New Zealand celebrate double victory in overall WMRA Grand Prix standings despite defeats in last race
  Ljubljana, Slovenia - The final race of the seven event 2008 WMRA Mountain Running Grand Prix series was held on 4 October in Slovenia. The race chosen to host the Grand Prix final was the 29th edition of the Smarna Gora, Ljubljana.
Jonathan Wyatt (NZL), as predicted, did enough to place himself first in the final GP ranking. He finished fourth today, and with 394 points was well ahead of series runner-up Marco Gaiardo (ITA) with 350 points.
Winner of today’s race, Mitja Kosovelj (SLO) moved up to third in the ranking with 297 points.
In the women’s division, a new race record was set today by World champion Andrea Mayr (AUT) who won comfortably from last year’s winner, Victoria Wilkinson (GBR). Overall in the season these two finished 5th and 3rd respectively leaving the overall GP title to Anna Frost (NZL). Frost, suffering from a slight throat infection could only manage 8th in the race.
Mitja Kosovelj’s sister, Mateja, made it a family celebration finishing 3rd in the race and second in the Grand Prix ranking.
So New Zealand can boast both GP winners. Wyatt and Frost are based in Europe for much of the year.
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6th Race. Schneeberlauf (Austria) September27th
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| Andrea Mayr (AUT) |
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| Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) |
As predicted, the outcome of the sixth of seven WMRA Grand Prix races resulted in comfortable victories for recently crowned World Champions Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) and Andrea Mayr (AUT). Slovenians, brother and sister, Mitja and Mateja Kosovelj were second in both races....................
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The sixth of seven Grand Prix mountain races takes place in SE Austria on Saturday 27th
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| Andrea Mayr (Austria) |
It is classed as second level race which means that the points awarded are just 50% of those awarded for first level races.
Starting in the town of Puchberg (south of Vienna) the 10km course climbs 1200m to the top of the Hochschneeberg.
Recently crowned world mountain running champions Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) and Andrea Mayr (AUT) are both entered and should have little difficulty in recording emphatic wins.
A victory for Jonathan will give him a 100% points record (four wins) in the Grand Prix ranking, but since this event only attracts half the points of a first level race he will need to compete in the final Grand Prix in Slovenia to guarantee him a final first place overall. Chasing him will be Andrzej Dlugosz (POL) currently ranked 3rd; Markus Kroll (AUT) currently ranked 4th; and Ricky Gates (USA) who finished 12th in the World Trophy.
The womens Grand Prix leaders are notable for their absence - unless they turn up at the last minute. Andrea's nearest rivals should be Mateja Kosovelj (SLO) currently ranked 7th. With only one Grand Prix race completed, Andrea would need to compete in the final Grand Prix to reach the podium for overall ranking.
About 400 athletes (men and women) are entered and all compete on the same course.
Danny Hughes
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