Ultra Race Of Champions Moving To Vail

The date for the 2013 event will be September 28th, pending U.S. Forest Service permit approval.

The Ultra Race of Champions (UROC), the championship event for the sport of ultra distance running announced this week that the event will be moving to Vail, Colorado in 2013.

The concept of a World Championship that rotates its venue is well known to the world of sports, with the Olympics being the most prominent, but it is completely unprecedented in the world of ultra distance running. As the championship event for the sport, the Ultra Race of Champions (UROC), presented by Competitor Magazine, is larger than a single course or a single location. This move to Vail, and the future prospect of other iconic locations in the United States and abroad, solidifies the Ultra Race of Champions as the ultra running championship and, once again, moves the sport forward.

“We are very excited about this move” says Gill, the Ultra Race of Champions Race Director. “Vail is an iconic location with a vibrant mountain culture and experience in hosting World Championships. Part of the mission of the Ultra Race of Champions is to showcase the most beautiful places in the United States and the World that make this sport so unique. Vail could not be a better backdrop for the 2013 race.”

With Vail Village as the finish location, Gill and Dr. Francesca Conte went to work designing the best possible course. “The course that we have laid out is a point- to-point course,” says Dr. Conte. “It will start in Breckenridge, run through historic downtown Frisco, Copper Mountain ski area, downtown Minturn and finish in Vail Village. The beauty of the course is unprecedented, and having these spectacular locations as media and spectators hubs, reinforces our mission to maintain the race as media and spectator friendly.”

“We have been overwhelmed by the support of these Colorado communities” says Gill. “Colorado was the next logical move for us, as many elite athletes live and train there.” The race organizers emphasize that the move to Vail is contingent upon U.S. Forest Service permit approval.

“Having the Ultra Race of Champions in rotating venues is a great idea,” says Brian Metzler, editor in chief of Competitor Magazine. “It will provide an entirely different set of variables — including terrain, altitude and weather — for both elite and recreational runners to deal with, and that’s one of the core tenets of ultrarunning. Central Colorado offers pristine trail running terrain and the point-to- point format of the course from Breckenridge to Vail should be enticing to both runners and spectators alike.”

The date for the 2013 event will be September 28th, pending U.S. Forest Service permit approval. The race is open to everyone.