Celebrate and participate: Top events in the Tirolean summer of 2023

Last updated on 24.04.2023

Tirol’s event calendar is chock-a-block with exciting events to celebrate and participate, not only in winter, but also during the summer months. Both top athletes and amateurs can demonstrate their skills and endurance in a wide range of disciplines and competitions. Here is a selection of the top events in the Tirolean summer of 2023:

Crankworx auf der Muttereralm nahe Innsbruck — Crankworx on the Muttereralm near Innsbruck © Clint Trahan

Events to participate

Run, cycle or climb over the finish line: Tirol will once again be offering amateur athletes the opportunity to put their skills to the test and achieve top performances against an impressive mountain backdrop with numerous popular sporting events. An overview of the top events to take part in in summer 2023:

Girodays 2023 · 23rd to 25th June 2023
A true classic turns 30: the Dreiländergiro, one of the biggest cycling events in Europe, will be held for the 30th time at the end of June 2023. This year, around 3,000 cyclists from 30 nations will again rise to the challenge of cycling a challenging 168 kilometres with 3,300 metres in altitude difference through Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Highlights of the tour, which starts and ends in Nauders on the Reschen Pass, include the Stelvio Pass, Umbrail Pass and Ofen Pass.

Tirol’s summer is full of racing bike events, ranging from the Arlberg Giro to the Kufsteiner Cycling Marathon and the most challenging racing bike classic in Tirol, the Ötztal Cycle Marathon. A comprehensive listing of events can be found at www.tyrol.com/roadbike-races.

Xletix Challenge Kühtai · 24th June 2023
The Xletix Challenge is one of Europe’s most beautiful and most challenging endurance events and obstacle courses, which is making its highest tour stop in Europe in Kühtai near Innsbruck on 24th June 2023. Participants must negotiate up to 35 obstacles with unusual names such as “Crazy Climb”, “Boulder Box” or “Speed Slide.” This extreme obstacle race covers distances of between 12 and 18 kilometres and up to 1,300 metres in altitude difference. It demands everything from its competitors: strength, endurance, courage, willpower and team spirit.

Ischgl Ironbike · 4th to 5th August 2023
Ischgl Ironbike is one of the toughest mountain bike marathons in Europe. The legendary event will take place for the 28th time on 4th and 5th August 2023, luring countless athletes and fans to Ischgl. In the toughest category of the race, 71 kilometres and 3,200 metres of altitude will be covered over asphalt, gravel and trails through the impressive mountain landscape from Ischgl via Galtür to Samnaun and back again. In addition to the MTB marathon highlight, visitors can look forward to a large expo area, show races and a special kids’ version of the bike competition.

enduro.tirol Tour 2023 – August/September/October 2023
Since last year, the enduro.tirol Tour has brought a breath of fresh air to the local and international mountain bike scene. Around 650 bikers tested the new format in 2022, and enduro.tirol Tour enters its second season this year with three tour stops. It kicks off in Innsbruck (18-20 August 2023), then continues with the Austrian Championships in the Kitzbühel Alps (8-10 September 2023), before the grand series finale is held in the Bike Republic Sölden (29 September – 1st October 2023). The enduro.tirol Tour is an ambitious all-mountain experience for all those wanting to challenge themselves and compete against others in the Pro, Open, eBike, Junior and Masters 35+ categories.

All top mountain bike events in summer 2023 can be found at www.tyrol.com/mountain-bike-events.

Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail · 4th to 6th August 2023
Participants of the 11th Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail face the challenge of up to 106 kilometres and 6,100 metres of altitude difference in high alpine terrain. Seven trail variants set against the impressive backdrop of numerous three-thousand-metre peaks as well as an extraordinary supporting programme promise perfect conditions for all professionals, beginners and interested parties at this year’s trail event in Pitztal.

Tirol has one of the highest numbers of trail running events. A comprehensive list can be found at www.tyrol.com/top-trailrunning-events.

Thiersee Triathlon · 13th August 2023
The Thiersee Triathlon takes place on 13th August 2023, nestled amidst the imposing mountain ranges of Kufsteinerland. The swim will be on a quadrangular course in Lake Thiersee, followed by a 20-kilometre bike sprint course with 295 metres of altitude difference. In the final discipline, participants will complete two 2.5-kilometre running laps around Lake Thiersee. The programme also includes a short triathlon and a children’s triathlon.

Karwendel March · 26th August 2023
It is a permanent fixture in the sporting event calendar and takes place every year on the last Saturday in August: the Karwendel March. The 14th event on 26 August 2023 will once again entice around 2,500 runners and hikers to the Seefeld region and Lake Achensee to cover the 35 or 52 kilometres through the Karwendel mountains. The start is at 6 a.m. in Scharnitz, a few hours after which the first finishers will be cheered enthusiastically over the finish line in Pertisau on Lake Achensee.

All hiking events can be found at www.tyrol.com/top-hiking-events.

Red Bull Dolomitenmann · 9th September 2023
The Red Bull Dolomitenmann, one of the world’s toughest relay competitions, will take place in East Tirol on 9th September 2023 against the spectacular backdrop of the Dolomites. Around 100 teams from all over the world will compete in the disciplines of mountain running, paragliding, white-water kayaking and mountain biking. Teams of four athletes battle it out against steep slopes, unpredictable winds, raging floods and extreme terrain for the title of “Red Bull Dolomitenmann”. Participants and spectators of this extreme sports event can look forward to great fun and action under the motto “Let’s rock the Dolomites”.

Events to watch and celebrate

Spectators attending numerous top sporting events can stand on the sidelines and cheer on the world’s best athletes. From climbing to free mountain biking to tennis: the following events will lure the best athletes to Tirol in summer 2023.

World Mountain Running and Trail Running Championships Innsbruck Stubai · 6th to 10th June 2023
Around 1,400 athletes are expected to take part in one of the most exciting running events of this summer: the Mountain Running and Trail Running World Championships Innsbruck-Stubai 2023. Runners will compete for titles and medals in the mountains around the Tirolean capital Innsbruck and the nearby Stubai Valley in a magnificent setting. The pro-gramme includes a short trail over 40 kilometres, a long trail over 80 kilometres, a classic race as an “up-and-down” race in Innsbruck and a vertical event in Stubai. Visitors can look forward to an exciting supporting programme.

IFSC Climbing World Cup Innsbruck · 12th to 18th June 2023
Over 500 athletes from 40 nations will travel to Innsbruck in June to demonstrate their skills at the IFSC Climbing World Cup. Lead, boulder, speed and paraclimbing: the international competitions in all four disciplines promise a first-class climbing event for spectators. Top stars such as Olympic champion Janja Garnbret, USA’s Natalia Grossman, Japanese maestro Tomoa Narasaki and exceptional Czech climber Adam Ondra will be performing alongside Austrian athletes at Innsbruck Climbing Centre.

Crankworx Innsbruck · 21st to 25th June 2023
Innsbruck will be the venue for the world’s biggest gravity mountain bike festival, Crankworx, for the seventh successive year in June. Bikepark Innsbruck at Muttereralm hosts the only European tour stop of the World Tour, where the world’s best bikers in each discipline go head-to-head over the course of four days. Fans can look forward to a spectacular show and cheer on their favourites in the downhill competition, slopestyle competition, speed-and-style competition, dual slalom as well as the whip-off and pump track contest.

Generali Open Kitzbühel · 29th July to 5th August 2023
Kitzbühel has been hosting international tennis tournaments for 79 years now, and this year the Generali Open will once again attract thousands of tennis fans to the legendary town. The world’s best tennis players battle it out for a week in late July and early August for the coveted Kitzbühel trophy and generous prize money as part of the ATP World Tour. Specta-tors can look forward to some thrilling matches!