Juan Muguerza Cross-Country Race

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Juan Muguerza Cross-Country Race
DateJanuary
LocationElgoibar, Gipuzkoa
Event typeCross country
Distance10.7 km for men
7.621 km for women
Established1943
Official siteCross Juan Muguerza
Participants104 finishers (2022)
113 (2020)

The Juan Muguerza Cross-Country Race, also known as the Elgoibar Cross-Country Race, is an annual cross country running competition which takes place each January in Elgoibar, the Basque Country, Spain. It is named as a memorial of local runner Juan Muguerza, a multiple national champion who was killed in 1937 during the bombing of Mungia in the Spanish Civil War.[1]

The competition was first held in 1943 and was a men-only contest, principally between national-level runners. This changed at the 20th anniversary of the race in 1963, when the competition became an international one. Ethiopian runner Mamo Wolde was the first foreign winner and he went on to score three more victories that decade.[2][3] His performances brought exposure for African runners in Spain and his influence was recognised with the erection of a memorial in his memory in 2003.[4] Having been held every year since 1943, with the exception of cancellations in 1950 and 1981, the Cross Juan Muguerza is one of the longest-running competitions of its type in Spain.[5]

The men's race has typically been contested over distances varying from 9 km to 11 km, with the current race being 10.8 km. A women's short course race was trialled in the late 1960s and became a permanent fixture of the programme in 1972. Initially a two kilometre course, the distance was gradually increased over the lifespan of the competition, resulting in the current distance of 6.6 km.[2] A men's junior race was held in addition to the main senior race in 1963.[6] The current race programme comprises the two senior races and six different age categories for younger runners.[7]

The elite events attract the highest level of international runners, with past winners including IAAF World Cross Country Championships gold medallists Kenenisa Bekele, Paul Tergat, John Ngugi, Derartu Tulu and Edith Masai.[8] The top runners of Spain and Portugal regularly compete at the competition. Among them, world medallists Mariano Haro and Carmen Valero won in Elgoibar in the 1970s, while prominent Portuguese athletes Paulo Guerra and Fernanda Ribeiro took the top honours in the 1990s.[2]

Past senior race winners[]

National era[]

Edition Year Winner
1st 1943  Prudencio Ayerra (ESP)
2nd 1944  Joaquín Escudero (ESP)
3rd 1945  José M Garín (ESP)
4th 1946  Joaquín Escudero (ESP)
5th 1947  Simón Aldazábal (ESP)
6th 1948  Simón Aldazábal (ESP)
7th 1949  Simón Aldazábal (ESP)
— 1950 Not held
8th 1951  Francisco Irízar (ESP)
9th 1952  Francisco Irízar (ESP)
10th 1953  Lucas Larraza (ESP)
11th 1954  Francisco Irízar (ESP)
12th 1955  Lucas Larraza (ESP)
13th 1956  Lucas Larraza (ESP)
14th 1957  Lucas Larraza (ESP)
15th 1958  Benito Aldai (ESP)
16th 1959  Joaquín Escudero (ESP)
17th 1960  Benito Aldai (ESP)
18th 1961  Fernando Aguilar (ESP)
19th 1962  José A Azpiroz (ESP)

International era[]

1963 edition. Mamo Wolde wears number 10.
Olympic champion Fernanda Ribeiro took the top honours in 1995.
Five-time world champion Paul Tergat was the 1999 winner.
(L–R) Tariku Bekele, Abraham Chebii and Kenenisa Bekele have all won the men's race.
Elvan Abeylegesse was the 2004 women's winner.
Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
20th 1963  Mamo Wolde (ETH) Not held
21st 1964  Mamo Wolde (ETH)
22nd 1965   (GBR)
23rd 1966  Roy Fowler (GBR)
24th 1967  Mamo Wolde (ETH)   (ESP)
25th 1968  Mamo Wolde (ETH)   (ESP)
26th 1969   (GBR) Not held
27th 1970   (GBR)
28th 1971  Mariano Haro (ESP)
29th 1972   (GBR)   (ESP)
30th 1973  Mariano Haro (ESP) 30:40   (ESP)
31st 1974  Jouko Kuha (FIN)   (ESP)
32nd 1975  Fernando Cerrada (ESP)   (ESP)
33rd 1976  Mariano Haro (ESP) 26:27   (ESP)
34th 1977  Mariano Haro (ESP) 32:02   (ESP)
35th 1978  Mariano Haro (ESP) 30:24  Carmen Valero (ESP)
36th 1979  Mike McLeod (GBR) 30:12   (ESP)
37th 1980  John Wild (GBR)   (ALG)
— 1981 Cancelled
38th 1982  Carlos Lopes (POR)   (ESP)
39th 1983  Antonio Prieto (ESP)   (ESP)
40th 1984  Jorge García (ESP)   (ESP)
41st 1985  Ezequiel Canário (POR)   (ESP)
42nd 1986  Steve Jones (GBR)  Jane Shields (GBR)
43rd 1987  Paul Kipkoech (KEN) 29:37  Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP)
44th 1988  John Ngugi (KEN) 29:16  Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP)
45th 1989  Antonio Serrano (ESP)  Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP)
46th 1990   (KEN) 30:32  Marcianne Mukamurenzi (RWA)
47th 1991  Eamonn Martin (GBR) 29:33  Susan Sirma (KEN) 13:43
48th 1992  Wilson Omwoyo (KEN) 33:44  Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) 17:12
49th 1993  Fita Bayisa (ETH) 29:38  Luchia Yishak (ETH) 17:01
50th 1994  Addis Abebe (ETH) 34:30  Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) 19:01
51st 1995  Brahim Lahlafi (MAR) 34:38  Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) 19:28
52nd 1996  Paulo Guerra (POR) 31:04  Derartu Tulu (ETH) 17:24
53rd 1997  Jon Brown (GBR) 32:09  Julia Vaquero (ESP) 17:37
54th 1998  Paul Koech (KEN) 32:16  Kutre Dulecha (ETH) 18:05
55th 1999  Paul Tergat (KEN) 31:23  Genet Gebregiorgis (ETH) 17:34
56th 2000  Sammy Kipketer (KEN) 30:05  Yimenashu Taye (ETH) 17:21
57th 2001  Abraham Chebii (KEN) 31:56  Sally Barsosio (KEN) 17:47
58th 2002  Abraham Chebii (KEN) 31:53   (KEN) 22:05
59th 2003  Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 30:58  Edith Masai (KEN) 20:45
60th 2004  Abraham Chebii (KEN) 30:14  Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) 20:39
61st 2005  Tariku Bekele (ETH) 32:02  Alice Timbilil (KEN) 22:20
62nd 2006  Charles Kamathi (KEN) 32:23  Workitu Ayanu (ETH) 22:19
63rd 2007  Sileshi Sihine (ETH) 31:08  Mestawet Tufa (ETH) 20:37
64th 2008  Leonard Komon (KEN) 31:54  Priscah Cherono (KEN) 21:19
65th 2009  Ayele Abshero (ETH) 31:18  Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 21:39
66th 2010  Leonard Komon (KEN) 32:44  Frehiwat Goshu (ETH) 22:37
67th 2011  Leonard Komon (KEN) 32:05  Sara Moreira (POR) 22:08
68th 2012  Paul Tanui (KEN) 32:25  Wude Ayalew (ETH) 22:29
69th 2013  Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) 33:15  Gelete Burka (ETH) 22:53
70th 2014  Timothy Toroitich (UGA) 32:04  Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) 21:59
71st 2015  Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) 33:02  Mimi Belete (BHR) 22:09
72nd 2016  Aweke Ayalew (BHR) 32:05  Irene Cheptai (KEN) 24:49
73rd 2017  Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 31:50  Senbere Teferi (ETH) 25:10
74th 2018  Selemon Barega (ETH) 33:54  Ruth Jebet (BHR) 27:15
75th 2019  Rhonex Kipruto (KEN) 32:05  Hellen Obiri (KEN) 24:38
76th 2020  Tadese Worku (ETH) 31:39  Hellen Obiri (KEN) 25:10
77th 2022  Nicholas Kimeli (KEN) 33:47  Edinah Jebitok (KEN) 26:03

Winners by country[]

Country Men's race Women's race Total
 Kenya 18 13 31
 Spain 9 17 26
 Ethiopia 12 12 24
 Great Britain 7 1 8
 Portugal 3 2 5
 Bahrain 1 2 3
 Uganda 2 0 2
 Algeria 0 1 1
 Eritrea 1 0 1
 Finland 1 0 1
 Morocco 1 0 1
 Rwanda 0 1 1
 Turkey 0 1 1

References[]

  1. ^ 1943 nace el Cross Memorial Juan Muguerza. Mintxeta (in Spanish). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  2. ^ a b c Cross Memorial Juan Muguerza. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2011-01-21). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  3. ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2006-01-22). Kamathi and Ayanu unstoppable in Elgoibar. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  4. ^ Mamo Wolde honoured in Spain. IAAF (2003-09-16). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  5. ^ Longest Running Crosscountry Races. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2011-03-10). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  6. ^ ELGOIBAR, 1.963ko urtarrilaren 20an - 20 de enero de 1.963. Mintxeta (in Spanish). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  7. ^ LXVIII Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza de Elgoibar. Real Federación Española de Atletismo (2011). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  8. ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2003-01-13). Bekele in a class of his own again. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
List of winners

External links[]

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