Pfixx Solar Montferland Run is an annual 15-kilometres road running competition held in 's-Heerenberg, Montferland, Netherlands. It was first organised in 1996 and typically takes place on the first Sunday in December.[1]

Unlike many elite level road races, the course for the Montferland Run is a difficult, hilly one which does not easily allow for internationally fast times. The start and finish point of the race is in the old town area of 's-Heerenberg. The course has traces a circuit through the Montferland Forest and passes the small, nearby villages of Stokkum, Beek and Zeddam.[2] The race includes both elite athlete and fun runners, and there is also a shorter 7.5 km race. In order to preserve the surrounding environment and retain the character of the races, the competition is limited to 3500 entries per year.[3]

The Montferland Run is one of the fastest 15 km races in the world. Many top national and international athletes have competed in ’s-Heerenberg, including: Kamiel Maase, Abdi Nageeye, Bashir Abdi, Khalid Khannouchi, Kenenisa Bekele, Abel Kirui, Geoffrey Mutai, Wilson Kipsang, Stephen Kiprotich, Dennis Kimetto, Conseslus Kipruto, Sabastian Sawe, Constantina Dita, Edna Kiplagat, Sifan Hassan, Lornah Kiplagat, Meseret Defar, Amane Beriso and of course Haile Gebrselassie and Paula Radcliffe.

The course records for the 15 km race are held by East African athletes: Geoffrey Koech of Kenya ran the men's record of 42:13 minutes in 2019 and Ethiopian Tsigie Gebreselama's run of 47:29 minutes in 2019 is the best women's time. She ran a new world best time U20[3][4]

The course was previously sponsored by the Wincanton Group and its current sponsor (since 2012) is Pfixx Solar.[5]

Past winners

Key:   Course record

Edition Year Men's winner Nationality Time (m:s) Women's winner Nationality Time (m:s)
25nd 2023 Sabastian Sawe  Kenya 42:35 Medina Eisa  Ethiopia 47:40
24nd 2019 Geoffrey Koech  Kenya 42:13 Tsigie Gebreselama  Ethiopia 47:29
23nd 2018 Stephen Kissa  Uganda 43:21 Joan Chelimo  Kenya 48:44
22nd 2017 Victor Chumo  Kenya 43:23 Mary Munanu  Kenya 49:08
21st 2016 Herpasa Negasa  Ethiopia 43:02 Eunice Kirwa  Bahrain 48:37
20th 2015 Abraham Cheroben  Kenya 42:54 Meseret Defar  Ethiopia 50:03
19th 2014 Hiskel Tewelde  Eritrea 43:26 Askale Merachi  Ethiopia 50:42
18th 2013 Patrick Ereng  Kenya 43:00 Cynthia Kosgei  Ethiopia 49:45
17th 2012 Geoffrey Mutai  Kenya 42:25 Atsede Baysa  Ethiopia 49:15
16th 2011 Philip Langat  Kenya 42:34 Abebech Afework  Ethiopia 49:19
15th 2010 Cancelled due to bad weather
14th 2009 Nicholas Manza  Kenya 42:38 Caroline Kilel  Kenya 49:57
13th 2008 Dereje Tesfaye  Ethiopia 43:27 Lornah Kiplagat  Netherlands 48:49
12th 2007 Haile Gebrselassie  Ethiopia 42:36 Deriba Alemu  Ethiopia 48:50
11th 2006 Deriba Merga  Ethiopia 42:48 Hilda Kibet  Kenya 51:50
10th 2005 Hailu Mekonnen  Ethiopia 43:09 Bezunesh Bekele  Ethiopia 48:32
9th 2004 Tadesse Feyissa  Ethiopia 43:28 Bezunesh Bekele  Ethiopia 48:35
8th 2003 Richard Yatich  Kenya 43:20 Ayelech Worku  Ethiopia 50:58
7th 2002 William Kipsang  Kenya 44:33 Restituta Joseph  Tanzania 51:15
6th 2001 Kenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia 42:42 Sandra Van Den Haesevelde  Belgium 52:15
5th 2000 Kenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia 43:09 Irma Heeren  Netherlands 51:03
4th 1999 Felix Limo  Kenya 44:08 Nadezhda Wijenberg  Netherlands 50:59
3rd 1998 Tesfaye Tola  Ethiopia 44:05 Mieke Pullen  Netherlands 54:50
2nd 1997 Fransua Woldemariam  Ethiopia 45:06 Mieke Pullen  Netherlands 53:03
1st 1996 Michiel Otten  Netherlands 44:54 Isabelle Heusinkveld  Netherlands 57:02

See also

References

  1. ^ Race Results Weekly’s Latest Event And News Roundup. Competitor Group (2011-12-01). Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
  2. ^ Parcours Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch). Montferland Run. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
  3. ^ a b Montferland Run – A Short History Archived 2012-05-06 at the Wayback Machine. Montferland Run (2010). Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
  4. ^ van Hemert, Wim (2011-12-04). Langat and Afework the big winners in 's Heerenberg. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-12-06.
  5. ^ Foreign runners. Montferland Run. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
List of winners

External links

Categories