The European Athletics Off-Road Running Championships start off with a bang of Friday (5) as the uphill mountain race leads the athletes from Stahovica 8.9km over an ascent of 1.25km metres to Velika Planina.
All ten races from Ljubljana-Kamnik will be streamed live on the European Athletics YouTube channel on 5-7 June.
The up & down mountain races on Sunday finish off the third edition of the Championships with a 13km up and down race including three steep uphill passages.
Both races, uphill mountain race as well up & down mountain race will feature competitions not only in elite but also U20 classes, with the latter racing on a 3.5km course in the uphill race.
Kamnik is going to see only two defending champions; Switzerland’s Roberto Delorenzi the reigning up and down men’s gold medallist and Germany’s Julia Ehrle, the women’s U20 uphill gold medallist.
In brief
- Great Britain's Scout Adkin seeking to take over from four-time champion Nina Engelhard of Germany
- Swedish star Tove Alexandersson doing trail and up & down race
- Swiss runner Roberto Delorenzi trying to defend his up & down title from Annecy 2024
Five women to watch
- Scout Adkin (GBR)
- Sara Alonso (ESP)
- Tove Alexandersson (SWE)
- Nienke Brinkman (NED)
- Nelie Clement (FRA)
Following the withdrawal of four-time uphill European champion Nina Engelhard from Germany, Great Britain’s Scout Adkin is heading the stacked women’s field in the uphill race which will be the opening race of the third edition of the European Athletics Off- Road Running Championships in Kamnik.
Dutch hopes concentrate on Nienke Brinkman, who only started running six years ago. Two years later the talent set a Dutch marathon record of 2:22:51 and won bronze at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships, since beaten by Sifan Hassan.
Another month after that performance, Brinkman won the Zegama-Aizkorri mountain marathon in Spain – now she is competing in the uphill mountain race in Kamnik.
The up & down race on Sunday, sees Tove Alexandersson from Sweden in her second race at the European Athletic Off-Road Running Championships – following Saturday’s trail race, meeting in a clash of the stars with Scout Adkin and Nelie Clement from France – not to forget Sara Alonso from Spain.
In the U20 up & down race all eyes are set on Germany’s Julia Ehrle, defending champion as well as reigning world champion.
Five men to watch
- Cesare Maestri (ITA)
- Andrea Elia (ITA)
- Dominik Rolli (SUI)
- Roberto Delorenzi (SUI)
- Manuel Merillas (ESP)
Italy versus Switzerland – that’s what to expect in the men’s uphill mountain race. Italy’s Andrea Elia has earned reputation as an expert in vertical races. He finished third in a WMRA world cup event on the exact same course last year.
He is joined by his fellow countryman Cesare Maestri who has extensive experience. Swiss contenders Dominik Rolli and Roberto Delorenzi are also among the favourites.
The 28-year-old Delorenzi not only aims for a medal in the uphill race but also tries to defend his title in the final up & down race. Not an easy feat as the competition is particularly fierce in that event.
The Spanish delegation with Andreu Blance, Manuel Merillas are amongst the most promising competitors as well as Austrian twin Manuel and Hans-Peter Innerhofer, Lukas Ehrle from Germany and the French runners Romain Discher and Quentin Meyleu.
In the U20 races, France’s Yannick Mamheld is one of the leading contenders in both the uphill and up & down races.