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Bruno GOZZELINO
WMRA Secretary


On behalf of the WMRA, it gives me great pleasure to write this message for the 2nd Balkan Mountain Running Championships 2009 which is being held in Teteven, one of the most famous and beautiful venues in Bulgaria.
Personally, I was very happy having been present last year at the 1st Balkan Mountain Running Championships 2008, which was also held at another beautiful venue in Bulgaria in Sapareva Banya. It was a great success and I am sure that each year the event will grow and become more and more prestigious.
Last year seven National Athletic Federations of the Balkan Area were present at the 1st Balkan Mountain Running Championships: Greece, Moldova, FYRo Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Bulgaria. The WMRA is very happy to note the continuing growth in popularity of mountain running world-wide especially in the Balkan Area and hopes that this year other Federations of the Balkan Athletic Association, such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro will also be present. Under the guidance of its President Dobromir Karamarinov, the Bulgarian Athletic Federation is working very well in the athletic family and especially in the beautiful branch of athletics that is mountain running. The WMRA wishes to thank the Bulgarian Athletic Federation very much for its support and is confident that the high quality of organisation will continue the strong development of mountain running in Bulgaria. The WMRA recognises that some of the Nations inside the Balkan Athletic Association such as Turkey are already leaders in the discipline of mountain running whilst others like Greece could soon become very important for the development of our sport in the near future. In Bulgaria, organizers have set high standards for events already staged, not only for races but also for example the Balkan Mountain Running Seminar held just one month ago, with the support of IAF. I am sure that the organizers in Teteven will perform to these high standards and will stage a very successful event.
Thank you very much to all for the attention and support that all of you have given to WMRA in the past and I hope will continue to give in the future. It remains for me to wish the organisers and all the participants the best of luck with the competition.