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Cross Internacional Valle de Llodio

Cross Internacional Valle de Llodio
DateLate November
LocationLlodio, Spain
Event typeCross country
Distance9.7 km for men
7.6 km for women
Established1985
Official siteCross Valle de Llodio

The Cross Internacional Valle de Llodio is an annual cross country running competition that takes place in Llodio in the Basque Country, Spain, around late November. The event was first held in February 1985 and changed to an end-of-year competition soon after, holding its second edition in December 1985.[1]

The competition is hosted by the Club de Atletismo de Laudio.[2] The day's events comprise ten races – there are separate international, elite races for men and women over 9760 metres and 7640 m, respectively. Two further races over the same distances are held for amateur runners and there are also three types of age-group races for both male and female runners.[3] The races take place on grassy circuits around the Estadio Ellakuri and wet weather often makes the ground muddy, making the competition more difficult for runners.[4][5] Around 1000 runners took part in the event in 2009.[6]

The top-finishing runners in the elite races are mainly from Europe (particularly the host country, Spain) and East Africa. Past winners of the competition include double Olympic champion Derartu Tulu, former World Cross Country Champion Gebregziabher Gebremariam and track World Champions Charles Kamathi and Sally Barsosio. Among the Spanish winners of the race are 1995 World Marathon Champion Martín Fiz and Olympian Alessandra Aguilar. Jon Brown's win in 1996 preceded his victory at that year's European Cross Country Championships.[3]

The elite races currently hold permit status from the European Athletics Association and they are used as a selection meeting for the Spanish national team at the European Cross Country Championships, which is held in December.[7] The competition previously held IAAF status from 2004 to 2006.[8] While the men's race has been continuously held over roughly 9–10 km, the women's race has gradually been extended since its inception. Women competed over 4.3 km throughout the 1990s until it was adjusted to a 5.6 km race from 2001 to 2005. Since 2006, the women's course has varied around the 7.5 km mark.[1]

The 2012 edition of the race was not held due to financial constraints.[1]

Past senior race winners

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Ethiopian Tariku Bekele has won the race three times – more than any other athlete
Linet Masai of Kenya took consecutive wins in 2008 and 2009.
Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
1st 1985  Javier San Martin (ESP) ?  Lolo Lopo (ESP) ?
2nd 1985  Javier San Martin (ESP) ?  Asuncion Antolin (ESP) ?
3rd 1986  Valentin Rodriguez (ESP) ?  Amelia Lorza (ESP) ?
4th 1987  Ezequiel Canario (ESP) ?  Amelia Lorza (ESP) ?
5th 1988  Martín Fiz (ESP) ?  Mary Chemweno (KEN) ?
6th 1989  Ezequiel Canario (POR) ?  Jane Shields (ENG) ?
7th 1990  Wilson Omwoyo (KEN) 29:09  Jane Wanjiku Ngotho (KEN) 12:37
8th 1991  Ondoro Osoro (KEN) 27:25  Susan Sirma (KEN) 13:26
9th 1992  Ondoro Osoro (KEN) 30:44  Lydia Cheromei (KEN) 15:00
10th 1993  Fita Bayisa (ETH) 27:58  Sally Barsosio (KEN) 14:11
11th 1994  Fita Bayisa (ETH) 28:41  Derartu Tulu (ETH) 14:08
12th 1995  Daniel Komen (KEN) 27:47  Sally Barsosio (KEN) 13:40
13th 1996  Jon Brown (ENG) 31:03  Gete Wami (ETH) 15:17
14th 1997  Thomas Nyariki (KEN) 30:50  Jackline Maranga (KEN) 15:02
15th 1998  Luke Kipkosgei (KEN) 30:57  Merima Denboba (ETH) 15:44
16th 1999  Hailu Mekonnen (ETH) 28:21  Naomi Mugo (KEN) 14:18
17th 2000  Abraham Chebii (KEN) 30:01  Merima Denboba (ETH) 15:07
18th 2001  John Yuda (TAN) 27:01  Alessandra Aguilar (ESP) 19:32
19th 2002  Charles Kamathi (KEN) 26:57  Salina Kosgei (KEN) 19:33
20th 2003  Fabiano Joseph (TAN) 28:19  Alice Timbilil (KEN) 19:56
21st 2004  Gebregziabher Gebremariam (ETH) 26:36  Werknesh Kidane (ETH) 18:08
22nd 2005  Tariku Bekele (ETH) 29:29  Anikó Kálovics (HUN) 21:02
23rd 2006  Tariku Bekele (ETH) 27:08  Meselech Melkamu (ETH) 26:13
24th 2007  Joseph Ebuya (KEN) 27:05  Meselech Melkamu (ETH) 23:09
25th 2008  Tariku Bekele (ETH) 29:31  Linet Masai (KEN) 25:12
26th 2009  Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) 29:08  Linet Masai (KEN) 25:11
27th 2010  Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) 31:24  Alessandra Aguilar (ESP) 28:02
28th 2011  Leonard Patrick Komon (KEN) 29:15  Nadia Ejjafini (ITA) 26:03
— 2012 Not held

References

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  1. ^ a b c Civai, Franco & Gasparovic, Juraj (2010-11-30). Cross Internacional Valle de Llodio. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  2. ^ Cross Internacional Archived 2010-12-08 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish). C.A de Laudio. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  3. ^ a b INFORMACIÓN DE LA PRUEBA - Cross Internacional Valle de Llodio Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine. Real Federación Española de Atletismo (2010). Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  4. ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2005-11-27). T. Bekele, Kalovics excel in Llodio. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  5. ^ El eritreo Medhin y Alessandra Aguilar firman triunfos en Llodio Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine. ABC (2010-11-28). Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  6. ^ Azkorreta, Alfonso (2010-11-27). «Es una necesidad que el Cross de Llodio mantenga su estatus» (in Spanish). El Correo. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  7. ^ Spain's Morató uses Llodio race to tune up for Albufeira. European Athletics (2010-11-27). Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  8. ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2004-11-28). Gebremariam outsprints Tariku Bekele in Llodio. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
List of winners
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