26th WMRA Mountain Running World Cup poised to kick off

Runners descent on the Carpathian Mountains in Romania for the first event of the season on Sunday with events such as Sierre-Zinal and Trofeo Nasego later this summer

This coming weekend the world’s best mountain runners will take on some of the most breathtaking and demanding courses on the planet. The 26th edition of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) Mountain Running World Cup is about to kick off, featuring 15 thrilling races across eight countries and three continents. 

This season offers the perfect mix of iconic events — like Sierre-Zinal and Trofeo Nasego — alongside exciting new additions such as Zmeu Xfest in Romania, Chongli in China, and the Vauban Mountain Trail in France.

May: Romania and Italy Set the Stage

The 2025 World Cup kicks off on May 4 in Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Romania, with the Zmeu Xfest. Nestled in the breathtaking Carpathian Mountains, this region—home to over 1000 mountain trails and UNESCO heritage sites—will provide the perfect backdrop for the season’s first classic mountain race.

Starting from the centre of Câmpulung Moldovenesc, runners will ascend Măgura Runcului peak (1,176+ m) before descending to the Mesteacăn stream. The climb continues on (1,129+ m) before a descent leads back toward town, but the challenge isn’t over yet.  The course then takes competitors up the third peak, Bodea (1,073+ m), followed by a final short climb on Aleea Domnițelor before they race to the finish line.

Later in the month, the action moves to Casto, Italy, where runners will tackle two iconic events: Vertical Nasego (May 24) and Trofeo Nasego (May 25). Located in the rugged Brescia Prealps, these races are a staple in the mountain running world, testing both speed and endurance on some of Italy’s most demanding terrain.

The Vertical Nasego starts in Casto, where runners will start their ascent on roads and well-maintained trails as they gradually climb toward Briale village. However, the real challenge begins beyond this point, as the course becomes steeper and more technical, winding past Rifugio Nasego (1270m) before reaching the ultimate finish line at 1430m.

This will be the 24rd edition of Trofeo Nasego and it is a race that has seen many epic battles over the years. The runners will take on a 21.5km course, which has a lot of fast, runnable sections but one very notable climb. From the start in Casto at 400m it climbs slowly for the first 6km, before flattening off for 6km, then…