Beh na Minčol

Beh na Minčol is a short, steep mountain race starting in Višňové, a village near Žilina in northern Slovakia. Participants begin at the parking lot near the valley entrance and ascend 6 km, gaining 850 metres in elevation. This makes the race a test of uphill strength rather than flat-ground speed. The course is almost entirely on forest trails, with a minimal asphalt section, and has an official time limit of two hours. The climb leads to Minčol, a 1,363.9-metre peak on the main ridge of the Lúčanská Malá Fatra, located approximately 12 km southeast of Žilina. The summit area is the meeting point for the territories of Turie, Višňové, Stráňavy, and Martin-Priekopa. The international E3 long-distance hiking route also crosses the mountain. Telovýchovná jednota Višňové organizes the event, with awards distributed across age categories for men and women, lending it the character of a local club mountain run.