Mud, hills, and fierce competition: Cross-Country races debut at the 5^th CISM Military World Winter Games

LUCERNE (SUI) - The newly introduced cross-country races at the 5^th CISM Military World Winter Games lived up to the hype, delivering a thrilling spectacle of grit, endurance, and fierce competition. Held at the military airbase in Emmen, the event attracted participants from 25 nations, making it one of the largest fields of the Games. The hilly, slippery, and demanding course turned the races into true battles of strength and strategy.

Tanzania triumphs in a thrilling finish – Swiss Team impresses

The men’s 10 km race began with a tightly packed lead group of seven athletes, with Bahrain’s Rop Albert setting a relentless pace from the start. As the grueling course took its toll, the group dwindled lap by lap in an intense war of attrition. In the final kilometer, Albert surged ahead with a decisive kick, securing a well-earned gold medal. Panga Joseph of Tanzania and France’s Djilali Bedrani completed the podium.

The team competition came down to a dramatic showdown, with Tanzania and France finishing level on points. Thanks to superior individual rankings, Tanzania claimed gold, while Bahrain secured bronze.

The Swiss team delivered one of its strongest-ever performances on the world stage, finishing just five points shy of the podium in fourth place. Switzerland’s top runner, Fabian Aebersold, impressed with a fifth-place finish, followed by Loris Pellaz (6th) and Timon Suter (17th). "The rough terrain, the hills, and the technical descents played to our advantage. We were ready for the challenge and happy with our performance today," Aebersold commented after the race.

Bahrain dominates the Women’s Race

As the women’s 8 km race began, heavy rain set in, transforming an already challenging course into a true test of resilience. France’s Manon Trapp set a blistering early pace, splintering the field. However, Bahrain’s Yavi Winfred and Violah Motosio reeled her in after three kilometers. From there, Winfred surged ahead to claim a dominant gold, with Trapp taking silver and Motosio securing bronze.

Bahrain reinforced its reputation as a cross-country powerhouse by winning the team event ahead of France and Tanzania.

Inclusion through sport: Open Race sends a powerful message

Beyond the championship races, CISM introduced the first-ever open race for military personnel with physical disability or affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. This non-competitive event focused on personal achievement and the unifying spirit of sport, highlighting athletics as a powerful tool for resilience and recovery.

Romania’s Ionut Zinca won the men’s 6 km race with a time of 24:37.7, followed by France’s Mickael Courtois in 27:16.6 and Ecuador’s Darwin Vallejo Guangaje in 28:45.5. In the women’s 4 km race, Romania’s Alexandra Gutu took the top spot in 21:09.9, ahead of France’s Marion Blot, who finished in 22:11.5. Ludivine Court-Seguineau, also from France, secured third place in 27:34.3.

With cross-country running making its debut, the Military World Winter Games added an electrifying new discipline. The athletes showcased not only exceptional performances but also the resilience, teamwork, and mental toughness needed to conquer one of the event’s most grueling courses.

• All results are available at: https://www.cism-wmc.ch/en/ranking

• Pictures from the events can be found here: https://share.dma.swiss/s/poZoWrNm6ADwkg9

(Source: https://www.cism-wmc.ch/ – WINOC 25)