WHAT IS THE GOLDEN TRAIL CHAMPS?
As the current worldwide health situation continues to evolve, sports events and competitions are re-starting slowly in many countries. This gives us a glimmer of hope that the 2020 trail running season will end better than it began, and we hope you will be part of it.
Here are details of the Golden Trail Championship that will take place in the Azores from the 29 October 2020 through 1 November 2020. As previously announced, it will be a four-day stage race and the 2020 Golden Trail Champion will be the male and female runner with the lowest cumulated time of all the stages. There will also be awards for the best downhillers, uphillers and sprinters. All details can be found here.
Everyone can participate in the championship as soon as he/she has entered into the lottery draw and as long as he/she assumes all the costs related to it. Register here.
Additionally, we have made 76 GOLDEN TICKETS available to win in more than 20 countries. A golden ticket offers support for flights (in the maximum amount defined on the website), accommodation and meals for a maximum of eight days in the Azores Faial Garden resort, as well as a free race bib.
The golden tickets can be won at a “golden race” (a race where you can win golden tickets) or on some “golden segments” (a STRAVA segment of 20 to 42 km designed specifically for this purpose) or on the Golden Trail National Series (GTNS) in France (All the other GTNS have been cancelled.)
For the golden races and GTNS, runners must register to the race(s) on their own. For the golden segments on STRAVA, runners will be able to run the segment as many times as they want from July 1st to October 1st. At the end of this period, the golden tickets will be attributed to the fastest runners during this period of time up to the limit of golden tickets per segment. Runners must write to contact@goldentrailseries.com to obtain their golden ticket.
“If a country is in lockdown again and not allowed to travel to the Azores in October, the golden tickets winners of this country will get €500 in prize money to compensate the fact that they won’t be able to travel and participate to the GTC.
If the whole Golden Trail Championship has to be cancelled, all the golden tickets winners will get €500 in prize money”
Please click here to read up about program changes
THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLDEN SEGMENT
In South Africa, Megan Mackenzie has set the Golden Segment on Table Mountain over a 30km slight variation of the UTCT 35km route. (Please see STRAVA segment and NOT UTCT 35km route)
The segment has a bit of everything and is challenging enough to help select the right athletes to take on the world’s best in Azores, but “reasonable” enough for a fun day out for all!
The Golden Segment could be described as equally brutal, as it is beautiful.
Try out a new route that links some iconic Table Mountain features, challenge your friends, test out your 2020 "race" fitness or have a full GO at the top of the leader board and the Golden Ticket.
The GOLDEN SEGMENT SA route flyover
Golden Segment route description.
*Starts and finishes at the Kloof Corner trail head.
*Takes you up Kloof corner, along the contour and up Platteklip
*Along the famous front face trail to Maclear’s Beacon (highest point on Table Mountain)
*From Maclear’s Beacon, the segment heads across the top of Table Mountain via the scenic route of Echo Valley and the Valley of Isolation before passing through the Scout hut and across Woodhead dam.
*Drops down Nursery Ravine
*Follows the contour path (with the little Block House kicker included - make sure to follow the Golden segments route up to the Block House and not the UTCT 35km one) ALL THE WAY to Kloof Corner.
It’s very simple. No set days, start times or race numbers…All you need to do is record your run on STRAVA.
Download the GPX file for direction, study the route map and please make sure that your STRAVA activity is on public so that you are positioned on the Golden Segment SA leader board.
You have from today until the 1st of OCTOBER to record your run.
IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT SPEED. Here are the prizes we have on offer!
Any questions or comments please contact
Golden Segment South Africa
See full leader board
See segment on STRAVA
Download GPX file here