4 July 2013 – This weekend (6 July) will see Llanrwst transformed into a sea of international colour as over 150 athletes from 18 countries descend onto the North Wales town for the World Trail Running Championships.
The ultra-trail running event entertains runners from countries including Australia, Great Britain, France and the Czech Republic, including local athlete Iain Ridgway who will be proudly donning a GB vest for the very first time as he lines-up with some of the world’s best to tackle the challenging 77km route.
After months of preparation the spectacular location of Gwydyr Forest has been prepared for a programme of World Championship and open trail running races, including the inaugural Llanrwst Trail 10k, where runners of all abilities will be invited to tackle a stunning 10km course of forest trails and mountain-heathland in conjunction with the main event.
The 10km event will also include an International match – seeing athletes from Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland and Brittany going head-to-head on the Gwydyr Forest tracks.
Welsh Athletics and the Conwy Sport Development teams will also be looking to the future too as they facilitate a roster of free-to-enter junior events, with runners able to register on the day.
As the fastest runners in the World Championship race are expected to take up to 6 hours to complete the gruelling event, organisers have ensured that supporters and families will be entertained throughout the day with a free climbing wall, bouldering cubes, plus high ropes and mountain bike courses for those with energy to burn, There will also be a giant inflatable slide and a children’s funfair ride.
For those with a little less energy there will be balloon modelling, face painting and an undercover shopping area featuring local crafts and foods, making for a fantastic family atmosphere.
Speaking about the day Cllr Graham Rees, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Marketing & Leisure at Conwy County Borough Council states:
“Conwy County Borough Council is extremely excited about bringing these championships to the area. The effects of the event will be felt on the economy, our sporting culture and the youth of the County – which is very important to us. Additionally, the competitors will be staying in the County for a number of nights, bringing great economic benefits.
“It is also pleasing to be once again working in conjunction with the IAU, Welsh Athletics and the Welsh Government, and we feel that collaboration on these types of events can only be good for the future of sport.”
The first races will get underway with the World Trail Running Championship event at 9am from the 17th Century Stone Bridge; Y Bont Fawr, closely followed by the Llanrwst Trail 10k open race at 9.15am, with junior races starting at 11.30am.
The event is set to receive worldwide media coverage, including a TV highlights package to be aired on Channel 4, Eurosport and Sky Sports, and will be the highest profile trail running event staged in the UK in recent years. It is also part of the legacy that saw North Wales host the extremely successful Commonwealth Mountain and Ultra Distance Championships some two years ago.
Welsh Athletics have also been instrumental in event support and organisational work, with Head of Development Steve Brace concluding:
“We are really excited to be hosting this World Championship event on home soil. It’s a sign of the IAU’s confidence of our abilities here in Wales to host the event and we have been working extremely hard over these last few months to deliver what we feel will be a world-class running event.
“It has been a pleasure working with Conwy County Borough Council, the IAU and of course the Welsh Government, and we’re proud to be able to showcase this stunning trail running location to the world and show all that Wales has to offer”.
The Welsh Government is supporting the event in a public sector partnership with Conwy, and is fully supported by the International Association of Ultra runners (IAU) and by the sports Governing bodies Welsh Athletics and British Athletics.
The Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart, said:
“The World Trail Running Championships in North Wales is yet another example of Wales’ ability to hold world-class sporting events. This is the first World Championship in the sport of athletics to be held in Wales. Additionally, it shows the confidence of the IAU in our abilities as a nation to hold such championships.
“We will build on our success in hosting the Commonwealth Mountain and Ultra Distance Championships in 2011 and we look forward to working with our partners to deliver a memorable event which will have a positive impact on the local economy.”
For further information on all of the events and links to the Championship’s social media offering, head to worldtrailwales2013.org