After eight days, 320km and approximately 15,000m of ascending and descending saw the euphoric and emotional final finish line of the 2012 GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN. Bright sunshine and big crowds in the beautiful final stage town of Sexten welcomed the runners with raucous support. After seven stage wins, two stage records and a time of 2.58.56, Iker Kerrera and Philipp Reiter from Team Salomon International showed their world class dominance on the trail to claim overall victory in the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN 2012. The pair commented that consistent pace, good conditions and lots of technical climbing and descending, which both consider their strength aided them to their supreme dominance and overall victory of the race. Kerrera commented the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN 2012 win has interested him in more stage racing, and despite his own brilliance, he was quick to focus on Reiter’s accomplishments saying at only 21 he was going to be a name to dominate trail and ultra trail events in the future. Reiter’s victory at the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN 2012 adds to recent individual wins at the Salomon 4 Trails and Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail in 2012. 

 

Coming in second place today and overall 2nd, Team Gore Running Wear, of Florian Holzinger and Volkmar Rolfes from Germany crossed the finish line in 3.11.18. The pair, who were consistently strong in the race, were ecstatic at their second placing overall, commenting they would have never expected this considering the scale and prestige of the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN. Crossing the finish line 3rd in 3.14.43 and 3rd overall in Men’s standings were Eybl Salomon Running Team of Gerhard Russegger and Markus Frickh from Austria. 

 

The final stage into Sexten affords the runners with some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery the course has to offer and with clear skies and full sunshine the finish in 2012 has not disappointed. The final climb of the race gave the runners a perfect clear view of the UNESCO World Heritage ‘Drei Zinnen’ the famous pinnacles of the Dolomites. These views provided runners some with their most beautiful trail running experiences to date, adding to the emotions and euphoria and sense of accomplishment at completing one of the world’s toughest, dramatic and technical stage trail races. The distinguished ‘Finisher 2012’ T-shirt will be worn with pride today and in the year to come by the teams whose legs, spirits and endurance have gotten them here. 

 

WOMEN 

 

After six stage wins and a strong dominance of the race Gitti Schiebel and Ildikó Wermescher of Team Mountain Heroes claimed victory in the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN. The duo who only met a few days before racing got underway crossed the finish line in 4.00.09 winning the race by a huge margin of 2 hours and 56 minutes. Coming in second in the women’s race was Team SCLT Breitenback of Jutta Buschmann and Kristin Berglund, who finished strong, only 12 minutes behind the leaders. Completing the women’s podium, 6 hours and 37 minutes after the leaders in the overall standings were Kristin Berglund and Cornelia Hauser-Ruckli of Team Schwizer Bärggeisse. 

 

MIXED 

 

The Mixed Category produced some of the most exciting racing throughout the 2012 GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN. After some close finishes Irene Senfter and Stefan Tschurtschenthaler of Team Südtirol Dolomiti Superbike claimed overall victory and finished today in 3.31.50. Only 33 minutes behind Karrera and Reiter, the pair showed the strength and caliber of racing in the mixed category. Team Buff of Chemari Bustillo and Nuria Dominguez claimed overall second place crossing the line today in 3.43.09. Improving performances throughout the race allowed Team Paralelo 70 of Manuel Rodriguez and Mercedes Arcos to finish third overall and crossed the line today in 4.03.09. 

 

MASTER 

 

An exciting last day of racing between the masters men saw a close finish with Team Stunde Des Herzens of Stefan Zäh and Ralph Klisch cross the line first in the category in 3.20.35. However a sustained pace and clever racing by Marcus Kröll and Helmut Schiessel from Team Salomon Austria gained them overall victory in the category. The pair crossed the finish line in 3.24.40 to big cheers and support. Finishing a minute behind and third overall in the 2012 GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN were Team Orthomol Sport of Stefan Lang and Thomas Drechsler. 

 

SENIOR MASTER 

 

The winners of the senior master men showed their endurance and strength on the trail with some brilliant finishes in the overall rankings. The category was won by Gerald Rüschenpöhler and Jörg Schreiber of Trail Team Kempten Hildrizhausen who finished today’s stage in 3.25.21, a commanding performance. Finishing 3 hours and 23 minutes later in the overall times were second placed Team Ahrntal of Paul Steinhauser and Hermann Schaiter crossing today’s finish line in 3.59.49. Third overall in the senior masters were Team Allgäuspeed of Eugen Sinz and Rolf Schlachter crossing the line today in 4.54.34. 

 

All results are available at: http://services.datasport.com/2012/lauf/liestal/ 

 

About the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN: 

 

The GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN has developed rapidly into one of the most popular trailruns worldwide since its debut in 2005. 

 

The distance varies each year between the west route and this year’s east route, which leads from Ruhpolding over the Austrian towns: St. 

 

Johann in Tirol, Kitzbühel and Neukirchen at the Großvenediger as well as over the Italian stage towns Prettau in Ahrntal, Sand in Taufers, St. Vigil and Niederdorf in Pustertal to Sexten. This year the participants have to overcome the longest TransAlps to date at 320 kilometers and 15.000 meters of elevation difference. 

 

All information is available at www.transalpine-run.com