100 days to go until the World Championships kick off

Last updated on 26.02.2023

World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 promise to be force of attraction

Counting from February 26, there are exactly 100 days to go until the starting gun for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 Innsbruck-Stubai will be fired. Approximately 1,500 athletes from 63 nations are going to compete in the event held in Tyrol from June 6 to 10, 2023. Renowned sponsors such as Volkswagen R have signed on as Premium Partners, and more than 400 motivated volunteers will make sure the event is going to be a celebration of sports in the heart of the Alps. The organizing committee has been busy for months, and Alexander Pittl, Head of the Organizing Committee, is ready with some provisional appraisal.

Lots of interest from national associations

With just about three months to go until the first title races, national associations from around the globe are signaling their interest, and more than 63 national associations have already signed up. With a contingent of 61, Italy will be the largest team to attend, followed by Argentina (56), Spain (55), France (51) and the US (50). “It is great to see that people from all over the world will come here; teams from New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong have signed up as have those from South Africa, Kenya and Uganda as well as Argentina, Chile and Mexico, let alone the European nations, where pretty much everyone, from Iceland to the Ukraine to Malta, will be represented,” says Pittl.

Volkswagen R a WMTRC Premium Partner

Apart from international athletic associations, various major brands have signaled their interest, with regional tourism boards like the Tirol Werbung, Innsbruck Tourism and the Tourism Association Stubai Tirol having partnered right from the get-go. “Having Volkswagen R as a World Championships Premium Partner goes to show just how on trend we are with WMTRC. While co-operations with other big names like La Sportiva, Snowline Chainsen and Salomon – to name but a few – further emphasize this point, we are expecting to sign contracts with several more renowned brands,” says Pittl.

Live stream in five languages

Due to the event’s singularity and international significance, all contests will be broadcast via live stream on national and international TV. The stream will be available on the WMTRC 2023 website as well as on a number of other online presences in five different languages, namely German, English, Spanish, Italian and French. In addition, there will be an expected number of approximately 150 journalists covering the World Championships.

Head of OC: “Volunteers are the backbone of major events.”

In June, around 400 volunteers will stand a chance to gain unique and valuable insights into the staging of a major international event. Alexander Pittl, Head of the OC, hits the nail on its head: “Volunteers are the backbone of any major event. Most of them could not be staged without voluntary support, which is why I would like to thank the more than 250 volunteers that have already signed up for supporting us and making sure the WMTRC 2023 are going to be a celebration of sports in the heart of the Alps.” Anyone wanting to become a part of the volunteers team at the WMTRC should sign up soon on www.innsbruck-stubai2023.com/en/jobsvolunteering. You still have the chance to choose between several exciting roles.

Cheering Crew and Cheering Bus

Atmosphere and media coverage including images play a major role in making an event unique. This is why the organizing committee came up with the idea of the so-called “Cheering Crews”. “All athletes give their absolute best, irrespective of whether they are completing 7 or 85 kilometers or  anything in between. They have earned the right to be cheered on and motivated along the routes,” as Pittl puts it. Anyone wanting to find out more can send an email to info@innsbruck-stubai2023.com and request further information.

The WMTRC routes at a glance

The title races will be held on four routes – VERTICAL, TRAIL SHORT, TRAIL LONG and MOUNTAIN CLASSIC – all of which lead through some of the most stunning places in the Alps.

VERTICAL (7.3 km and 1,020 meters in altitude): In two separate runs, men and women will determine their respective World Champions on this challenging route, which, after two initial rounds through Neustift im Stubai, leads along narrow and steep trails almost vertically to the finishing line at the Elferhütte.

TRAIL SHORT (44.6 km and 3,132 meters in altitude): After a mass start outside the state theater in Innsbruck, the Trail Short follows a varied and challenging course along the steep and demanding trails of the Nordkette before reaching more alpine terrain on the other side of the Inntal valley. The athletes will pass the Mutterer Alm on their way to the Kalkkögel region and then start their steep descent to the finishing line in Neustift.

TRAIL LONG (85.6 km and 5,554 meters in altitude): After a mass start in Neustift, the Trail Long leads up into the high-alpine terrain of the Kalkkögel mountains before passing the Adolf-Pichler-Hütte, the Hoadl and the Salfeiner See lake. The route then crosses the Inntal valley to climb the final 1,000 meters to the Nordkette before leading back down again in a technically challenging descent. The run ends at the finishing line outside the state theater in Innsbruck

MOUNTAIN CLASSIC (6.7 km and 374 meters in altitude): The course for the Mountain Classic has been laid out along the route that was used for the road cycling WMTRC. In separate runs, each consisting of two rounds, the juniors (m/f) and the elite runners (m/f) will determine their respective World Champions.

Enticing fringe program

Before and after the contests, there will be a diverse fringe program with a multitude of events attracting athletes and fans alike. Both the opening and closing celebrations are set to be real highlights. During the WMTRC, there is a choice of activities, from live acts to guided hikes, as well as a potpourri of artistic, cultural and culinary offers to choose from. There will be something for everyone, irrespective of whether visitors come for a day or plan to stay longer, whether they come alone or with friends and family. The program will be extended and updated continuously and more information and details can be found on www.innsbruck-stubai2023.com/en/zuschauer.