Gore-Tex Transalpine Run
The 7th GORE-TEX Transalpine Features a Strong field to Fight for the 2011 Title
Oliver Kraus / 05.09.2011
On September 3rd, at 11 AM, the 7. GORE-TEX Transalpine-Run, one of the most spectacular trail running events in the global race circuit, will kick off in Oberstdorf, Germany, right in front of Oberstdorf Haus. More than 250 two-person teams will tackle the challenge of mastering a total of 273.73 km and 15,436 meters of cumulative ascent from Germany to Latsch in Italy by feet.
The favorites in the field of athletes representing more than 30 different countries, including rare ones like Honduras, Cuba, New Zealand, South Africa and Venezuela, are the few pro and semi-pro duos.
A year after Tom Owens/Andrew Symonds – the two Brits had been dominating the last two years winning in impressive manner – there is one British and one French-German team with great chances of winning the 2011 Transalpine-Run.
#1 contender might be Joseph Symonds. Andrew's younger brother by two years, but not less talented brother will enter the eight-day-long race with Lennox Jethro, a several-time Scottish Athletic Hill Running Champion, as Team Inov-8 Goretex Footwear.
There main rivals would be #2 contenders for the title, Julien Chorier of France and his Team Salomon International mate Philipp Reiter. At 20 years of age, the Bad Reichenhall resident must be the best trail running talent in Germany at this time as he has claimed several noteworthy victories in his Vertical race career so far such as the second rank at the inaugural Salomon 4-Trails.
30-years-old Chorier secured victory at this year's Hardrock Hundred Endurance Race as well as the Ultra-Technitrail de Tiranges. In addition, the father of two placed second at he Signes Trail Méounes-Belgentiere.
But there are even more teams with high hopes for a podium finish like Thomas Geisenberger and Tobias Brack from Team TSV Buchberg Haglöfs-Gore as well as Austria's David Kolditz and Sasa Savuljesko from Team Westpoint.
<b>Battle of Three in the Women's Category</b>
While the top teams in the men's classifier have to keep an eye on several other racer duos, a battle of three looms on the ladies' side.
Besides Nannette Mereles and Cassey Shepard of Californian Team Cassey and No No, who are both 45+, two German duos are counted among the favorites.
Above all, it's Gitti Schiebel, a two-time Transalpine-Run runner-up (2005 and 2008) and her Team Mountain Heroes Salomon mate Simone Philipp who raise justifiable hopes for a top-3 result.
The third ranked athlete of this year's Salomon 4-Trails, Stefanie Felgenhauer and Kathirn Höfler from Team Craft Woman will also enter the race this year.
<b>Master Title Champions Ready for Another Shot</b>
On side of the teams with a total age of 80+, one has to beat the title defenders in order to bring home the coveted Transalpine-Run crown. However, Dr. Thomas Miksch and Anton Philipp from Berglaufteam Haglöfs-Gore have already underlined their extraordinary shape this year.
While Miksch, a senior physician in the town of Kempten, claimed the title at the premier of the Salomon 4-Trails, his running mate Philipp (who is 7 years younger) rounded out the master podium as third.
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