The grand finale of the 2024 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup takes place this weekend in the Lombardy region of Italy in Chiavenna, with Kenyans Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno favourites for overall glory.
On Saturday it’s the final short uphill race of the season with the 25th edition of Lagunc KM Verticale and the following day it’s the last long race, Val Bregaglia Trail.
Chiavenna was the venue for the world’s first official, certified vertical kilometre and the Lagunc KM Verticale remains one of the most prestigious VK courses in the world.
Both races are point to point. The vertical race starts in Chiavenna at 352m and is about as pure as they come, with no flat or downhill sections, making the profile a perfect sloping line up to the finish in the small mountain village of Lagunc at 1352m. Along the way the runners will follow ancient, steep and sometimes technical tracks.
Val Bregaglia Trail begins in Promontogno in Switzerland at 856m, then it picks up the Via Bregaglia trail, following it through stunning woodland tracks over the border into Italy at Castasegna. After following the river for a short time the runners pop out at Lago di Villa di Chiavenna before starting a long, gradual climb up to Savogna, before beginning the final downhill or flat 7k into the finish at Chiavenna.
The start lists for both races are stacked, and with 100 points on offer for an athlete winning both races, this will be a crucial weekend for the World Cup. Theoretically it’s possible that any one of six men could emerge World Cup champion, as could any one of three women.
Women’s elite field
In the women’s race the athletes occupying the top three spots in the overall World Cup will be taking on both races. Joyce Njeru (Atletico Saluzzo) leads the competition, with her double win at Broken Arrow as well as Trofeo Nasego and Smarna Gora just last weekend.

She has a good buffer between her and Scout Adkin (HOKA EU) with 288 points to Adkin’s 244, but the latter has also had an incredibly consistent season with wins at Montemuro Vertical Run and La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and that unforgettable second place at Sierre Zinal.
Similarly, the third placed runner in the women’s World Cup, Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Run2gether On Running) has also had an extremely strong season, with podiums in four out of six races, and just two points separate her and Adkin. Kisang won both races here last year, which could be important.
Men’s elite field
The men’s line-up is equally strong. We will see the top six men in the World Cup rankings taking part and it’s very close at the top.
Patrick Kipngeno (Run2gether On Running) leads with 235 points, after two wins at Broken Arrow and two at Nasego. Can he do his third double of the season here?
Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Run2gether On Running) is just eight points behind him after an incredibly consistent season, including that unforgettable duel with Kilian Jornet at Sierre Zinal.
Just 11 points behind Kiriago is Josphat Kiprotich (also Run2gether On Running). He has also had a great season, with second places at Grossglockner, La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and Vertical Nasego. Could he go one better here and potentially win the World Cup? All three of them are entered into both races.
The action starts on Saturday at 9.15am local time with the Lagunc KM Verticale. Then on Sunday Val Bregaglia Trail starts at 9.30am.