[WMTRC 2023] Short Trail race: Who are the favourites?

We're only a few days away from the next World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, which will be held in Innsbruck/Stubai from 6 to 10 June. The time has come to take a close look at the favourites for these Championships.

SHORT TRAIL RACE
MEN

The men's field is exceptional. Fourteen athletes have an ITRA Performance Index of over 900. As at the previous World Championships, Great Britain's Jonathan ALBON looks like the race favourite with an ITRA Performance Index (ITRA PI) of 938. The 2019 Trail World Champion and bronze medallist at the inaugural Short Trail World Championships in Thailand, he will be back with a view to reclaiming his Short Trail World Champion title.

The race will be marked by the first participation of Italian Davide MAGNINI, second in the rankings with 925 ITRA PI, a specialist in steep terrain and the Short Trail format. The battle will be fierce with Short Trail World Champion Stian ANGERMUND (916 ITRA PI), who will be defending his title no matter what.


Stian ANGERMUND

In the top 15 of the world's fastest runners, the Italians are four strong with Davide MAGNINI (925 ITRA PI), Cristian MINOGGIO (911 ITRA PI), Luca DEL PERO (903 ITRA PI) and Francesco PUPPI (899 ITRA PI), runner-up at the Short Trail World Championships, who will be doing everything in his power to climb onto the top step of the podium.

The French are also present in large numbers, with four in the Top 15 of the world's best athletes. Orienteering specialist Frédéric TRANCHAND (912 (ITRA PI), followed by Thomas CARDIN (908), then Thibault BARRONIAN (904 ITRA PI) and Loïc ROBERT (904 ITRA PI) will battle it out at the top of the rankings, heralding a fierce battle at the head of the race.

On the Austrian trails, we mustn't forget Sweden's Petter ENGDAHL with an astronomical ITRA Performance Index of 923, nor American Seth RUHLING (905 ITRA PI).

In the men's category, the competition will be tough, with the steep, demanding trails promising an epic race with plenty of twists and turns, where predictions will be hard to make.

Twenty-three other athletes follow in the rankings with ITRA Performance Indices above 870. Look out for athletes such as Poland's Andrzej WITEK (890 ITRA PI), China's Juwei ZI (884 ITRA PI) and Austria's Hans-Peter INNERHOFER (876 ITRA PI), who, with home advantage, is one to keep an eye on.

TOP 15 MEN :

Looking at the men, the average ITRA Performance Index for the top 5 is 922.8 and for the top 10 is 914.6. The performance level among the men is unprecedented. The world's best runners will be competing for the title of Short Trail World Champion. The show promises to be spectacular.

SHORT TRAIL RACE
WOMEN 

On the women's side, the Short Trail race is very competitive. The big favourite at these Short Trail World Championships is South Africa's Toni MCCANN with an ITRA Performance Index of 781, followed by a very tight field of athletes of almost similar ability, including the American Brittany CHARBONEAU (771 ITRA PI), Spain's Nuria GIL (770 ITRA PI) and New Zealand's Caitlin FIELDER (768 ITRA PI). Similarly, among the world's fastest athletes, Mauritania will be represented by the incredibly pacey Marie PERRIER (758 ITRA PI). Great Britain’s Eleanor DAVIS (756 ITRA PI), eighth at the inaugural Short Trail World Championships and 3rd in the team competition, is a good bet for another top-10 finish.

The Czech Republic's Barbora MACUROVA (745 ITRA PI) came second and Sweden's Emilia BRANGEFÄLT (751 ITRA PI) was third at the inaugural Short Trail World Championships. Both will be keen to top the podium this year.


Emilia Brangefält

Among the women, the level is high and there are many athletes with performance levels between 730 and 750 (ITRA PI). The demanding Austrian course will offer an ultra-competitive spectacle where, once again, predictions are difficult to make.

The women's field at these Short Trail Running Championships is extremely strong. The average ITRA Performance Index for the top 5 is 770 and for the top 10 is 762.7. Once again, there are many athletes in with a chance of the win if they perform to their full potential on the day.

SHORT TRAIL BY TEAM
MEN

Last year's Short Trail World Team Champions were the Italians, followed by the French and the British.

If we look at the ITRA Performance Index for all the athletes, we find exactly the same ranking, with the Italians in the lead, followed by the French and then the British. Will there be any changes? Or will this year’s event confirm Italy's domination of the Short Trail discipline? The predictions also include the presence of the Americans in fourth place, followed by the Spanish and Chinese respectively. A place on the podium of the world's fastest Short Trail nations is a real possibility for each of these teams.

SHORT TRAIL BY TEAM
WOMEN

In the women's category, the first Short Trail World Champions were the Spanish, followed by the Americans in second place and the British in third.

This year, the predictions are that the Spanish will be the strong favourites for the Short Trail Team Championships, followed by the Americans. The change comes in third place, where we find the Italians. Will the Spanish be able to confirm their supremacy in the Short Trail discipline? Or will other nations spring a surprise? The Swiss, the French and the Italians are right behind them and will be doing their utmost to win the team World Champion title. We can’t wait to watch the action unfold.



See you on Thursday June 8! 

Discover all the start list: short trail race start list