Strong trail partnership: 
DYNAFIT first official partner of ITRA

Cross-country, over hill and dale, higher and higher on exposed peaks and back down speedy downhills to the valley. Trail running is pure freedom. You run wherever your legs can carry you. But trail running is so much more than that. Trail running has established itself in recent years as an international performance and elite sport. The best runners measure up against each other, and there are world championships, international rankings, and much more.  The International Trail Running Association, a.k.a., ITRA, has played a significant role in this development. From now on, DYNAFIT and ITRA will conquer the trails together. We have been official partners with ITRA since November 2022, and we look forward incredibly to helping to shape the future of trail running together. 

In the early 2000s, a steadily growing and enthusiastic community formed around trail running. Indeed, what was missing was an official indicator as well as general conditions for the practice of the sport as a competitive discipline. In 2012, for the first time, 150 representatives of the international running scene came together in Italy’s Courmayeur to create a common foundation for the development of trail running and to define the values of the sport. Among those present were race organizers, brands, media, federation officials, trainers, and top athletes from 18 nations. Building on that, ITRA was founded in July 2013 as a non-profit organization.

Among the self-proclaimed tasks of the federation since then are the guarantee of safety and quality standards, the defense of ethical principles, plus holding and supporting national and international races. Similarly, further development of a unified structure, promotion and exposure of the sport and its athletes, and networking trail running stakeholders are the global focus. With criteria such as the Performance Index and the ITRA Score, the federation has for the first time created a system that allows an international comparison of courses and athletes. In 2015, World Athletics, the international governing body of athletics, with ITRA as its technical partner, recognized trail running as an official discipline. Meanwhile, ITRA has more than 2 million registered runners and more than 25,000 various races that comply with the corresponding guiding principles of ITRA.

Since its founding in July 2013, ITRA (headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland) has been engaged in the professionalization of trail running. It is the leading umbrella organization of the sport. With ITRA Points, the ITRA Score, and the ITRA Performance Index, ITRA has developed a unique rating system to make performances and results from trail running comparable. This was a milestone to create trail running as an international competitive discipline and to enable rankings and a world ranking list of the best athletes.

Race safety, the health of runners, as well as the promotion of the diversity and strong value of the sport are always at the heart of ITRA’s activities. That too is the basis of the partnership between DYNAFIT and ITRA for this initial period of two years. The mutually declared goal: To promote trail running at an international level, to develop this new sport, and to support athletes globally in the best possible way. With our performance, highly technical trail running systems, we also are laying the foundation for this. Because only when the equipment is just right are athletes able to perform at their best in races – be that a Skyrace or challenging ultra.

Go to the ITRA website

A unique challenge for all trail runners! In addition to the ITRA Performance Index Ranking, ITRA has created yet another exciting initiative for all trail runners with the new ITRA National League. With this, all runners in the future will be able to measure themselves on a national level against the best athletes in their country. Indeed, a bit like a national league for trail running.

How it works: For your placement in rankings of the ITRA National League, you must successfully run in a year at least three races in your own country. Your placement in the rankings is based on your best three finishes.

With this initiative, yet another opportunities has been developed to further develop trail running on a national level and to make it accessible to the broader public. That’s because anyone can participate and run with the ITRA National League!

“We see trail running as an adventure, as an opportunity to test your personal limits and to connect with like-minded people. So many athletes all over the world these days take part in this sport with such great passion. And it is precisely this diverse community that makes trail running so unique. ITRA aims to give a voice to these runners and to create the conditions needed for them to give their best on the trails. DYNAFIT represents the same goals and values, and that’s why we are thrilled to have this aspiring brand as a partner at our side starting immediately,” said Janet Ng, ITRA´s president.

“Trail running has developed in recent years into a professional and respected sport, and ITRA has laid vital groundwork to that end. Just since the founding of ITRA, athletes have had the opportunity to pursue the sport on a professional basis and to measure themselves against an international field. As a brand by athletes for athletes, DYNAFIT pursues the goal of supporting athletes in their ambitious endeavors in the best possible manner. The partnership with ITRA, the most important organization in trail running, is for us a significant step,” noted Alexander Nehls, DYNAFIT International Marketing Director.

More information about the National League

Have we made you curious? Do you want to find out more about ITRA? All the information about the history of its founding, ITRA members, and the ITRA Performance Index can be found on ITRA’s website.

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