Athletes eye European Championships spot in Willer Sur Thur: WMRA Grand Prix – Athletics News
The 31st edition of the Grand-Ballon Uphill Mountain race, which is a part of the WMRA Grand Prix, is all set to commence on Thursday, June 2.
Less important events usually provide a chance to the participating countries to finalise suitable athletes that may represent them in bigger tournaments, where the stakes are much higher.
The Grand-Ballon race will take place in France, near the German border. According to sources, 500 runners will toil to reach at the top of Vosges, the destination which promises the title of the event.
Taking on the opportunity to prepare and select their runners for the upcoming European Championships, which is to commence in Turkey in July this year, fields from France, Belgium and Switzerland will take part in the event.
The French field for the event will be lead by mountain runners like Julien Rancon (61:26) and Marie-Laure Dumergues (48.52). After ensuring the presence of such strong contestants in the competition, the French can rightly expect to claim a top finish on the podium.
A real challenge for the French runner is expected from the World Mountain Running circuit, who will also be hitting the line on Thursday. The men’s squad will cherish having Switzerland’s David Schneider and Germany’s Timo Zeiler. In the women’s team, the field will observe Switzerland’s Martina Strahl, the runner who holds the course record of (46:42), along with United Kingdom’s Emma Clayton.
The Grand-Ballon’s uphill event, which extends to a distance of over 13.2km for men and which marks an altitude of 1200m, will certainly test the runners in their ascending ability. The present men’s course, which stands at 58:19, is owned by New Zealand’s Jonathan Wyatt. Wyatt marked the record back in 2004.
Apart from providing a chance to athletes to get rid of their deficiencies for more important competitions, the upcoming event will also extend an opportunity for them to recognise their potential rivals that may pose a real challenge in the European championships. The race will also dish-out a real feast for mountain running fans.
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