Monte-Carlo - The men’s and women’s 20km races which constituted the inaugural Final of the Race Walking Challenge which took place in Saransk, Russia on Saturday (29 Sep) brought to a close the IAAF World Race Walking Challenge 2007.

Overall Challenge victories were taken by Australia’s Luke Adams (36pts) and Belarussian Ryta Turava (40pts), respectively in the men’s and women’s divisions. Last year’s overall winners, Francisco Javier Fernández of Spain (32pts) and Romania’s Claudia Stef (16pts), finished in third and sixth positions.

To be ranked in the Final Standings in 2007, athletes had to have competed in four of the eight Challenge meetings this year to be eligible.

Click here to go to Standings

Click here to go to Challenge Regulations 2007 (in pdf)

FINAL STANDINGS (Updated 6 Oct)

Men
1 Luke Adams AUS 36pts (6 races)
2 Erik Tysse NOR 33pts (7 races)
3 Francisco Javier Fernández ESP 32pts (4 races)
4 Eder Sánchez MEX 28pts (5 races) 
5 Hatem Ghoula TUN 28pts (5 races)
6 Ivano Brugnetti ITA 10pts (4 races)
7 João Vieira POR 6pts (4 races)
7 Jared Tallent AUS 6pts (4 races)
9 Robert Heffernan Robert IRL 5pts (4 races)

Women
1 Ryta Turava BLR 40pts (4 races)
2 Kjersti Plätzer NOR 37pts (6 races)
3 Sabine Zimmer GER 27pts (5 races)
4 Elisa Rigaudo ITA 20pts (4 races)
5 Elena Ginko BLR 17pts (6 races)
6 Claudia Stef ROM 16pts (4 races)
7 Jane Saville AUS 13pts (5 races)
8 Susana Feitor POR 12pts (4 races)
9 Inês Henriques POR 12pts (4 races)

Click here to go to full Results and Standings of the Challenge 2007

Previous winners of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge

2003 – Robert Korzeniowski POL / Gillian O’Sullivan IRL
2004 - Robert Korzeniowski POL / Elisa Rigaudo ITA
2005 - Francisco Javier Fernández ESP / Ryta Turava BLR
2006 - Francisco Javier Fernández ESP / Claudia Stef ROM