The Golden Trail Series national editions, the GTNS, enables the best local athletes to compete against each other at a high-level in the hope of making their way into the elite standings.
The best athletes per country
The Golden Trail National Series are national circuits (grouping together one or more neighbouring countries) enabling local athletes to regularly meet in races with an increasingly higher level.
"Since the creation of the Golden Trail Series in 2018, our objective has always been the same," explains Grégory Vollet, Director of the Golden Trail Series. "We want to make top-level trail running accessible, to give it more visibility both internationally and nationally. This is why we created the GTNS, to enable the best runners in each country to meet and compete at the same races. These top-class runners don’t often have the time and/or the means to travel a long way away so, the GTNS gives them the chance to race at a competitive level closer to home."
"Everyone can take part," continues Johannes Überbacher, GTNS DACH Manager and winners of the 2022 GTNS Team competition, "and that's precisely the point of the GTNS: you don't have to be selected! All you have to do is enter the races on the circuit and try to score points. At the end of the season, the top 3 men and top 3 women are invited to compete in the GTNS Final alongside all the GTWS elite runners."
Increase trail running’s visibility
Just like the Golden Trail World Series, – whose growing success has now established itself as the world's largest trail-running show, which enables the best of the best to face each other on world cup events, – the GTNS is raising the level and exposure of trail running in each country.
"It has changed enormously," confirms Johannes Überbacher. "Both for the athletes, who can now prove their worth against the best and thus gain media exposure, and for the organizers, who are very happy with the visibility that the Golden Trail Series provides them."
"Before, the athletes were spread across numerous different races, now the GTNS gives them the chance to race at the highest level in their country and enjoy a great trail-running show," adds Grégory Vollet.
A foot in the door to the elite room
"The top three 2022 GTNS male and female athletes received sponsorship applications on the evening of the final stage in Madeira."
The GTNS is also the best opportunity for young athletes to try to get "Golden Tickets" and qualify directly for the elite races in the GTWS the following season.
"The top 3 men and top 3 women from each GTNS qualify at the end of the season for the GTNS Grand Final," specifies Grégory Vollet. "Then they compete against the top athletes from each country and try to grab a podium finish, which is synonymous with Golden Tickets and therefore qualifying them for the GTWS the following year."
"This is an excellent way for these athletes to really discover their actual level on the international scene, as they will not only be competing against the best GTNS athletes in the world, but will also be in the same race as the elite athletes," explains Johannes Überbacher. "Sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised, as Manuel Innerhofer was. He not only won the 2022 GTNS Grand Final but proved that he could compete at the same level as the elite athletes on the stage-race Grand Final in Madeira."
"The Grand Final is a dream opportunity for GTNS athletes," says Greg Vollet. "The top three 2022 GTNS male and female athletes received sponsorship applications on the evening of the final stage in Madeira. It’s important to know that every single runner on the top 30 elite list has a sponsor!"
Race for your country
The GTNS Final is also an opportunity to compete as a team, with the times of the two best men and two best women in each GTNS added together to establish a GTNS ranking.
"This format is very interesting because it allows us to unite one (or several) countries, no matter who the athletes’ sponsors are," explains Johannes Überbacher. "It's simple, we take the 3 best men and women from each GTNS and ask them to represent their country. They will compete against other nations, which gives them instant motivation. There is no need for a federation, it's really very simple and accessible and they can compete between countries."
"We saw genuine aspirations with all this," continues Greg Vollet. "In Madeira, when we were presenting the athletes, the GTNS athletes who were carrying their flags were oozing with much more pride compared to the GTWS athletes who were competing as individuals. I think it was important for them to represent their country, to support each other as a team, it made them stronger."
See you in Italy!
The next GTNS Grand Final will be held at the same time as the GTWS Final in Italy, at the Il Golfo Dell'Isola Trail Race. The programme includes a prologue followed by a women's race on Saturday and a men's race on Sunday.
"It will be very interesting to follow," says Greg Vollet. "I think that athletes from the same countries will support each other and as we are putting on a separate women's and men's race, the men will come to support the women in their GTNS on Saturday and vice-versa, the women will support the men on Sunday."
The Grand Final will be held in the Liguria region, Italy, on 19th-22nd October 2023.
