SLO12RUN pre-race report

General info

Race name: SLO12RUN (12h and 6h), June 2022

Race place and date: center of Kranj, Slovenia 5 June 2022 (from 7.00 to 19.00)

Race distance and label: 12H & 6 H – IAU Silver Label

Introduction

City Kranj in Slovenia doesn’t have marathon race, but it has supermarathon race, now third time in a row.

SLO12RUN was organized twice in Trboje (small city near Kranj, in 2015 and 2016). In 2019 organisers decided to organize this race for the first time in the center of Kranj, because they wanted to make the competition more attractive, even more interesting for the spectators, and especially for the competitors.

SLO12RUN 2022, Kranj, Slovenia

This are some of the competitors at the previous editions of the race: Nataša Robnik (SLO), state record holder for 12 hours (Kranj 2019), Mirko B. Miklič (SLO), best score on Spartathlon (Greece) among Slovenes, Neža Mravlje (SLO), owner of Slovenian record at 100 km, Marco Bonfiglio (ITA), who set the Italian national record at the first edition of the Slovenian 12 Hour Run (Trboje, 2015), Ivan Cudin (ITA), three-time Spartathlon winner, Brenda Carawan (USA), who came second at one of the toughest ultramarathons across the Death Valley (Badwater, USA) in 2017.

This year the runners are coming from more then 15 countries. Among them are the most famous:

  • Running God, Yiannis Kouros, (GR),
  • Patrycja Bereznowska (POL),
  • Ivan Penalba Lopez (ESP),
  • Noora Honkala (FIN),
  • Victoriia Nikolaienko (UA) and
  • all the best male and female ultrarunners from Slovenia:
    • Nataša Robnik
    • Neža Mravlje
    • Domen Kozjek
    • Uroš Srnec
    • Mirko B. Miklič
    • Boris Ivanovič

It happened for the first time that many of the best trail/ultratrail runners and marathon runners will attend 6h or 12h race.

According to the race director, Klemen Boštar in Kranj will be a lot of newest, also for spectators, not just for competitors:

  • grandstand for spectators by the course;
  • a bridge over Tavčarjeva street, for easier access for cyclists and pedestrians;
  • antidoping control;
  • national championship of 12h run (the first time in Slovenia);
  • national championship of 6 and 12 h run for runners from Bosnia and Hercegovina;
  • EXPO (4th and 5th June), a fair of sports equipment and sports nutrition.

Runners’ presentation

Male:

Yiannis Kouros (GR)

He is/was the owner of many world records, from 100-1000 miles, 12-hour to 6-day races. In 1984 he won the Spartathlon, with a record time, in 1985 he won Sydney-Melbourne Ultramarathon (5 days, 5 hours in 7 minutes).

His records:

  • 12h - 162.543 km
  • 24h - 303.506 km
  • 48h - 473.495 km
  • 6D - 1038.851 km

 

Ivan Penalba Lopez (ES)

He is an ultra-distance runner who holds a few Spanish records:

  • Spanish record holder of 12 hours (158,631 km)
  • Spanish record holder of 24 hours (274,332 km)
  • Spanish record holder of 50 miles (5:28:46)
  • Spanish record holder of 100 miles (13:07:52)

 

Female:

Patrycja Bereznowska (POL)

Polish Patrycja Bereznowska is one of the biggest names in the women’s ultramarathon of all time. She has “countless” top places from the most important competitions in the world.
She set a world record in 48 hours run (403.3. km) in the beginning of May 2022. With a time of 24 hours and 48 minutes, Bereznowska holds the women’s record at the famous Spartathlon.

Her results:

  • BADWATER, Death Valley: she finished in 2019 as the 1st woman and in 2nd place overall
  • 12 hours (140.323 km)
  • 24 hours (259.990 km)
  • 48 hours (403.320 km)

 

Noora Honkala (FIN)

She is a Finnish ultra runner, living in Greece.

Her results:

  • 12 hours: Noora is the current world no.1 in 12h (145.400km, in 2022) and no.3 at all time
  • Spartathlon (2021) - 3rd. place
  • 6 hours (79.00km / split 2022)
  • 100km (7:41.54km / split 2022)
  • 12 hours (145.400km) - 2022
  • 24 hours (234.941km) - 2017

 

Nataša Robnik (SLO)

Nataša is the best Slovenian ultrarunners of all time. She finished succesfully many Spartathlons, but in 2019 she finished in third place. In the same year she set a national record in 12h run in Kranj (136.910 km, at the race Slovenian 12 Hour Run). She participated at several World and European Championships in ultramarathon (100 km, 24h). In 2013 she finished in the third place in the Ultrabalaton in Hungary.

 

Neža Mravlje (SLO)

Neža is a winner of the race Slovenian 12 Hour Run in 2015 (Trboje, Slovenia) – 128,950 km. She participated several times at the ultramarathon World Championships. In 2014 she took a third place at the race in 100 km Del Passatore (2014, Firence, Italia) and she won twice at the race 50 km in Italy, Pistoia-Abetone Ultramarathon. She is a holder of Slovenian record in 100 km.

Prepared by:

Maja Rigač

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