MESSAGES

Danny HUGHES - WMRA President

It is a pleasure for me to write a few words for this first bulletin of the 2004 World Mountain Running Trophy, and I address them to countries and athletes who may know little or nothing about this new branch of athletics.

Mountain running could be defined as endurance running, in the nature, with significant amounts of elevation. A seminar was conducted by the International Athletics Foundation in Innsbruck in 2002 when special nature and requirements of mountain running where discussed. A booklet of the proceedings is available from the IAAF office in Monaco.

Mountain running, contrary to what may be implied by the name, is not a dangerous sport requiring ropes and rock climbing ability, but it is a sport that meets the desire of many athletes for a more adventurous alternative of running than the road and cross country races that form part of their normal athletic activity. Mountain running has also proved to be an excellent introduction to athletics for many athletes who have gone on to excel road and cross-country running.

You are therefore invited to consider bringing athletes (men, women, juniors) to compete on the Olympic mountain in Sauze d'Oulx (Italy) in September 2004. There you will enjoy athletic competition set amongst the beautiful mountains of the Italian Alps, which have been chosen for the 2006 winter Olympics. After all, why should our snow sport colleagues have all the scenic beauty for themselves?!


Read the other messages:
Lamine DIACK / Gianni GOLA / Danny HUGHES / Enzo GHIGO / Ettore RACCHELLI / Roberto VAGLIO / Silvana ACCOSSATO / Maria Evelina BERTERO / Roberto FAURE