19th Race along the Dovžan Gorge

Looking for a cool escape from the summer heat?

This popular 8km race takes you on an out-and-back course along a densely forested gorge in the Alps. 

The Dovžan Gorge cuts deep into the southern slopes of the Karavanke mountain range on the Slovenia-Austria border. It's protected as a natural monument and well-known among palaeontologists for its deposits of marine fossils, many of them 280 million years old.

The most impressive features are the steep pyramidal limestone columns and the spectacular road tunnel, built at the end of the 19th century, 3.5km north of the old shoemaking town of Tržič. A footpath shows you along the gorge and the wild "Tržiška Bistrica" River.

To get to the event drive through Tržič and the tunnel, and then another 3km to the end of the asphalt road in Jelendol, a tiny village with some nice wooden buildings.

From there, you will run 4km on a dirt road along the upper reaches of the river, and then the same way back. The first half of the route is mildly uphill with an elevation gain of 50 metres, the second half downhill.

Last year, the finishers were greeted with live folk music, snacks and pancakes. The winners were Tone Kosmač (25:55) and Neža Mravlje (32:18).

Race report and photos: 19. Tek po Dovžanovi soteski 2009

Country: Slovenia

Venue (Map): Jelendol (6.5km from Tržič, 46km from Klagenfurt, 52km from Ljubljana, 172km from Udine)

Date: 23 August 2009 (Sunday)

Race distance: 8km; children 550m-1500m

Start time: 10.00 (children); 10.30 (main race)

Entries: on the day from 8.00 to 9.45 (children until 9.30)

Entry fees: 8 EUR; children 4 EUR; families (2 adults, 2 children) 20 EUR

You get: T-Shirt and a meal; children get pancakes

Prizes: trophies to the first M/F, medals to the first 3 in the categories

Number of finishers 2008: 170; 60 children

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