The cross-border mountain half-marathon circuit celebrates its third edition with ten events, four more than last year
The Valls Catalanes Trail Running Challenge is a sporting event that unites the two parts of the Valls Catalanes, Northern Catalonia and the Girona counties, through mountain races. This year is in its third edition with ten half marathons, four more than in 2023, which will take place between April and November. Four of these races are from the Alt Empordà: the Fox Trail in Sant Llorenç de la Muga, the Tortuga March in Darnius, the Fau Race in Maçanet de Cabrenys and the Olla de Tapis, also in Maçanet de Cabrenys .
Presentation in Céret with the champions of the previous edition
Last Saturday, the official presentation of the circuit took place in Céret, one of the municipalities that is part of the European Grouping for International Cooperation of the Country, Art and Transfrontier History of the Catalan Valleys, the territory that gives the project its name. The event was attended by Martí Vilà, vice-president of PAHT Valls Catalanes and Transfronterer councilor of the Céret City Council, who praised the “good organization” of the circuit and the importance of the fact that there are already ten “headquarters participating in it. It shows that there is a political will to link the two valleys”, and he added that “doing sport is training. It is very important the effort that is made to carry out these races. It is necessary to continue doing this task”. Regarding the test that will be held in Céret on October 20, the Trail des Salines, councilor Transfronterer said that from the City Council “we will do everything possible so that the people of the town are with all of you”.
During the presentation, the champions jerseys were also given to the winners of the 2023 edition of the Valls Catalanes Trail Running Challenge: Ludovic Fernandez (Céret) in the men’s category, and Mireia Perpinyà (Vilanova de la Muga) in the women’s category. Fernandez won with 1,671 points, ahead of Paul Martin, with 1,450, and Jean Marie Bataille, with 1,433. In the women’s classification, Perpignan achieved 1,620 points, surpassing Sara Guerrero, with 1,552, and Provence Caesar, with 1,436.
A project born from the twinning of two races
The circuit is a project born from the will of organizations and organizers to promote the participation and cohesion of the territory through mountain races. The first edition arose from the twinning of the Olla de Tapis race (Maçanet de Cabrenys) with the Trail des Salines de Céret. Last year the Molló Trail (Molló), the Boucle du Point le Plus au Sud de France (Lamanère), the Montcal Run (Maià de Montcal-Beuda-Albanyà) and the Centúria Trail (Sant Pau de Insurance). This year the Montcal Run leaves the program, but the Fox Trail (Sant Llorenç de la Muga), the Marcha de la Tortuga (Darnius), the Vallespir Skyrace (Amélie les Bains-Palaldà), the Cursa del Fau (Maçanet de Cabrenys) and the Trail des Trabucayres (Maureillas las Illas).
