Obstacle Mud Runner - issue 09

obstaclemudrunner.co.uk 38 ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners Watch the YouTube video here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmMPCIo5E2s Salomon has announced the Golden Trail Series – a revolutionary new trail running race series. The series combines five of the most iconic short- distance trail races on the planet into a dream tour for both athletes and fans. The Golden Trail Series tears up the rule book on prize money, the mammoth € 100,000 prize pool will be shared equally among the overall top 10 men and women at a lavish Grand Final. Each of the top 10 will travel with a friend or partner of their choice for a trip of a lifetime. The Grand Final will also act as a stage for the twenty athletes to support a cause they are passionate about. After the final race of the series (the Ring of Steall in Scotland), an overall ranking will define the top 10 men and women based on their three best results in the five races. Those top 10 will be invited to the Grand Final where the men’s and women’s Golden Trail champions will be decided. Athletes do not need to run all five races to qualify for the Grand Final. “Each of the top 10 final athletes will be able to compete in the Grand Final race for a charitable cause they choose to support,” says Greg Vollet, Salomon Running Global Sports Marketing Manager. “This allows each athlete to have a voice in the trail running community. For the five qualifying races, the competition will be intense and at the highest level as the athletes compete for a top 10 spot. We want the Grand Final to be different, giving the athletes a chance to support a cause that means something to them.” “We chose these races (below) for the Golden Trail Series because they are the most exciting races to follow where the winners aren’t decided until the very end,” Vollet says. “It will be five legendary races full of adventure, emotion and competition, each celebrating a key component of the spirit of trail running. Zegama has the best fans, Mont Blanc Marathon has the best scenery, Sierre-Zinal is the fastest, Pikes Peak has the altitude and Ring of Steall is very technical. So this is the best of the best.” Beyond the Golden Trail Series revolutionary concept and prize money model, the series will also adopt a groundbreaking athlete health and anti-doping programme. Each of the races in the series will implement the QUARTZ Event programme – www.athletesfortransparency.org – which aims to strengthen the athlete’s medical supervision before and during the competition.  We are offering big prize money, so we want to make sure we have honest athletes competing for the love of trail running,” Vollet says. “The strictest anti-doping in world sport will be experienced at all the events. Blood, capillary, saliva and urine will all be tested and compared at all the races as a real longitudinal control for the top10 athletes. To make it even more stringent we will not accept any corticoid TUE for any of our races.” The unique series format was created to promote professional trail runners as the world-class athletes they are, to acknowledge the amazing, passionate fans as an essential ingredient in the sport and to showcase and protect the awe-inspiring nature and environments where we play and compete. The Golden Trail Series is more than just a race series, however. It is also a celebration of trail running, trail running athletes and the fans. For more details, visit: www.goldentrailseries.com Salomon’s “Golden Trails Series” ...allows top 10 athletes to battle it out at 5 iconic races RACE : TRAIL RUNNING e 100,000 prize pool 2018 Golden Trail Series Races consists of the following events: ZEGAMA MARATHON – SPAIN – 27th MAY MONT BLANC MARATHON – FRANCE – 1st JULY SIERRE-ZINAL – SWITZERLAND – 12th AUGUST PIKES PEAK MARATHON – USA – 19th AUGUST RING OF STEALL SKYRACE – SCOTLAND – 15th SEPTEMBER GRAND FINAL: OTTER TRAIL – SOUTH AFRICA – 20th OCTOBER Photo: Martina Valmassoi. Pikes Peak Marathon Photo: C. Jordi – Saragossa