The countdown is on: 111 days till the WMTRC 2023 Innsbruck-Stubai

Last updated on 15.02.2023

The starting gun for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 in Innsbruck-Stubai (WMTRC 2023) will be fired in 111 days. The official clock counting the countdown was erected today by the organizing committee and its partners. From June 6 to 10, Innsbruck and Stubai, the two hosting regions, will turn into a mountain- and trail running mekka, and welcome more than 1,400 participants.

We have 111 days to go until the World Championships, reason enough to unveil the official countdown clock that has been erected in Innsbruck’s Maria-Theresien-Straße. “Tyrol is ready for this major event and we are looking forward to hosting these prestigious World Championships. I am certain that the images that are going to be broadcast all over the world will once again highlight the qualities Tyrol has to offer. We are expecting to welcome around 60 nations, from New Zealand to Hong Kong and Kenya, to Argentina and Chile and many more,” says Anton Mattle, governor of Tyrol.

The clock will remain a part of the cityscape. “It will draw the attention of visitors of one of Austria’s most frequented streets, Maria-Theresien-Straße, to the fact that the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships will be held in Innsbruck and Stubai in June. I think it is important to incorporate the local population, to make them aware that these WC will be held on their home turf, and let them simmer with excitement,” says Georg Dornauer, deputy governor and in charge of sports-related topics.

Georg Willi, Mayor of Innsbruck, is looking forward to the event: “As a sports destination, Innsbruck offers all the perfect conditions for these World Championships. We do not need to build any artificial facilities – much better, we can use our spectacular natural setting. The fact that more than 1,200 athletes have already confirmed their participation just goes to show that the event will be a real highlight, with the countdown clock in the heart of Innsbruck drumming up the local population’s interest for trail running.”

Elisabeth Mayr, municipal council in charge of sports for the city of Innsbruck, is certain that the region is the perfect choice for hosting the World Championships. “The World Mountain and Trail Running Championships blend perfectly into the range of major sports events and are a natural fit for Innsbruck as a sports destination. You just need to take a look at the routes leading up to the Nordkette or the Elfer as well as along the peaks of the Kalkkögel to realize that the region is made for such an event.”

Alexander Pittl, head of the 2023 WMTRC’s organizing committee, is certain that the two host regions will profit from the event in the long run: “You will be hard pressed to find better conditions for trail and mountain running than the ones we have here, offering a first-hand experience to both athletes and fans – be it along the routes, at the Expo or any of the other fringe events .”

“The combination of alpine and urban flair is one of the main factors contributing to truly special World Championships. With its proximity to alpine terrain, Innsbruck is ideally suited to turn the 2023 WMTRC into a unique experience for athletes, sports enthusiasts and visitors alike,” stresses Peter Paul Mölk, chairman of the Innsbruck Tourist Board.

The World Championships are highly anticipated not only in Innsbruck, but also in Stubai: “We are advertising the Stubai region as the number-one hiking destination in the Alps. The World Mountain and Trail Running Championships give us the opportunity to demonstrate our competence in this area,” says Adrian Siller, chairman of the Stubai Tirol Tourism Board.

Another person to highlight the perfect fit of the WC and Tyrol is Rosanna Buchauer, a German athlete living in Tyrol and working for the regional tourism marketing agency, Tirol Werbung: “In 111 days, we will have the opportunity to present Tyrol in all its diversity and to shine a light on our alpine landscape. Mountain sports and major sports events are part of our DNA, and it fills me with joy to think that the WC will allow us to demonstrate our relevant competence once again.”

Heike Kiesling, CEO at Innsbruck Marketing, regards the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships as the perfect translation of an alpine-urban zest for life as well as Innsbruck’s identity. The countdown clock serves as reminder for the unique event, drawing the attention of local residents and visitors alike: “Thanks to a varied fringe program, the WC with its alpine and athletic flair will also serve as a stimulus and an asset for the city, and in 111 days, residents, athletes and visitors will be able to see the action unfolding.”        

Further information regarding the 2023 WMTRC can be found on the official website as well as on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn