Standout duo strike gold, leading France and Switzerland to team titles on day two of the European Off-Road Running Championships, writes Adrian Stott.

Frenchman Frederic Tranchand and Swiss Judith Wyder were the outstanding athletes on day two of the European Off-Road Running Championships (EORRC) in Slovenia, with both producing commanding wins to take the trail titles and lead their nations to team gold in the process.

A total of 104 men and 90 women set off from the centre of Kamnik for a 52km long adventure that featured 2600m of climb on the scenic hills and trails outside the town.

A large group led the first climb to Gradisce, the first checkpoint at 1659m and the high point of the course.

This included many of the pre-race favourites, notably world short trail champion Tranchand and Italian Daniel Pattis. Tranchand’s compatriot Antoine Charvolin and Norway’s former double world short trail champion Stian Angermund were close behind.

Poland’s Marcin Kubica and Marcel Fabien, together with Great Britain’s Luke Grenfell-Shaw, Spain’s Alain Santamaria and France’s Remy Brasac, were two to three minutes down.

From then onwards, things spread out a little, but Pattis and Tranchand were still locked together at the 19km timing point in 1:39:55.

On the last long climb, from 25 km, the Frenchman made a move and quickly opened up a gap of over a minute on the Italian, while Charvolin, Angermund and Santamaria were running together over three minutes back. 

Tranchand kept up the momentum, stretching his lead to over three minutes by 40km.

Behind, Spaniard Alain Santamaria had made a charge and was now with Charvolin in a battle for third. They ran together until 40km, where Santamaria stopped briefly at an aid station and allowed Charvolin, who sailed through, to steal a small lead.

Tranchand stayed strong on the long, fast, final downhill stretch back into Kamnik to cross the line in 3:55:14. Pattis took the silver, over four minutes adrift in 3:59:54, with Chavrolin taking bronze in 4:05:13.

In the team standings, France were comfortable winners, with three athletes finishing in the top seven. Poland, who packed three in the top 10, won the battle for silver from Italy.

Grenfell-Shaw, who was in the top six at halfway, ran a great race to be the first runner home for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in eighth place. 

Ben Rothery (26th), Sasha Chepelin (32nd) and Andy Symonds (33rd) packed well to finish as the fifth team. 

In the women’s race, Wyder was an early leader, with Britain’s Scarlet Dale keeping in touch but over a minute back. By the time they reached 20km, the first two were the same, with Sweden’s Emma Erikkson in third.

Like Tranchand in the men’s race, Wyder made a move on the long climb up to the 29km timing point. She reached it in 2;46:36, having opened up a three-minute lead on Erikkson, who had by now moved into second place. 

Dale had slipped back to third but was being closed down by Spain's Maria La Chica.

On the long descent back into Kamnik, Wyder maintained her lead, stopping the clock at 4:36:41 in 51st overall.

In a great battle for silver and bronze, La Chica managed to hold off Eriksson, finishing in 4:40:24 and 4:40:38 respectively. For the 23-year-old Swede, it was a big breakthrough to make a European podium.

Slovakia’s Barbara Bukovjan and Switzerland’s Theres Lebouf came through strongly in the last 20km to claim fourth and fifth respectively ahead of France’s Audrey Tanguy and Adeline Martin. It made for a close team tussle, with the Swiss winning gold ahead of the French and Spain finishing third.

Dale faded over the last 15 km, but hung on for a 14th-place finish and first British female. Behind her, Eve Pannone (19th), Emily Cowper-Coles (29th) and Kirsty Oldham (48th) ensured Brtain finish as the fourth team.

Senior Men 

1.Frederic Tranchand (FRA) 3:55:14

2 Daniel Pattis (ITA)  3:59:54

3 Antoine Chavrolin (FRA) 4:04:1

4 Alain Santamaria (ESP) 4:07:27

5 Marcinn Kubica (POL) 4:08:59

6 Stian Angermund (NOR) 4:10:32

7 Remy Brasssac (FRA)  4:11:41

8 Luke Grenfell-Shaw (GBR) 4:12:44

9 Marcel Fabien (POL) 4:13 25

10.Rafal Matuszczak (POL) 4:13 :55

Selected others:

20 Ben Rothery (GBR) 4:21:58

26 Sasha Chepelin (GBR) 4:25:54

32 Andy Symonds (GBR) 4:28:03

Team standings: 1 France: 11 points; 2 Poland: 24 points; 3 Spain: 32 points; 4 Italy: 44 points; 5 Great Britain: 54 points 

Senior Women

1 Judith Wyder (SUI) 4:36:41

2 Maria La Chica (ESP) 4:40:24

3 Emma Eriksson (SWE) 4:40 38

4 Barbora Bukovjan  (CZK) 4:44:55

5 Therese Lebouef (SUI) 4:45:18

6 Audrey Tanguy (FRA) 4:47:51

7 Adeline Martin (FRA) 4:49:28

8 Sylvia SchWaiger (SVK) 4:51:14

9 Elisa Kristinsdtotter (ISL) 4:51:43

10 Maria Gonclaves (FRA)  4:56:01

Selected others:

14 Scarlet Dale (GBR) 5:02:28

19 Eve Pannone (GBR) 5:06:28

 28 Emily Cowper-Coles (GBR) 5:18:33

48 Kirsty Oldham (GBR) 5:35:35

Team standings: 

1 Switzerland: 17 points; 2 France: 23 points; 3 Spain: 38 points; 4 Great Britain and Northern Ireland: 62 points;  5 Czech Republic. 66 Points

Full results here