ABOUT
The Golden Trail World Series and the Golden Trail National Series
are here to celebrate and grow the trail running sport.
The series stand out in the modern sports world by respecting unique values
like parity, equity, transparency and honesty
The races have been chosen to highlight the most iconic events in the sport today.
The Golden Trail World Series
It aims to promote professional trail runners as the world-class athletes that they are, to showcase and protect the awe-inspiring nature and environments where we play and compete and to acknowledge the amazing, passionate fans as an essential ingredient in the sport. Each of the six races in the series has been specifically selected be-cause of the scenery, challenge, history and atmosphere that they of-fer to both the runners and the public. These are the races that every runner wants to experience and some of the first written on any runner’s bucket list. More below...
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The Golden Trail National Series
After a successful year in 2018 for the GTWS (ex-GTS), 2019 saw the Golden Trail National Series (GTNS) appear in some countries like France, Spain, Italy, CZE-SK-POL. 2020 will see the GTNS in China and UK.
Depending of the geography, a GTNS could be held in different countries like France and Belgium, Spain and Portugal, CZE SK and POL etc…
While The GTWS aims to concentrate the best international athletes, the GTNS aims to concentrate the best national athletes and give them an opportunity to be invited on the GTWS (World) the next following year.
More below…
ZEGAMA – SPAIN
“Zegama is Zegama” The Basque Fever. Only lucky few runners have the opportunity to run through the highest peaks of the Basque Country
MARATHON DU MONT-BLANC – FRANCE
The Mont-Blanc Marathon, the Roller Coaster in the heart of the European mountains offers the best sceneray on the majestic MONT BLANC
DOLOMYTHS RUN SKYRACE – ITALY
The Couloir of Hell. Get ready to run up to the top of the Piz Boè placed at 3152m, with a vertical climb of over 1700 D+Â
SIERRE-ZINAL – SWITZERLAND
The Fast & Furious, the fastest race of the series, attracting a really high level of athlete. A race that consistently goes down to the wire in a final kilometer sprint for victory.
PIKES PEAK – USA
The summit of the race is at 4,302m altitude making it the highest of the series. It’s also one of the two races, along with Sierre Zinal, with the seemingly impossible course records. Can anyone break them?
RING OF STEALL – SCOTLAND
The “short” version of the Glen Coe Skyline, the most technical race of the series, the Scottish Vertigo
It combines these iconic races into a new and revolutionary concept. A clear and simple format where each runner’s best three results from the six races count. This will generate excitement for the public following the entire season and to ensure that the elite meet each other a maximum number of times during the year to guarantee a high level on each race.
It is more than just a race series however – it’s a celebration of trail running, trail running athletes and fans. Every celebration needs a party – a finale that embodies everything we stand for. Each year the Golden Trail World Series will choose a very special race for the Grand Finale. In 2020, the top 11 men and 11 women from the over-all ranking after the 6th race – along with a partner or friend, will be invited to the Grand Finale in Patagonia for a dream trip. The top 5 will receive €10,000 of prize money and from 6th to 10th €5,000, whereas the 11th will just get the dream trip to the finale. This is the guarantee of an epic battle till the very last finish line.
The 2020 Golden Trail World Series Finale will be held at the K42 PATAGONIA, VILLA LA ANGOSTURA in ARGENTINA.
The aim of those national series is to give the opportunity to any strong athlete, to take part to the most prestigious international trail running series the following year and measure themselves to the best world athletes.
Each national series will highlight the best races & the best athletes of the countries with a formula between 3 to 5 races + a national finale and an overall GTNS Grand Finale in the Azores, gathering the best of each GTNS.
The top 3 men and women of the overall GTNS Grand Finale will be invited to participate to the GTWS the next year.
As the GTWS, the values of the series will be respected: parity, equity, transparency and honesty