“Athletes from 27 countries around the world are set to descend on North Wales this Saturday (September 12) for the World Masters Mountain Running Championships.
More than 600 athletes aged 35-79 have registered the World Masters event from countries including, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Spain, Norway, Czech Republic, South Africa, Austria, France, Germany, Slovakia, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, Finland, Kenya, Colombia, Republic of Ireland, Australia, Bulgaria, USA, Singapore, Hungary, Poland, Mongolia, Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Canada.
It kicks-off an exciting week-long series of races and events in Betws-y-Coed which culminates in the World Mountain Running Championships, sponsored by Arriva Trains Wales, on September 19.
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“Unlike in previous years when the World Masters Mountain Running Championships were held at a separate location and date to the World Mountain Running Championships, the two events have been brought back together for 2015.
Conwy County Borough Council are organising both events with support from Run 4 Wales, Welsh Athletics and British Athletics.
Steve Brace, head of event delivery for Run 4 Wales, commented: &quot,By having the World Masters and World Mountain Running Championships on consecutive weekends we hope to create a special environment for athletes and spectators.
&quot,We are delighted to welcome athletes from across the world to Betws-y-Coed and we are sure this area of North Wales, and the course we have designed, will not disappoint those who have travelled from far and wide to be here.
&quot,The masters championships is an inspiring event with athletes of all ages taking part and I am sure local people will give them the sort of warm welcome Wales is famous for.&quot,
The men’s and women’s masters age groups from 35 to 50 will compete over the long 10.6km course with +/- 500m of elevation gain while the age groups from 55 to 75 race over the shorter 8.7km course with around +/- 450m of elevation gain.
There will also be an open race for ages 35+, including an 80+ age group if needed, over the short course.
The World Masters Mountain Running Championships will be formally opened with a ceremony on Friday 11th and closed with presentations from 6pm on Saturday 12th.
Other activities taking place during the week following the Masters Championships and in the build up to the World Mountain Running Championships include film screening and talks, featuring 6-time world champion Jonathan Wyatt and ultra-distance mountain runners Nicky Spinks and Steve Birkinshaw, school races, open races, which include an uphill only race to the summit of Moel Siabod on the Wednesday and an international mountain running coaches’ forum.
Full World Mountain Running Championships event information and details on the routes can be found via the World Masters and the World Championships websites. Entries to events start from as little as &pound,10 and the organising teams from UK Athletics, Welsh Athletics and Conwy County Borough Council are confident that racing will be highly competitive and have added international flavour as runners are expected from across the globe.
World Masters Mountain Running Championships and the Open Event programme entries are now live and can be accessed via www.wmrcwales.org/open-races.
Further updates on the 2015 World Mountain Running Championships are available via the WMRC Wales website www.wmrcwales.org, Twitter and Facebook pages.

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