Dear Friends,
Welcome to the 3rd IAU 50km World Championships. This is the first time these championships are being held in Europe.
A record number of participants in these 50km championships will truly make it an exciting event for all of us to appreciate and enjoy. 170 athletes from 31 countries will be vying for the world championships.
Brasov is an outstanding place to host these events. I had the opportunity to visit the city in September of last year and I was amazed with the beautiful locality, hospitality of the residents and the dedication of the government officials to this competition.
The World Championships format has replaced the long standing 50km World Trophy Final that had run for a number of years culminating with the winner at the final Trophy race. 50km is an exciting distance for us as it provides a launching pad for marathon runners who want to get a taste of the ultrarunning world.
We at the IAU are working hard to ensure all of your voices are heard in our daily operations. The Athletes Commission is a very active group representative of your fellow athletes. The Para-Athletes Commission is also a very integral part of our athlete advocacy. We want you to get involved so please do stay in contact with us.
I want to thank President Florin Florea of the Federatia Romana de Atletism (FRA), Diana Amza President of the Local Organizing Committee and all the volunteers who have worked hard to put this race together.
Also, my deepest thanks to all the athletes representing the federations and for your continued dedication to the sport ensuring that you all compete at the highest level possible at these championships.
I look forward to meeting each and every one of you and cheering you on during these championships.
Yours in Ultrarunning,
Nadeem KhanIAU President
