Over 2,000 runners from 60 nations are set to race at the 10th edition of Mozart 100 by UTMB® next month. Amongst them will be elite road runner Karl Aumayr who won the national Marathon Championship in 2015 with a personal best of 2:23 hours. Karl Aumayr will be looking to challenge the ultra trail elite in the pinnacle event ‘mozart 100’ which is 105 km, +/- 5,000 meters in altitude.
Aumayr said: “I only started trail running last year, and that’s when I came to realise that trail running is not just a sport, it’s a passion. It is an attitude that one has. It is the commitment to nature and the connection with one’s environment. With every step you take, you are a part of the world – and it is this passion and this realization that you share with everyone else at the start. Without competition, without envy. This is an enormously valuable feeling, especially in this day and age, and one that you can count yourself lucky to have.”
Four professional Ethiopian road runners will be tying up their trail shoes for the first time in the Mozart Marathon. The two male athletes Melaku Mosisa Baysa and Mezgebu Alemu both have half marathon bests of 1:04 hours. In the women’s field, Addisalem Sleshi Alemu who has a half marathon best of 1:19 hours will also be making her trail debut and will race amongst her country fellow Nehil Gezahagn Chali.
Also set to join the Mozart 100 start line in a month will be German ultrarunner Florian Neuschwander. Whilst Neuschwander is no stranger to the trails, this will be the first time he is racing Mozart 100. Apart from several victories in ultra-trails, Florian Neuschwander is also the current world record holder over 100 km on the treadmill in 6:26:42 hours.
Professional German triathlete, Fabian Rahn will also celebrate his trail debut in Salzburg. With podiums finishers at IRONMAN UK (3rd in 2018) and IRONMAN Wales (3rd in 2019), and a personal best of 8:20 hours he is highly motivated: “Last year I decided to hang up my triathlon career. I am now 36, so in the best endurance age, and still have some plans in the trail area.”
Athletes have a choice of 9 different races to choose from, including a 9km team trail run, through to the pinnacle event of Mozart 100 by UTMB® – ‘Mozart 100’, which is 105km, +/- 5,000 meters in altitude. Whichever distance they choose, participants will be taken on an extraordinary journey along beautiful mountain backdrops and through the breath-taking and fragile landscape of the Salzburger Land.
Whilst over half of participants of this year’s edition are from Austria and Germany (53%), this year also marks the highest number of international athletes flying into Salzburg from the likes of the UK (8%), Poland, Czech Republic and France to take part in the event. 75% of the participants are men, 25% women, with the youngest participant aged 16, and the oldest one 75.
“It’s great to see how popular trail running has become in recent years, and exciting that we now also have professional road runners and triathletes making the transition into trail. We are so proud to be able to welcome more than 2,000 participants from more than 60 nations, which is not only the largest field of starters to date, but also the biggest international athlete field we have ever had,” says Claudia Kolussi, Director Athlete Services, Mozart 100 by UTMB®.
“What’s really unique about this race, is that you can fly straight into the city, and be on the trails an hour later. The beautiful landscape of the Salzburger Land rounds up a perfect blend of culture, art, history, and nature, and we can’t wait to present all of it to our trail running community.”
The diverse trails of the Mozart 100 by UTMB® combine steep climbs and downhill passages and lead the runners through the Salzburger Land both on forest roads and on paved ground. Highlights for the participants are the impressive views of the picturesque Fuschlsee and Wolfgangsee from the mountains Gitzenberg, Zwölferhorn, Schafberg and Nochstein, and the finish line on Kapitelplatz in Salzburg’s old town.
Mozart 100 by UTMB® is part of the UTMB® World Series, which brings together the best races in exceptional locations while surrounding itself by unspoiled nature. A total of 25 events in 16 countries across Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas have been confirmed for the 2022 UTMB World Series®.
This year’s Mozart 100 by UTMB® offers exclusive access to the UTMB® World Series Finals 2023, which will take place in the 20km, 50km and 100km categories of the UTMB® Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, France. All finishers of the UTMB® World Series events receive Running Stones with the amount depending on distance and altitude. One running stone equals one entry in the lottery for the UTMB® World Series Finals.
The trails of Mozart 100 by UTMB® lead the participants through the diversity and beauty of the Salzburger Land and guarantee a unique and unforgettable trail running experience. With nine different competitions, Mozart 100 by UTMB® offers the right distance for every level of experience.
Mozart 100: 105km, +/- 5,000 meters in altitude – the pinnacle event of Mozart 100 by UTMB® and with over 800 registered runners, the competition with the highest number of participants. Mozart 100 starts in the heart of Salzburg’s old town on Kapitelplatz at the foot of Hohensalzburg Fortress. The profiled route leads the participants via Hinterwinkel to the Zwölferhorn, at 1,500m the highest elevation of the competition. The magnificent all-round view of Lake Wolfgang and the Salzburger Land rewards the effort of the ascent. Via St. Gilgen and along the shore of Lake Wolfgang, the runners can expect the second big climb up the Schafberg to the Schafbergalm after about 55km, before heading back towards Fuschl and along the north shore of Lake Fuschl. After 95km it’s time to mobilize your reserves again, because the second last climb up to the Nockstein up to 1,000m follows. Once at the top, the fantastic view of the city of Salzburg will hopefully give the runners a last boost of motivation to tackle the final 10km over the Kapuzinerberg back to the old town of Salzburg with lots of energy, where they will be rewarded with an unforgettable finish and their hard-earned medal. The fastest men complete the course in around 10.5 hours, the fastest woman finished after 13:19.21 hours in last year’s edition. A cut-off time of 22 hours is the maximum time available for all participants to complete the 105km.
Mozart Ultra: 75 km, +/- 4,000 meters in altitude – the second ultra-distance for experienced trail runners and ultra-novices. The mozart Ultra starts in the center of the village Fuschl am See and leads the runners along the same trails as for mozart 100. The fastest men need 8.5 hours, the fastest women 9.5 hours to complete the course.
Mozart Marathon: 41km, + 1,800m/ -1,900m – after mozart 100, the mozart Marathon is the competition with the second highest number of participants of around 400 runners. The start is in St. Gilgen, right on the banks of the beautiful Wolfgangsee, and takes runners to the old town of Salzburg on the same trails as mozart 100 and mozart Ultra. The perfect introduction to the world of trail running for experienced road runners. Despite the many meters of altitude, the fastest men reach the finish line in about 3.5 hours, the fastest women in about 4.5 hours.
Mozart Light: 31km, + 1,100m/ -1,300m, starting in Fuschl am See – mozart Half Marathon: 21km, + 750m/ -1,000m, starting in Koppl – mozart City Trail: 9km, +/- 300m, starting in the old town of Salzburg, give all runners have the opportunity to get a first impression of the challenges of trail running.
Team competitions: For all fans of team competitions or for all those who would like to get a taste of the world of trail running, there is also the opportunity to complete the two ultra-distances mozart 100 and mozart Ultra in teams and to share the adventure with friends and colleagues. There is also a team ranking on the mozart City Trail, in which teams of three participants complete the 9 km and the total time of the three team members is added up.
All competitions have one thing in common: a personal adventure awaits through the breath-taking and diverse landscape of the Salzburg region, where you can test your personal limits, leave your comfort zone, and surpass yourself.
“We are overwhelmed to be able to welcome ten times as many participants to our tenth anniversary this year as we did when we held the event for the first time in 2012. In addition, being part of the UTMB® World Series along with some of the most prestigious races in the world makes 2022 a special year for mozart 100 by UTMB®,” says Josef Mayerhofer, Race Director, mozart 100 by UTMB®.
“At this point, a special thanks also goes to the city of Salzburg and the region of Salzburger Land and our partners, without whose support none of this would have been possible. We are doing everything we can to be able to offer an unforgettable event on June 18 and are more than excited to see what the next ten years will bring.”
Registration for the tenth anniversary of the Mozart 100 by UTMB® on June 18, 2022, is still open until June 12 12:00am.
For more information, visit www.mozart100.com
