The La Sportiva Mountain Cup brings European-style trail/racing to North America. Whether you're a podium finisher or a back-of-the pack runner, this series is for you. each race is designed to be fun and interesting. Some courses are hillclimbs, some are true mountain races, and some are beautiful looks through the forest, but every venue, spread out across the North America, was chosen because of its exceptional quality.
The La Sportiva Mountain Cup features 10 of the best trail races in the country. Throughout the season, racers will compete across the country and total their score for their best five races. Scoring is based on the racer's finishing position; the closer to fisrt place, the higher the score.
REGISTRATION:
Participants need do nothing to be entered other than register for a qualifying Mountain Cup event. Just participate in any Mountain Cup event and your score will be tallied. Overall scoring will be tabulated after each race, with results posted on this website.
GOING THE DISTANCE:
In an effort to raise awareness and support for local organizations focused on the trail running community one hundred limited edition travel coffee mugs specific to the Mountain Cup will be sold at the La Sportiva booth. 100% of all proceeds will be donated to a local non-profit organization agreed upon by La Sportiva and Race Director. At $15 each the La Sportiva Going the Distance Initiative stands to raise $1500 for the decided charity or organization. By the end of the Mountain Cup season La Sportiva aims to have raised $15,000 for the trail running community.
SCORING:
Racers who place in the top 10 for each event will be scored:
1st through 10th places as follows: 20 - 17 - 15 - 13 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6
Two bonus points will be awarded to a competitor for every runner beaten in a race who was in the top 10 in the same gender in the overall standings.
Each race will count equally - there are no premium points for longer distances and no championship at the end.
Overall contenders can enter as few or as many events as they want. They will only be scored on their best five events.
Each event will be scored only for overall Male and Female. There is no Master's Division for 2012. At the end of the season, the top 5 overall Male and Female runners will receive prize money for their performance.
Highest score wins! Winners will be crowned after the final event, and their prize money mailed to them within 14 days.
STANDOUT AWARD:
The La Sportiva Mountain Cup series is more than just an elite contest. For 2012, the Series will recognize an athlete outside the realm of the top competitors by presenting the Standout Award to a participant who displays some kind of notable achievement regarding the race. Recipients of the Standout Award will receive a pair of La Sportiva Mountain Running shoes and an impressive prize package from the La Sportiva Mountain Running Team’s associate sponsors. La Sportiva and the Race Director will agree upon the Standout Award recipient before it is presented.
PRIZE PAYOUT:
For 2012, the five fastest and most consistent male and female racers will receive a cash prize for their Mountain Cup performance. The $25,000 purse willl payout as follows for both male and female divisions:
1st: $5,000
2nd: $3,500
3rd: $2,000
4th: $1,500
5th: $500
