ŠMARNA GORA RACE
MAIN INFORMATION
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24.8.2025
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“A” - 0,65 km, +80 m/-3 m
“B” - 2,5 km, +245 m/-30 m
“C” - 5 km, +405 m/-50 m
“D” - 10 km, +705 m/-350 m (World Cup)
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START: Saddle (course A - 0.65 km)
9:50 - JUNIORS W (U12)
9:55 - JUNIORS M (U12)
10:00 - JUNIORS W/M (U14)
START: Chapel (course B - 2.5 km)
10:00 - JUNIORS (U16)
START: Rocen (course C - 5 km)
10:00 - YOUTHS (U20)
10:00 - MASTERS W/M 3 (60+)
START: Rocen (course D - 10 km)
10:10 - SENIOR (U40)
10:10 - MASTERS W/M 1 (40-49)
10:10 - MASTERS W/M 2 (50-59)
WMRA WORLD CUP
The VELIKA PLANINA RACE and the ŠMARNA GORA RACE will host the 2025 WMRA World Cup Finals on the 23rd and 24th of August! The competition will undoubtedly be even tougher than it has already been in the last few years. The Šmarna Gora Race is also included in the Slovenian Mountain Running Cup, which is held under the Slovenian Mountain Running Association.
“The organizers came up with the idea that we could combine the Šmarna Gora Run and the Velika Planina Run at a suitable time as a trial for the European Championships, which will take place in the summer of 2026 in Kamnik, Slovenia. At the same time the World Mountain Running Association decided to end the World Cup before the World Championships, which is held in the last days of September. The end of August turned out to be a suitable time slot. Later we all agreed that our international mountain running weekend will even host the World Cup finals.”
Of course, both races are open to all domestic mountain running fans, who have a unique opportunity to join on the startline in these two races with the best mountain runners in the world.
All races of this year's World Cup in mountain running can be found on the official WMRA website.
COURSE
The main point of the Šmarna Gora Race route is a kind of spiral that goes around Šmarna gora via Grmada in a counterclockwise direction.
10 KM
+705 M
-350 M
NUMBER PICKUP AND START
You can pick up your start number at the starting area at the “Rocen” athletic stadium, next to the police academy. You can also drop off your luggage there to be able to get fresh clothes on the finish line at the top of Šmarna gora.
FINISH LINE
The finish line of all courses is at the top of Šmarna gora. Next to it, you will find your luggage, hot tea, cakes, and plenty of other sweets as well. The results will also be announced and awards will be presented at the top.
“WMRA GREATEST RACE OF ALL TIMES”
In 2020, the World Mountain Running Association surveyed the “greatest mountain race of all time.” The survey included races chosen by runners and organizers. Anyone could participate in the online voting.
TOMO ŠARF
"In the competition of races from all over the world, we certainly have the smallest race in terms of the number of participants and budget. Last but not least, also in terms of the size of our "mountain", which fortunately does not allow for a mass event. Although we won! Our race has its soul, behind our race is also a team that lifted it to first place in the first selection for the best mountain run in the world, which will remain written in the history of the mountain running in the whole world."
THE HISTORY OF THE ŠMARNA GORA RACE
You can see the exhibition live in the gallery (within the walls) on Šmarna gora.
The first edition of Šmarna Gora Race (November 18th, 1979) – team of organizers.
Tomo Šarf, initiator and organizer of the Šmarna Gora Race and long-time leader of Slovenian mountain running association (photo from the first edition).
Terezija and Blaž GEČ participated in the first 19 runs. Until 1990, the Race was a purely local event. In 1992 it hosted the national championship.
The first edition of Šmarna Gora Record (June 2, 1991). For a whole decade the idea behind was simmering - how fast can one get to Šmarna Gora? Roman Hojak won.
After 1991, 4 years passed for Record to transform into its current form.
The leader among organizers of the Šmarna Gora Rekord - Boštjan Novak – photographed with Nuša from Šmarna Gora.
Between 2011 and 2015, the ReCord was a race with an individual start - like time trial.
The traditional date for the Record was the first Saturday in February. Weather conditions at this time vary from year to year.
Mainly because of this unpredictability, we changed the date to June in 2016.
The start of the Record is at the foot and the beginning of the most visited path to Šmarna gora.
Children overcome a nearly 2 km long course with 360 meters of elevation gain at a non-competitive pace.
In 2020, Record was postponed to October due to extraordinary circumstances.
Among Slovenians, the record of the Record was set twice in a row by Timotej Bečan from Medvode(2019 - 11:13; 2020 - 11:12).
For several years, the record was own by Eritrean Peter Mamu.
The absolute fastest time ever is held by Filimon Abrraham who was the first to broke the barrier of 11 minutes in 9th October 2020.
Best results of the Šmarna Gora Record.
Mountain biker or mountain runner - who can reach the top faster? This was a dilemma that brought to the organization of “Šmarna Gora Challenge”.
"Šmarna Gora Challenge" - the first edition was won by the cyclist Jure Golčer, one of the best "climbers" in the world at the time. Together with Boštjan Novak, one of our best mountain runners at the time.
Results of the Šmarna Gora Challenge
Lado Urh won the first edition of the Šmarna Gora Race. In the following years, he participated 12 times.
Lucio Fregona (ITA) spread the name abroad. He won consequently in the years between 1994 and 1997. Between 1994 and 2015, he participated 11 times. In 1995, he was even world champion.
Danny Hughes - co-founder, general secretary, and later president of the WMRA was a regular guest at Šmarna Gora Race.
Danny & Tomo - on the hills surrounding Šmarna gora, they got ideas about the global development of mountain running.
Mountain running is pure joy: Bojan Kožuh
Matic Plaznik on his backyard.
"Push, push, push!" - Tine Habjan
Our mountain (masters) legend Miran Cvet takes every race very serious.
Gašper Bregar – it's difficult, but come on...
In the end, Peter who is smiling in this photo, finished in front off the competitors. Obviously he already knew why he was smiling.
The "audience" silently cheers the runners who come by – Žiga Tršek
When a runner pins his start number on his chest, there is no friendship anymore!
With a smile towards the finish line: Anton Derganc, 11x on Šmarna gora
Alice Gaggi - 8 participations on Šmarna gora. She won in 2013, just a month after becoming a world champion.
Mateja KOSOVELJ – 8 victories in junior races and youth category and 2012 in the senior race. She still holds the Slovenian record for Rekord with a time of 13:18 (2006).
"Where the hell is that damn finish line?" - Isaac Kosgei
Thank God there was no mud on the track...
The start of the junior race
The start of the junior race
A finish like this will stay remembered for the rest of your life: Ana Milovič
Sweet prizes await the best on children's trails.
Masters of downhills running together, but on the finish line - first - Tekle, second Teklay, third Baldaccini.
Masters of downhills - cownhill could be ballet: Marco Leoni
Masters of downhills - Jože Čeh
Masters of downhills - Mitja Kosovelj - some people are born for it.
Masters of downhills - Emanuele Manzi
Masters of downhills - Eris Costa – sometimes strange things happen to you while running.
Masters of downhills - Emma Clayton – one of the best.
Not for every excellent mountain runner is suited for descents: Simon Alič
Finish line – in the end, everyone is happy, the winners: Aleša Lotrič Dolinar and Maja Mali
Finish line – together on the course, together at the finish line: Marija Trontelj and Branko Vrečar
Finish line – it was worth struggling a bit: Tamara Čelesnik
Finish line – in 2000, Emanuele Manzi and Marco de Gasperi had a solo race. At the finish line, they decided to make a friendly move so they crossed the finish line together.
Finish line – Lucija Krkoč – participating 8 times on Šmarna gora, won in 2011.
Finish line – spontaneous joy at victory: Sylvain Cachard
Finish line – joy at the finish line: Timotej Bečan
Finish line – joy at the finish line: Karmen Klančnik
Finish line – Mitja Kosovelj – the winner of the Šmarna Gora Race in all categories, still the record holder for the 2,5 km and 9 km courses among juniors.
Andrea Mayr – undoubtedly the most successful mountain runner of the last era. She has competed in our race 7 times (she won six times, one time she was second).
Lucy Murigi – she won the Race in 2018 and 2019, taking over the primat of Andrea Mayr. 3x participant in the World Championships, second in 2014, and world champion in 2017 and 2018.
Dramatic finish - the race ends at the finish line. In 2012, Azerya Teklay was keeping the pace throughout the whole course, but in the final meters, Alex Baldaccini overtook him.
Johan Bugge (NOR) won the Šmarna Gora Race in 2017 and 2018. He was the European champion in 2015.
Petro Mamu (ERI) – He has won all three of his appearances at the Race (2014, 2016 and 2019). He was also the world champion in 2012.
Fred MUSOBO (UGA) won the Race in 2015. He competed twice at the World Championships and was 1st and 3rd.
The runner who left the biggest mark in the history of mountain running in the world - Jonathan Wyatt with an unattainable time (2 times winner of the Race).
On the finish line, we are all friends again, not oponents (Fujio Miyachi and Simon Strnad)
At the 30th anniversary of the Šmarna Gora Race in the fall of 2009, we invited all the winners to the race.
Among the participants and winners of the race was also cross-country and olympian skier Petra Majdič.
Mountain biker Tanja Žakelj also participated in the Race.
Without the team of Gostilna Ledinek on Šmarna gora, there would be no Race for sure.
Winning combo: Miha & Tomo
"WMRA Greatest Race Of All Time" - the road to victory
Running 2020 – a memory of "Covid times"
SOME INSIGHTS FROM THE ŠMARNA GORA RACE 2024
