With only a few days to go before the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 in Innsbruck-Stubai, the next destination has been determined: The 2025 title races will be held in Canfranc, in the Spanish part of the Pyrenees. This was a joint decision of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), the International Association of Ultra Runners (IAU), and the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) under the coordination of World Athletics (WA).
“We are overjoyed for Canfranc-Pirineos to have won the bid for the 2025 WMTRC,” says Sergio Mayayo, council member of the World Mountain Running Association, WMRA, who backed the application of the small town on the French border. “We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the organizers in Innsbruck-Stubai who have given us insights into how to compile an application and what to consider. Our Race Director will be in Innsbruck-Stubai from June 1 to 12 to run at the Alpine Trail Festival but also to get a comprehensive idea of how to stage World Championships.” The 540-strong town, where the “Canfranc-Canfranc”, staged since 2007, attracts a constantly growing number of ultra runners and where the Mountain Running World Cup was held in 2022, won its WMTRC bid on the second attempt. The Worlds will be held between September 25-28, 2025.
Even before the decision on the 2025 World Cup venue was made, the Spaniards announced their team for Innsbruck-Stubai: 19 women and 21 men will come to Tyrol; they have seven medals to defend from Chiang Mai. “We cannot count on that,” says Mayayo, “because a lot of things were unexpected in Thailand such as the hotly tipped runners from Uganda not showing up in time for the start of the Vertical Uphill.” That’s how Alejandro Garcia Carillo came to take home the bronze medal. He will be back, as will Gemma Arenas Alcazar, who also took bronze in the women’s trail long. “Other than that, our strength lies in the depth and the experience of the team,” says Mayayo. “We don't have the top athletes, but a lot of very good runners, which is why we took home five team medals in Thailand.” In Innsbruck-Stubai, the Spaniards will once again be among the absolute favorites in terms of team contests.
