World Athletics Cross Country Tour returns on Saturday, 26 September, with one of the discipline’s most distinctive events providing the starting point for the 2026-2027 season featuring 20 meetings.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsHaving previously been a Silver level fixture, the TCS Lidingöloppet in Lidingö, Sweden, has been upgraded to Gold for this season as it joins the top tier of a tour that will take athletes to some of the world’s most prestigious cross-country races over the coming months.##NAJAVA_MECA_9981886##Unlike most other stops on the Tour, athletes can tackle the event’s famously demanding 30km course, the longest race on this season’s tour, alongside the 15km races. The 30km races bring together several athletes with proven form on Lidingö’s challenging course.Kenya’s William Nyarondia Morwabe will defend the men’s title after making a remarkable winning return last year. Returning to racing after a six-year break, he covered the course in 1:37:15 to beat 2024 champion Ebba Tulu Chala by just 11 seconds.AK Boss reveals factors behind Kenya’s successful bid for 2029 World ChampionshipsThe pair will meet again on Saturday, while David Nilsson steps up in distance after winning the 15km race last year. Olle Kalered, fifth over 30km in 2024, is another returning contender.Meanwhile, the women’s race could provide a piece of Lidingöloppet history for Sylvia Medugu Kiberenge. A winner in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022, the Kenyan is aiming to become the first woman to win the 30km race five times. She came close to adding another victory last year, finishing second in 1:51:18.President Ruto watches as Madina Okot leads Dream to fourth playoff seedThat performance remains the second-fastest in the history of the race, bettered only by Carolina Johnson’s course record of 1:49:19 set in winning last year.First held in 1965, Lidingöloppet lays claim to being the world’s largest cross-country event, with tens of thousands of runners taking part across the weekend. ##NAJAVA_MECA_9981886##Its history includes victories for distance running greats such as Grete Waitz, Ingrid Kristiansen, Douglas Wakiihuri and Benson Masya.Recent global finalist Egide Ntakarutimana and fellow Burundian Francine Niyomukunzi are among the leading contenders in the 15km races.Eliud Kipchoge on why the marathon record will keep falling
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