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The Juan Muguerza Cross-Country, also known as the Elgoibar Cross-Country, is an annual cross country running competition which takes place each January in Elgoibar, the Basque Country, Spain. It is named as a memorial of local runner Juan Muguerza, a multiple national champion who was killed in 1937 during the bombing of Mungia in the Spanish Civil War.[1]
| Juan Muguerza Cross-Country | |
|---|---|
| Date | January |
| Location | Elgoibar, Gipuzkoa |
| Event type | Cross country |
| Distance | 10.7 km for men 7.621 km for women |
| Established | 1943 |
| Official site | Cross Juan Muguerza |
| Participants | 104 finishers (2022) 113 (2020) |
The competition was first held in 1943 and was a men-only contest, principally between national-level runners. This changed at the 20th anniversary of the race in 1963, when the competition became an international one. Ethiopian runner Mamo Wolde was the first foreign winner and he went on to score three more victories that decade.[2][3] His performances brought exposure for African runners in Spain and his influence was recognised with the erection of a memorial in his memory in 2003.[4] Having been held every year since 1943, with the exception of cancellations in 1950 and 1981, the Cross Juan Muguerza is one of the longest-running competitions of its type in Spain.[5]
The men's race has typically been contested over distances varying from 9 km to 11 km, with the current race being 10.8 km. A women's short course race was trialled in the late 1960s and became a permanent fixture of the programme in 1972. Initially a two kilometre course, the distance was gradually increased over the lifespan of the competition, resulting in the current distance of 6.6 km.[2] A men's junior race was held in addition to the main senior race in 1963.[6] The current race programme comprises the two senior races and six different age categories for younger runners.[7]
The elite events attract the highest level of international runners, with past winners including IAAF World Cross Country Championships gold medallists Kenenisa Bekele, Paul Tergat, John Ngugi, Derartu Tulu and Edith Masai.[8] The top runners of Spain and Portugal regularly compete at the competition. Among them, world medallists Mariano Haro and Carmen Valero won in Elgoibar in the 1970s, while prominent Portuguese athletes Paulo Guerra and Fernanda Ribeiro took the top honours in the 1990s.[2]
National era
| Edition | Year | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1943 |  Prudencio Ayerra (ESP) |
| 2nd | 1944 | Joaquín Escudero (ESP) |
| 3rd | 1945 | José M Garín (ESP) |
| 4th | 1946 | Joaquín Escudero (ESP) |
| 5th | 1947 | Simón Aldazábal (ESP) |
| 6th | 1948 | Simón Aldazábal (ESP) |
| 7th | 1949 | Simón Aldazábal (ESP) |
| — | 1950 | Not held |
| 8th | 1951 | Francisco Irízar (ESP) |
| 9th | 1952 | Francisco Irízar (ESP) |
| 10th | 1953 | Lucas Larraza (ESP) |
| 11th | 1954 | Francisco Irízar (ESP) |
| 12th | 1955 | Lucas Larraza (ESP) |
| 13th | 1956 | Lucas Larraza (ESP) |
| 14th | 1957 | Lucas Larraza (ESP) |
| 15th | 1958 | Benito Aldai (ESP) |
| 16th | 1959 | Joaquín Escudero (ESP) |
| 17th | 1960 | Benito Aldai (ESP) |
| 18th | 1961 | Fernando Aguilar (ESP) |
| 19th | 1962 | José A Azpiroz (ESP) |
International era
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| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) | Women's winner | Time (m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th | 1963 |  Mamo Wolde (ETH) |
Not held | ||
| 21st | 1964 | Mamo Wolde (ETH) |
|||
| 22nd | 1965 |  Melvyn Batty (GBR) |
|||
| 23rd | 1966 | Roy Fowler (GBR) |
|||
| 24th | 1967 | Mamo Wolde (ETH) |
Coro Fuentes (ESP) |
||
| 25th | 1968 | Mamo Wolde (ETH) |
Belén Azpeitia (ESP) |
||
| 26th | 1969 | Lachie Stewart (GBR) |
Not held | ||
| 27th | 1970 | Lachie Stewart (GBR) |
|||
| 28th | 1971 | Mariano Haro (ESP) |
|||
| 29th | 1972 | Lachie Stewart (GBR) |
Belén Azpeitia (ESP) |
||
| 30th | 1973 | Mariano Haro (ESP) |
30:40 | Belén Azpeitia (ESP) |
|
| 31st | 1974 |  Jouko Kuha (FIN) |
Belén Azpeitia (ESP) |
||
| 32nd | 1975 | Fernando Cerrada (ESP) |
Belén Azpeitia (ESP) |
||
| 33rd | 1976 | Mariano Haro (ESP) |
26:27 | Belén Azpeitia (ESP) |
|
| 34th | 1977 | Mariano Haro (ESP) |
32:02 | Montserrat Abelló (ESP) |
|
| 35th | 1978 | Mariano Haro (ESP) |
30:24 | Carmen Valero (ESP) |
|
| 36th | 1979 | Mike McLeod (GBR) |
30:12 | Pilar Fernández (ESP) |
|
| 37th | 1980 | John Wild (GBR) |
 Leila Boudina (ALG) |
||
| — | 1981 | Cancelled | |||
| 39th | 1982 |  Carlos Lopes (POR) |
Amelia Lorza (ESP) |
||
| 40th | 1983 | Antonio Prieto (ESP) |
Amelia Lorza (ESP) |
||
| 41st | 1984 | Jorge García (ESP) |
Asunción Antolín (ESP) |
||
| 42nd | 1985 | Ezequiel Canário (POR) |
Amelia Lorza (ESP) |
||
| 43rd | 1986 | Steve Jones (GBR) |
Jane Shields (GBR) |
||
| 44th | 1987 |  Paul Kipkoech (KEN) |
29:37 | Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP) |
|
| 45th | 1988 | John Ngugi (KEN) |
29:16 | Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP) |
|
| 46th | 1989 | Antonio Serrano (ESP) |
Ana Isabel Alonso (ESP) |
||
| 47th | 1990 | Kipyego Kororia (KEN) |
30:32 |  Marcianne Mukamurenzi (RWA) |
|
| 48th | 1991 | Eamonn Martin (GBR) |
29:33 | Susan Sirma (KEN) |
13:43 |
| 49th | 1992 | Wilson Omwoyo (KEN) |
33:44 | Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) |
17:12 |
| 50th | 1993 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) |
29:38 | Luchia Yishak (ETH) |
17:01 |
| 51st | 1994 | Addis Abebe (ETH) |
34:30 | Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) |
19:01 |
| 52nd | 1995 |  Brahim Lahlafi (MAR) |
34:38 | Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) |
19:28 |
| 53rd | 1996 | Paulo Guerra (POR) |
31:04 | Derartu Tulu (ETH) |
17:24 |
| 54th | 1997 | Jon Brown (GBR) |
32:09 | Julia Vaquero (ESP) |
17:37 |
| 55th | 1998 | Paul Koech (KEN) |
32:16 | Kutre Dulecha (ETH) |
18:05 |
| 56th | 1999 | Paul Tergat (KEN) |
31:23 | Genet Gebregiorgis (ETH) |
17:34 |
| 57th | 2000 | Sammy Kipketer (KEN) |
30:05 | Yimenashu Taye (ETH) |
17:21 |
| 58th | 2001 | Abraham Chebii (KEN) |
31:56 | Sally Barsosio (KEN) |
17:47 |
| 59th | 2002 | Abraham Chebii (KEN) |
31:53 | Anne Jelagat (KEN) |
22:05 |
| 60th | 2003 | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) |
30:58 | Edith Masai (KEN) |
20:45 |
| 61st | 2004 | Abraham Chebii (KEN) |
30:14 |  Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) |
20:39 |
| 62nd | 2005 | Tariku Bekele (ETH) |
32:02 | Alice Timbilil (KEN) |
22:20 |
| 63rd | 2006 | Charles Kamathi (KEN) |
32:23 | Workitu Ayanu (ETH) |
22:19 |
| 64th | 2007 | Sileshi Sihine (ETH) |
31:08 | Mestawet Tufa (ETH) |
20:37 |
| 65th | 2008 | Leonard Komon (KEN) |
31:54 | Priscah Cherono (KEN) |
21:19 |
| 66th | 2009 | Ayele Abshero (ETH) |
31:18 | Florence Kiplagat (KEN) |
21:39 |
| 67th | 2010 | Leonard Komon (KEN) |
32:44 | Frehiwat Goshu (ETH) |
22:37 |
| 68th | 2011 | Leonard Komon (KEN) |
32:05 | Sara Moreira (POR) |
22:08 |
| 69th | 2012 | Paul Tanui (KEN) |
32:25 | Wude Ayalew (ETH) |
22:29 |
| 70th | 2013 | Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) |
33:15 | Gelete Burka (ETH) |
22:53 |
| 71st | 2014 |  Timothy Toroitich (UGA) |
32:04 | Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) |
21:59 |
| 72nd | 2015 |  Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) |
33:02 |  Mimi Belete (BHR) |
22:09 |
| 73rd | 2016 | Aweke Ayalew (BHR) |
32:05 | Irene Cheptai (KEN) |
24:49 |
| 74th | 2017 | Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) |
31:50 | Senbere Teferi (ETH) |
25:10 |
| 75th | 2018 | Selemon Barega (ETH) |
33:54 | Ruth Jebet (BHR) |
27:15 |
| 76th | 2019 | Rhonex Kipruto (KEN) |
32:05 | Hellen Obiri (KEN) |
24:38 |
| 77th | 2020 | Tadese Worku (ETH) |
31:39 | Hellen Obiri (KEN) |
25:10 |
| 78th | 2022 | Nicholas Kimeli (KEN) |
33:47 | Edinah Jebitok (KEN) |
26:03 |
| 79th[9] | 2023 | Selemon Barega (ETH) |
33:14 | Rahel Daniel (ERI) |
25:43 |
| 80th[10] | 2024 | Berihu Aregawi (ETH) |
30:34 | Beatrice Chebet (KEN) |
26:08 |
Winners by country
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