In the slow and empty month of August, running fans can enjoy the most competitive race in trail running before heading off to their holidays. For more than 50 years, Sierre-Zinal has been at the center of sport offering some of the most iconic performances we’ve ever seen on a trail. But, how a local race from Switzerland became one of the most important events in running? We sat down with Valentin Genoud, its deputy director, to discover how this was possible and what it means to organize an event like this.
How is the race connected to the local community?
We created a unique connection with the local community. It was very important. In fact most of the 700 volunteers are locals. Passion is passed through generations. Moreover, we can count one more than 100 partners from the region. In return, we highlight the traditions of the region too, like the typical horns we use. Our slogan is to organize a race through the local values. We have an international dimension and it is not easy to guarantee bibs for everyone who wants to race Sierre-Zinal. For this reason, we open the registrations early for local residents who represent 11% of the participants. Then of course we have a lot of runners from Switzerland (78%) and France.
Are there any events you look up to and what would you “steal” from it?
I live across from Crans-Montana, which is a big ski area and hosts the Ski World Cup. Since they hosted the Ski World Cup Championships for 2027, I’ve been following their growth and look forward to seeing more in the future. In particular, mobility is a topic I am interested to learn more from. Hosting thousands of spectators in an alpine environment with poor transport connections is a real challenge. From our end, we are in contact with the local authorities about this subject.
With trail running races growing in terms of attendance, sustainability became more important. What is Sierre Zinal's commitment to this topic?
We need to find a good balance between this subject and the logistics of an event of this size. We are in regular contact with the Mont Blanc Marathon that are involved in this topic and inspired us. We commissioned a study on our carbon footprint and will receive the results next month. From there, we will start working on this topic that is also more important for our participants.
How do you see the race evolving in the next 5 years?
We need to stabilize our internal structure because we have evolved a lot over the last few years. Since 5 years ago we can’t increase the number of participants to keep things running fluidly. This is the reason why we want to improve our organization, image, media, partners and volunteers. From an elite’s perspective, we want to remain the world’s reference and keep working on the quality of TV broadcasting. But always keep things simple and stay true to our values.
Then, we have a responsibility to promote the sport for the young people and in countries where trail running is developing. For this, we created the Exotic Race Project with which we give bibs to runners who won a selection race around the world, of which we currently have over 10, from Greece and Mexico to Costa Rica and Morocco. For these runners, racing Sierre Zinal might be the trip of their life. They get the opportunity to create unforgettable memories and experience our local community.
Numbers say that Sierre Zinal is the most competitive race in trail running. All the best mountain runners gather here every year, but it is the exception. Together with UTMB, it is probably the only race with such a deep field. Looking at the trail running landscape, how would you assess its level of competition in terms of depth and density?
In fact, Sierre Zinal always attracted the world's best runners. I think the course is perfect for athletes with all sorts of backgrounds. Everyone can succeed and have an advantage on at least one section of the course. Moreover, the course remained the same for over 50 years. It is like running a marathon for athletes. They can test themselves and see where they stand. Every runner can compare his/her time with legends from the past. For this reason, we offer financial prizes for every man that can run the course in less than 2h50 and 3h20 for women. These are the factors that made elite runners attracted to Sierre Zinal.
What is the edition you are most attached to?
Organizing the 50th anniversary edition in 2023 was the biggest challenge. It was super intense with lots of projects like the development of virtual games and the brunch gala. We invited all the previous winners and most came. We broadcasted the event on more than 100 channels. Then, the other big challenge was keeping a strong volunteer, local spirit, family oriented and positive while the race professionalized. In the end, every edition is the result of a lot of hard work.
Trail running is expanding and evolving quickly with all the implications that this brings. How would you rate the state of trail running right now?
I think trail running needs to improve its image to be better covered by the media and create stories around athletes to showcase their performances and charisma. I feel the elite side of the sport is a bit lost with too many international series. The elite side is the locomotive of the sport and will attract its “popular” side. For this reason we need to improve prizes and brand contracts for the elite. Lastly, trail running shouldn’t lose its connection with the community and continue to inspire men and women to run, because you only need a pair of shoes after all.
From your end, what do you do to support elite runners?
We are lucky to be part of the Golden Trail World Series and the Mountain Running World Cup. We try to collaborate with both entities and, maybe it is an utopian thought, but it would be interesting to combine both in a unique entity. This would bring more money for the athletes. From our end, we provide accommodation and meals that we want to improve in quality every year. Lastly, we want to have a human relationship with them and not through a chatbot.
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