2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships

Infobox World Road Running
date = 2006-10-08

country = Hungary
city = Debrecen
length = 20 km
indprize1 = 30,000
indprize2 = 15,000
indprize3 = 10,000
indprize4 = 7,000
indprize5 = 5,000
indprize6 = 3,000
tmprize1 = 15,000
tmprize2 = 12,000
tmprize3 = 9,000
tmprize4 = 7,500
tmprize5 = 6,000
tmprize6 = 3,000
prevcity =
prevcntry =
nextcity = Udine
nextcntry = Italy

The 1st IAAF World Road Running Championships were held in Debrecen, Hungary on 8 October 2006, the women's race starting at 11:00 and the men's race at 13:00. This was the first time the title of World Road Running Champion had been competed for, with this competition replacing the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in the international sporting calendar. Over 160 athletes from 42 nations took part in the two races. [ [http://www.iaaf.org/WRU06/news/Kind=2/newsId=36474.html iaaf.org - World Road Running Championships 2006 News ] ]

As well as individual honours, there is also a team event where the times of the first three runners home from each country are added together to produce the team standings. Only nations with at least three competitors entered in the race are eligible for this competition.

The race was notable for having the first disabled athlete to take part in a world championship athletics event. Mark Brown, who was competing for Gibraltar, lost his left arm in a traffic accident in 1981. [ [http://www.iaaf.org/history/WRU/season=2006/eventCode=3491/news/kind=100/newsid=36486.html “Athletics opens up so many doors” – IAAF World Road Running Championships] . "IAAF.org". 2006-10-08]

The course

The total race distace was 20 kilometres, and consisted of four laps around a 5000 metre course. The race started and finished in front of the main building of the University of Debrecen (pictured left) on the northern edge of the city, and travelled in a clockwise direction around nearby parkland.

The runners started on Egyetem Square, outside the University, before heading around the circular Nagyerdei Avenue. Most of the course followed Nagyerdei Avenue, with two detours onto the roads inside the circle, passing the thermal baths and the Aquaticum Thermal & Wellness Hotel, before rounding the boating lake, passing the Nagyerdõ Stadium and the Hunguest Nagyerdõ Hotel. The race then headed back to Egyetem Square to complete the lap.

Maps of the route and the start/finish area are available from the official race website, via the links below.
* [http://www.debrecen2006.hu/fileok/File/ufcel_en.jpgMap of start/finish area] "(retrieved October 2006)"
* [http://www.debrecen2006.hu/fileok/File/ufpalya_en.jpgMap of the course route] "(retrieved October 2006)"

Results

Men

Individual

Team

ee also

*IAAF
*Road running

References

External links

* [http://www.iaaf.org/history/WRU/season=2006/eventCode=3491/index.html IAAF World Road Running Championships - Debrecen 2006 - History]
* [http://www.debrecen2006.hu/futovb.php?nyelv=1 debrecen2006.hu, website of the race organisers]