The heart of the longest race: Tolmin
Gorges and Mount Krn
The I feel Slovenia Soča Outdoor Festival, now in its twelfth edition, delivered exactly what it promised: stunning nature, tough challenges, and an incredible atmosphere created by 2800 participants.
The trend of a roughly 50-50 gender split continues, with about half of the participants coming from Slovenia. The rest come mainly from Croatia, Italy, Hungary, and Austria. In total, runners from 30 countries took part.
Lovers’ Festival remains committed to sustainability and the local environment. At its heart are the many dedicated volunteers who make it all possible.
From June 27 to 29, Tolmin hosted the twelfth I Feel Slovenia Soča Outdoor Festival – an event that, from the very beginning, has brought together lovers of outdoor sports, primarily trail runners, as well as climbers, SUP paddlers, cyclists, and more.
Triglav Vertical run to the Kolovrat range
The competitive part of the programme kicked off on Friday with the Triglav Vertical Run, starting in Volče and heading up to Kolovrat, a ridge west of Tolmin best known for its open-air museum. The steep 6 6-kilometre route with 1,000 metres of elevation gain ends with a unique section – a run through WWI tunnels. The fastest to conquer this demanding climb were Stanko Janžekovič and Annika Meuser (0:44:53 and 1:02:08).
“It was tough — the climb felt never-ending, but once you emerge from the forest, the views of Mount Krn and the surrounding peaks give you that extra boost to push to the summit,” said one of the participants.
Shorter routes attract the most runners
Sunday was dedicated to the three shorter races. The most popular, consistently selling out weeks in advance, was the adidas Terrex 15 km, which leads runners from the start at Sotočje along the left bank of the Soča River, up to the scenic viewpoint Kozlov rob above Tolmin, through the Tolmin Gorges, and the villages of Žabče and Podljubinj, before returning to the finish at Sotočje.
The fastest male and female in this race were Vili Črv (00:57:33) and Maruša Cijan Brkič (1:12:19). On the Continental Trail 10 km, victory went to Josef Babák (00:51:06) and Anja Mandeljc (00:56:41), while the shortest race, the Hempika 5 km – a hit since its launch last year, especially among younger runners and first-timers – saw wins from Urban Novak (0:17:24) and Cerys Wright (0:19:35).
The heart of the longest race: Tolmin Gorges and Mount Krn
Due to past congestion on some overlapping sections of the course, the organisers spread the races across the entire weekend, a change introduced last year. On Saturday, the focus was on the three longer distances, with routes reversed from the previous year.
World-famous Tolmin Gorges, followed by a gruelling ascent to the Pretovč alpine pasture at 1,160 metres above sea level. Then comes a descent through the villages of Krn and Gabrje down to the Soča River, another climb up to Mengore hill, a loop around the lake at Most na Soči towards the scenic viewpoint Senica, and finally through the villages of Ljubinj and Prapetno back to the nish line at Sotočje. All races, except the Friday vertical run, end with the signature refreshing river crossing of the Tolminka, a highlight many runners look forward to.
The fastest men and women in the I feel Slovenia 50 km were Dimitri Chapelle in Monika Kusendová (5:00:09 and 6:12:34), in the Ford 35 km race Jure Orehek (2:55:09) and Kitti Posztos (3:07:47), and in the Soča 25 km race Nejc Uršič (2:20:25) in Sara Masnik (2:59:06).
Shorter routes attract the most runners
Sunday was dedicated to the three shorter races. The most popular, consistently selling out weeks in advance, was the adidas Terrex 15 km, which leads runners from the start at Sotočje along the left bank of the Soča River, up to the scenic viewpoint Kozlov rob above Tolmin, through the Tolmin Gorges, and the villages of Žabče and Podljubinj, before returning to the finish at Sotočje.
The fastest male and female in this race were Vili Črv (00:57:33) and Maruša Cijan Brkič (1:12:19). On the Continental Trail 10 km, victory went to Josef Babák (00:51:06) and Anja Mandeljc (00:56:41), while the shortest race, the Hempika 5 km – a hit since its launch last year, especially among younger runners and first-timers – saw wins from Urban Novak (0:17:24) and Cerys Wright (0:19:35).
The oldest participant is 89 years old
This year’s festival brought together a vibrant community of trail runners from as many as 30 di erent countries, once again proving that the event goes far beyond the borders of Slovenia. That age is no obstacle when it comes to a passion for movement, was demonstrated by the oldest participant, who is 89 years old, while the youngest runners, only 6-year-old twins, bravely tackled their course together with their family. The most popular race this year was the 15-kilometer course, which, with its scenic route through the Soča Valley, remains one of the favorite choices among runners.
New initiatives and exceptional volunteers
The festival has long been more than just a trail running event. The organisers are committed to making it a celebration of sustainability and community. “Our goal is for the festival to remain not only a sporting event but also a place of shared values. This year, we added a gear swap station and collected donations for a vocational and occupational center during registration.”, explains Sara Mavrič, the festival’s manager.
Of course, the festival would not be possible without the incredible volunteer team. From course marking and aid stations to ensuring a seamless experience for runners, their e ort is priceless. “Volunteers are the heart of our festival. With their energy, they create the atmosphere, motivate participants, and make sure runners feel welcome every step of the way.”, adds Peter Dakskobler, who oversees the event’s logistics.
It’s the runners who bring the joy
For Jan Klavora, the festival director, the runners themselves remain the greatest source of joy. Their positive energy – rain or shine – is infectious. But the biggest relief always comes when the last runner crosses the nish line, marking the successful end of months of intense work by the core team. When the festival started, no one imagined it would grow to this scale. Seeing runners return year after year, despite the multitude of events both locally and abroad, is a testament to the special place that Tolmin holds in their hearts.