon Race (Wales)
Distance: 10 miles (+-994m)
History: the historic mountain race started in 1976 and has hosted the European Championships and the World Cup. Previous winners include Marco De Gasperi, Izabela Zatorska, Angela Mudge, Cesare Maestri, Andi Jones (6 times), Mary Wilkinson and Sarah McCormack (both 3 times).
Voting is now open via the form below and closes at midnight CET on July 4th.
