The number of Ohrid Ultra-Trail runners doubles despite COVID-19

In January 2020, PONT signed a grant agreement with the Association “Sport for all – All for sport” – a non-governmental organization based in Ohrid, concerning the second edition of the Ohrid Ultra-Trail® – an international trail running event taking place at Galicica National Park.

The grant enables the Association and its partner organization “Outdoor Sports Association – TREX” from Skopje, to strengthen their capacity for organizing the Ohrid Ultra-Trail® in compliance with the Ultra Trail World Tour standards. It also aims at promoting Galicica National Park as an international outdoors destination while protecting its extraordinary rich and important biodiversity. Furthermore, the PONT’s grant is intended to increase the flow of benefits to the local communities and businesses by raising their awareness of the potential of this nature-based tourism niche and by involving them in the organization of the event or indirectly by boosting the demand for their services (hospitality, transport, etc.).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the timing of the event was moved from May, as originally planned, to 18-20 September, in compliance with the requirements of the Macedonian Ministry of Health as well as the International Trail Running Association’s covid-19 prevention protocol.

The event was opened with an introduction of the top female and male trail runners among the 40 contenders of the 107 km-long “Ohrid Ultra-Trail”, who started off from Ohrid before midnight on Friday 18 September. The following morning, additional 42 runners set off along the 66 km “Galicica Trail” from the Saint Naum Springs, while 200 runners started from the village of Ramne along the 18 km-long “Letnica Trail”. The last runners finished the race on Sunday, 20 September, soon after midnight.

Compared to the first edition of the Ohrid Ultra-Trail® organized in 2019, the number of runners in the second edition has almost doubled, including the international participants, notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic and the related travel restrictions.

All finishers were awarded medals and qualifying points for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®, whereas the top three female and male trail runners in each of the three races were awarded cups and valuable prizes by the numerous event sponsors.