Nicknamed “the doyenne” or “the Mecca” of mountain running, Sierre-Zinal is a legendary race created in 1974 in the heart of the Valais Alps in Switzerland. It is part of the prestigious international Golden Trail World Series circuit.

The legendary course: A distance of $31\text{ km}$ with $2\ 200\text{ m}$ of positive elevation gain ($D+$) and $1\ 100\text{ m}$ of negative elevation loss ($D-$). The route links the town of Sierre (in the Rhône plain) to the village of Zinal (in the Val d’Anniviers).

The “Five 4000” scenery: The race owes its worldwide renown to its balcony route offering breathtaking views of five of the Alps’ highest peaks, all over 4,000 metres: the Dent Blanche, the Obergabelhorn, the Zinalrothorn, the Weisshorn and the famous Matterhorn.

A clash of worlds: It is one of the few races in the world where the best road marathoners (African runners often excel here thanks to the fast middle section), trail runners and pure mountain-running specialists go head-to-head.

A popular celebration: Alongside the Elites, the “Tourists” category (walkers and recreational runners) sets off from the middle of the night by headlamp to enjoy the experience at their own pace, cheered on by incredible local enthusiasm all along the route.