ITRA

Born in July 2013, the ITRA (International Trail Running Association) aims to give a voice to parties involved in trail running in order to promote its strong values, its diversity, the safety of races and the health of runners, as well as to further the development of trail running and ensure a constructive dialogue between the national and international bodies with an interest in the sport.

Discover Trail Running

Do you want to explore your abilities in the great outdoors? Trail running is a sport that takes place amid nature, and with respect for the environment, a sense of humility, shared community, and a strong sense of sports ethics. Trail running benefits from a definition that is shared internationally by all participants.

History

Since the early 2000’s, Trail running has gained many followers around the globe. However, for years, the sport had not achieved full recognition. That's why more than 150 concerned members of the international trail running community gathered in 2012 to create a strong basis for trail running and to affirm its core values.

Values and ethics

ITRA values are based on the fundamental values of trail running. These values, shared by ITRA and all those involved in trail running, where authenticity and fair play are central, are all benchmarks that express our vision of trail running and guide our actions on a daily basis.

Missions

ITRA's mission is to give voice to trail runners from all continents to promote trail running throughout the world and defend its ethical values.

Organization

ITRA is composed of members from various backgrounds, united by a passion for trail running within a non-profit association founded in July 2013.

Safety and Health

As a demanding sport amid wilderness, and on often rugged terrain, trail running requires impeccable organization, where all safety and rescue measures are well considered and managed. That is why ITRA has developed a guide of recommendations to assist race organizers.

National Representatives

History

September 3, 2012: 1st ''Assises Internationales du Trail''

On September 3, 2012, 150 trail running enthusiasts from 18 countries gathered in Courmayeur, Italy. Race organizers, equipment manufacturers, elite athletes, coaches and media shared their collective experience with the goal to structure and secure their sport. Indeed, trail running, born in the United States in the late 70's, was still not officially recognized as a sport at the international level.

It was the first time that so many members of the trail running community had gathered for such a purpose. The sessions enabled participants from all over the world to become aware of the diversity of their views and the need for trail runners to organize themselves as a discipline in its own right, while taking into account the varied approaches of all continents.

The 1st Assises Internationales du Trail has initiated a concerted dialogue with the aims of:

guaranteeing the health and safety of runners and all those involved in trail running
affirming, preserving and defending the core values of trail running.

5 working groups to structure the discipline

Since 2014, 50 volunteers from 13 countries on five continents have continued the work initiated during the 1st Assises Internationales du Trail.

5 working groups, composed of race organizers, athletes, coaches, representatives of sports federations, equipment manufacturers and the media have united their cultures and their points of view to accompany this evolving discipline, with the following results:

the shared, international definition of trail running
the drafting of an ethical trail running charter to assert the values of the discipline,
the implementation of a health policy to promote a doping-free sport and protect the health of runners,
the development of a reasoned management of high level athletes,
the elaboration of the rules for a uniform international ranking.

July 2013: The birth of ITRA

The 5 working groups created the need for an association that brings together all trail running participants around shared values and principles, and from around the world. This is how the International Trail Association (ITRA) came into being in July, 2013, inspired by a passion for trail running and the enthusiasm of its 14 founding members.

ITRA Founding Members

The founding members of the ITRA are:

Didier CURDY, Statistician, creator of the ITRA performance index
Arnaud DE STAEL, Deputy Secretary-general of the EcoTrail de Paris^®, hypnotherapist and teacher in hypnosis and PNL at the Institut Français d’Hypnose Ericksonienne
Jean-Marc GARCIA, Member of the Hors Stade national commission of the Fédération Française d’Athlétisme
Carlos GARCIA PRIETO, Trail-running passionate, founder of Ultrarun.es (trail-running database in Spain) and trail-designer
Bernard LANDREIN, President-founder of the Ultra Marin Raid du Golfe du Morbihan (9 editions)
Nicolas MERMOUD, Founder of the running brand Hoka One One, athlete (3rd UTMB^® 2007, 1st and holder of the race record on Trailwalker 2011 mix), native of Les Contamines-Montjoie
José Carlos SANTOS, Trail-Runner and President of the Association Trail-Running Portugal
Alessandra NICOLETTI, Race director of the Tor des Géants^®, President of VDA Trailers (organisation of the Tor des Géants^®, Gran Trail Valdigne, Gran Trail Courmayeur, Arrancabirra^®, Winter Eco Trail)
Fabrice PERRIN, Operations manager Ultra-Trail^® World Tour
Jean-Charles PERRIN, Creator and organiser of the EcoTrail de Paris^®, in charge of the development of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc^®
Catherine POLETTI, Organiser and Race director of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc^®
Michel POLETTI, Technical director of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc^®, organizer of the Trail des Aiguilles Rouges
Pierre SALLET, Director of the association Athletes For Transparency (AFT)
Hervé SIMON, Organiser of the Trail Drôme Lafuma

The International Trail-Running Association is open to all players in the field of trail-running and wishes above all to be a place for meeting, listening and exchanges.