8th Race through Lončarija

Dolenja vas is a village in the fertile Ribnica valley, surrounded by densely forested hills. It's about 50 kilometres south of the capital Ljubljana and 4 kilometres from the small town of Ribnica, one of the oldest settlements in the country.

The locals call the area around Dolenja vas "Lončarija", or "Land of Pottery", as pottery was the most important industry in the valley for centuries. Wood carving was widely practised as well.

The 9.4km "Race through Lončarija" is a nice and friendly summer evening event which follows a route through the village and the fields around. After a lap around the northern part of the village you pass the start/finish area and run a loop through the fields to the south.

The course is flat in the north of Dolenja vas and undulating in the south. You run mostly on asphalt roads. About 2km are on dirt roads.

In 2008, 22-year-old local runner Bojan Cebin won the race in a very good 29:05. Jana Strahinič, twice the age of the male winner, led the women home in 36:52.

Country: Slovenia

Venue (Map): Dolenja vas, Ribnica (48km from Ljubljana, 97km from Rijeka, 104km from Trieste)

Date: 4 July 2009 (Saturday)

Race distance: 9.4km; 2km (Recreational Run); 300m/600m (children)

Start time: 17.00 (children); 17.30 (2km); 18.30 (main race)

Start and finish: in the centre of the village

Entries: on the day

Entry fees: 8 EUR (15 years or over); children 5 EUR; walkers 4 EUR

You get: a warm meal and a present

Prizes (9.4km): trophies to the first M/F; medals to the first 3 in the categories

Prizes (2km): medals to the first 3 M/F

Number of finishers 2008: 173 (9.4km), 16 (2km), 36 children

Event website (in Slovene): www.sportno-drustvo-loncar.si

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page.