WMTRC Who are the favourite?

WORLD MOUNTAIN AND TRAIL RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS,
Chiang Mai, Thailand
WHO ARE THE FAVOURITES?

ITRA is proud to present to you the first combined World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC) which will host more than 900 elite athletes from 46 Member Federations.

The Trail Race distances being contested are the Long Trail (80km, 4910m of elevation gain, starting at 6.30am (GMT+7) on Saturday 5 November) and Short Trail (40km, 2777m of elevation gain, starting at 7.30am on Saturday 5 November). The Mountain Race distances are Classic Uphill (8.5km, 1014m of elevation gain, starting at 9.15am to 10am on Friday 4 November), Classic Up and Down (11.2km, 441m of elevation gain, starting at 9.45am to 11am on Sunday 6 November) and Junior Classic Up and Down (11.2km, 441m of elevation gain, starting at 8.30am to 9am on Sunday 6 November). 

The performance level of the athletes competing in each of the events is incredibly high. Let's take a closer look at the start list of the Long and Short Trail Races and highlight some of the brightest stars to look out for.

• LONG TRAIL RACE

(Hannes Namerger)

Looking at the ITRA Performance Index (ITRA PI), the ranking is very tight between the first 7 men each of whom boasts an ITRA PI above 900. Among them are Hannes NAMBERGER (Germany, ITRA PI 928), Tom EVANS (UK, ITRA PI 918), Adam PETERMAN (USA, ITRA PI 917), Thibaut GARRIVIER (France, ITRA PI 916), Andreas REITERER (Italy, ITRA PI 905), Nicolas MARTIN (France, ITRA PI 902) and Martin ANTHAMATTEN (Switzerland, ITRA PI 901). The winner looks likely to emerge from this group.
(Tom Evans)
However, they will all be a long way from home and Thailand may be a holiday paradise and the land of smiles, but it’s also hot and humid compared to Europe and the US.  The highest ranked Asians in the field are Hirokazu NISHIMURA (Japan, ITRA PI 834) and WONG Ho Chung (Hong Kong, ITRA PI 825). Could they, or Thailand’s top-ranked runner Jantaraboon “Jay” KIANGCHAIPAIPHANA (ITRA PI 773), or Harry JONES (UK, ITRA PI 873) who lived in Chiang Mai for years before returning to the UK recently, exploit their familiarity with the conditions to upset the rankings? Keep an eye out also for runners who have tasted success at previous World Championships – Nicolas MARTIN was 5^th in Portugal in 2019 and Ludovic POMMERET (France, ITRA PI 877) took 7^th.

(Blandine L'Hirondel)

In the women's race, will anyone be able to compete with the extraordinary World Trail Running Champion in 2019 Blandine L’HIRONDEL (France, ITRA PI 811)? She certainly looks like a strong favourite to defend her title. Ranked second in the field according to the ITRA PI, is Dominika STELMACH (Poland, ITRA PI 773) and third is Sunmaya BUDHA (Nepal, ITRA PI 772). As the highest ranked trail runner in Asia, a podium finish for Sunmaya would surprise no one. Keep an eye out also for Azara GARCIA (Spain, ITRA PI 768), who took fourth place in the World Championships in Portugal in 2019, and will be aiming to go at least one place better in Chiang Mai.
(Sunmaya Budha)

As you can see from the chart below, only 13 points separate the second and the tenth-ranked women, so again, expect a close-fought race to see who will be crowned World Champion.  And the “shoot-out” between France and Spain for the women’s team title shapes up as The Rumble in The Jungle II.  Can Team France defend the gold medals proudly won in 2019?

TOP 10 MEN (BY ITRA PI)

TOP 10 WOMEN (BY ITRA PI)

• SHORT TRAIL RACE

The quality of the athletes in the Short Trail Race is also stratospheric. On the men's side we have Jonathan ALBON, the reigning World Trail Running Champion with the highest ITRA PI of all the participants in the WMTRC: 943. Jonathan is the second fastest trail runner in the world in the ITRA ranking, behind only Killian JORNET (Spain, ITRA PI 951. Among those seeking to prevent Jonathan from retaining his crown are 7 athletes ranked above 900: Petter ENGDAHL (Sweden, 923 ITRA PI), Frédéric TRANCHAND (France, 919 ITRA PI), Stian Hovind ANGERMUND (Norway, 913 ITRA PI), Thomas CARDIN (France, 912 ITRA PI), Rui UEADA (Japan, 905 ITRA PI), Francesco PUPI (Italy, 901, ITRA PI) and Martin ANTHAMATTEN (Switzerland, 901 ITRA PI).  Francesco PUPI finished fourth in the World Championships in Portugal in 2019, and will be determined to be on the podium this time.

(Petter Engdahl)
 (Tove Alexandersson)

This trend continues with the women’s field. The ITRA PI suggests Tove ALEXANDERSSON from Sweden is a firm favourite. She is second overall in the women's ITRA ranking (behind only Courtney DAUWALTER (USA, ITRA PI 830) with the highest ITRA PI of all the participants in the WMTRC: 828. Battling Tove to be crowned World Champion will be 7 athletes whose  ITRA PI is above 750. Namely: Anaïs SABRIE (France, 781 ITRA PI), Sheila AVILES CASTAÑO (Spain, 780 ITRA PI), Nuria GIL CLAPERA (Spain, 765 ITRA PI), Mathilde SAGNES (Spain, 762 ITRA PI), Eleanor DAVIS (UK, 758 ITRA PI) and Ariane Wilhem (Switzerland, 757 ITRA PI)). Sheila AVILES CASTAÑO took bronze in the World Championships in Portugal in 2019, and will be determined to retain her place on the podium this year.

With stacked fields of the most talented trail runners on the planet, athletes brimming with pride at representing their countries, nations competing in fierce and friendly rivalry, a new format and a debut for the Worlds in Asia, excitement is reaching fever pitch.  ITRA will be providing updates throughout the WMTRC so that you can follow all of the action and won’t miss a beat.

TOP 10 MEN (BY ITRA PI):

TOP 10 WOMEN (BY ITRA PI)

Find the complete start-lists of all the races of the World Mountain & Trail Running Championships 2021 : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VdOydDs8JL0c3vzXd6UvozDLa8YtmGj7/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117867737499319903180&rtpof=true&sd=true

Men podium- TWC 2019 1^st Jonathan ALBON, 2^nd Julien RANCON, 3^rd Christian MATHYS

Women podium-TWC 2019 1^st Blandine L’HIRONDEL, 2^nd Ruth CROFT, 3^rd Sheila AVILES

Men team podium – TWC 2019 1^st FRANCE, 2^nd GREAT BRINTAIN, 3^rd SPAIN

Women Team podium – TWC 2019: 1^st FRANCE, 2^nd SPAIN, 3^rd ROMANIA