TAR is ready for the 'longest run ' in its history
September 1 sees 250 tag-teams from across the world embarking on 8 stages of the GORE-TEX® Transalpine-Run. Starting in Ruhpolding, this year’s east route is incredibly demanding, and at 320 kms it’s the longest run in the history of the Alpine classic…
Top performance and, above all, stamina is needed for the 15,000 meters altitude difference. In average daily stages of 40 kilometers and 1,900 meters altitude difference the runners will reach the finishing line in Sexten on September 8.
International participants
GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN hasn’t lost its appeal even for this eighth time. This year, the run was already booked out six months before the start which is the earliest time so far. Among the 232 runners at the starting line most of them are from Germany, but Spain (79) and Austria (63) are also well represented. The Alpine classic is meanwhile very popular outside the European borders as well. Participants from Canada (13), Argentina (6), Australia (6), the USA (10), Israel (18) and many other countries bring international flair to this year’s east route over the Alpine main crest.
The runners are divided in five categories depending on their age and gender. The youngest participant is 22 years old and the oldest respectable 70 years. Especially well-filled with respectively around 30 % of the runners are the categories Men and Master Men (teams that are together over 80 years old) and Mixed (female and male participants of any age). The categories Senior Master Men (teams that are together over 100 years old) and Women are with respectively almost 10% less strong represented.
One interesting partnership will GB mountain runners Billy Burns and Morgan Donnelly, who will be extremely competitive on the 8-stage event. The Inov8 team runners will look to continue the proud tradition of UK teams at the TAR in the last few years, with Burns coming into the event after a fine top 10 finish at the recent Sierre-Zinal race.
Another of the favorites at this year’s GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN is Helmut Schiessl (GER) from the Salomon Trailrunning team, who will start together with his team partner Markus Kröll (AUT) in the Master Men category.
Last year Schiessl, from Allgäu, was successful at the Otego Pensulina Challenge and the Mt. Loyford Challenge. He also podiumed at both at the Glacier 3000 and at the Three Peaks Alpine Run. In 2005, the 40-years old runner won the Alpine run world championship in Cauterts, France.
Kröll is one of the most successful Austrian Alpine runners. The Tyrolean has twice won the Alpine run ÖM (2007 and 2008).
Further previews and news to follow in the coming week on MST.
Reactions so far
Malcolm Patterson Aug 22, 07:50 PM
re Transalpine, lets give Schiessl and Kroll a bit better write up! S won the World Long Distance Challenge at Cauterets in 2005, having already finished 4th in the World Championships in 2004 and 2nd in the Europeans in 2005. K as far as I know never got in the top 10 at the Worlds as a senior, but he was World Junior Champ in 1990 ahead of a certain Gavin Bland…