Wikipedia

Juan Muguerza Cross-Country

The Juan Muguerza Cross-Country, also known as the Elgoibar Cross-Country, 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]

Juan Muguerza Cross-Country
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 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

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National era

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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

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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   Melvyn Batty (GBR)
23rd 1966   Roy Fowler (GBR)
24th 1967   Mamo Wolde (ETH)   Coro Fuentes (ESP)
25th 1968   Mamo Wolde (ETH)   Belén Azpeitia (ESP)
26th 1969   Lachie Stewart (GBR) Not held
27th 1970   Lachie Stewart (GBR)
28th 1971   Mariano Haro (ESP)
29th 1972   Lachie Stewart (GBR)   Belén Azpeitia (ESP)
30th 1973   Mariano Haro (ESP) 30:40   Belén Azpeitia (ESP)
31st 1974   Jouko Kuha (FIN)   Belén Azpeitia (ESP)
32nd 1975   Fernando Cerrada (ESP)   Belén Azpeitia (ESP)
33rd 1976   Mariano Haro (ESP) 26:27   Belén Azpeitia (ESP)
34th 1977   Mariano Haro (ESP) 32:02   Montserrat Abelló (ESP)
35th 1978   Mariano Haro (ESP) 30:24   Carmen Valero (ESP)
36th 1979   Mike McLeod (GBR) 30:12   Pilar Fernández (ESP)
37th 1980   John Wild (GBR)   Leila Boudina (ALG)
— 1981 Cancelled
39th 1982   Carlos Lopes (POR)   Amelia Lorza (ESP)
40th 1983   Antonio Prieto (ESP)   Amelia Lorza (ESP)
41st 1984   Jorge García (ESP)   Asunción Antolín (ESP)
42nd 1985   Ezequiel Canário (POR)   Amelia Lorza (ESP)
43rd 1986   Steve Jones (GBR)   Jane Shields (GBR)
44th 1987   Paul Kipkoech (KEN) 29:37   Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP)
45th 1988   John Ngugi (KEN) 29:16   Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP)
46th 1989   Antonio Serrano (ESP)   Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP)
47th 1990   Kipyego Kororia (KEN) 30:32   Marcianne Mukamurenzi (RWA)
48th 1991   Eamonn Martin (GBR) 29:33   Susan Sirma (KEN) 13:43
49th 1992   Wilson Omwoyo (KEN) 33:44   Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) 17:12
50th 1993   Fita Bayisa (ETH) 29:38   Luchia Yishak (ETH) 17:01
51st 1994   Addis Abebe (ETH) 34:30   Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) 19:01
52nd 1995   Brahim Lahlafi (MAR) 34:38   Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) 19:28
53rd 1996   Paulo Guerra (POR) 31:04   Derartu Tulu (ETH) 17:24
54th 1997   Jon Brown (GBR) 32:09   Julia Vaquero (ESP) 17:37
55th 1998   Paul Koech (KEN) 32:16   Kutre Dulecha (ETH) 18:05
56th 1999   Paul Tergat (KEN) 31:23   Genet Gebregiorgis (ETH) 17:34
57th 2000   Sammy Kipketer (KEN) 30:05   Yimenashu Taye (ETH) 17:21
58th 2001   Abraham Chebii (KEN) 31:56   Sally Barsosio (KEN) 17:47
59th 2002   Abraham Chebii (KEN) 31:53   Anne Jelagat (KEN) 22:05
60th 2003   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 30:58   Edith Masai (KEN) 20:45
61st 2004   Abraham Chebii (KEN) 30:14   Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) 20:39
62nd 2005   Tariku Bekele (ETH) 32:02   Alice Timbilil (KEN) 22:20
63rd 2006   Charles Kamathi (KEN) 32:23   Workitu Ayanu (ETH) 22:19
64th 2007   Sileshi Sihine (ETH) 31:08   Mestawet Tufa (ETH) 20:37
65th 2008   Leonard Komon (KEN) 31:54   Priscah Cherono (KEN) 21:19
66th 2009   Ayele Abshero (ETH) 31:18   Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 21:39
67th 2010   Leonard Komon (KEN) 32:44   Frehiwat Goshu (ETH) 22:37
68th 2011   Leonard Komon (KEN) 32:05   Sara Moreira (POR) 22:08
69th 2012   Paul Tanui (KEN) 32:25   Wude Ayalew (ETH) 22:29
70th 2013   Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) 33:15   Gelete Burka (ETH) 22:53
71st 2014   Timothy Toroitich (UGA) 32:04   Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) 21:59
72nd 2015   Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) 33:02   Mimi Belete (BHR) 22:09
73rd 2016   Aweke Ayalew (BHR) 32:05   Irene Cheptai (KEN) 24:49
74th 2017   Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 31:50   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 25:10
75th 2018   Selemon Barega (ETH) 33:54   Ruth Jebet (BHR) 27:15
76th 2019   Rhonex Kipruto (KEN) 32:05   Hellen Obiri (KEN) 24:38
77th 2020   Tadese Worku (ETH) 31:39   Hellen Obiri (KEN) 25:10
78th 2022   Nicholas Kimeli (KEN) 33:47   Edinah Jebitok (KEN) 26:03
79th[9] 2023   Selemon Barega (ETH) 33:14   Rahel Daniel (ERI) 25:43
80th[10] 2024   Berihu Aregawi (ETH) 30:34   Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 26:08

Winners by country

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Country Men's race Women's race Total
  Kenya 18 13 31
  Spain 9 17 26
  Ethiopia 13 12 25
  Great Britain 7 1 8
  Portugal 3 2 5
  Bahrain 1 2 3
  Uganda 2 0 2
  Algeria 0 1 1
  Eritrea 1 1 2
  Finland 1 0 1
  Morocco 1 0 1
  Rwanda 0 1 1
  Turkey 0 1 1

References

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  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.
  9. ^ "Daniel and Barega take the spoils in Elgoibar". World Athletics. 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  10. ^ "2024 80th Elgoibar Juan Muguerza International Cross country results". World Athletics. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
List of winners
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