Our special WMTRC23 section bring us today the race preview and favourites for the Long Trail race.

We’re now just 0 days away from the start of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Innsbruck, Austria!

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WMTRC INNSBRUCK 2023

LONG TRAIL RACE PREVIEW

Kicking off the whole event on Wednesday 6^th June, is the uphill race.

Statistics: 86.9km long, +6500 elevation, 72% trail/12% gravel/16% tarmac.

The longest distance of the World Championships is run on the third day of the event, after the Uphill and the Marathon. After a small last-minute change today, a final route of 87k/D+6,500m is announced, where we can enjoy an incredible trip around the wonderful Kalkkögel, the “North Tyrolean Dolomites”.

Departing from Neustift, you head first to the Huhnerspiel (km 8 at 2181 m), with views of the majestic Stubaital glaciers. The loop through Stuai ends by returning to the starting point with the first key avitu. From there it’s back to the high alpine mountains, which you drive for the next 32 km through technically demanding but at the same time beautiful terrain. of the Kalkkogel.

The uphill and downhill sections alternate constantly between with Kreuzjoch (Km 27) and Hoadl (Km 44) where athletes pass points with impressive nature, some of which are accessible by cable car.

We continue through Kemater Alm (Km 46) and Salfeinssee which is a real gem both in terms of landscape and trails, before the route descends into the valley and through the Tyrolean villages. by Grinzens and Birgitz and Vols. The crossing of the Inn valley precedes the finat assault on the Nordkette.
After the final avitu in Kranebitten (km 68), the Nordkette will decide on its +1000m ramps. The Durrachsteig leads at this point through mountain pine forests and scree fields to the Höttinger Alm (km 79), where we tackle the last technical descent and the finish line can be reached at the Innsbruck compound.

For the long trail race, it’s hard to predict. Once again, the field of runners is very strong. There are 6 runners above the 900 ITRA Performance Index.

In the Top 15 of these Long Trail World Championships, there are 5 athletes between 890 and 899 ITRA PI. It’s hard to know which athlete will make the difference on the Austrian trails. The course has some vertiginous slopes and the distance-to-climb ratio will be enough to put any worthy champion through their paces.

Adam Peterman – Credit @irunfar

On the women’s side, Long Trail World Champion Blandine L’Hirondel tops the start list with a stratospheric ITRA Performance Index of 812. She is the only woman above 800 ITRA PI taking part in these championships, along with Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson 817 (ITRA PI) taking part in the Classic mountain race. France is well represented in the top 15 with Manon Bohard Cailler 769 (ITRA PI) and the inseparable Audrey Tanguy 767 (ITRA PI) and Marion Delespierre 744 (ITRA PI). The Spaniards, only two in the top 15, are announced as favourites with Azara Garcia 771 (ITRA PI) and the third Long Trail World Champion Gemma Arenas 762 (ITRA PI). The spotlight is also on Germany’s Rosanna Buchauer 762 (ITRA PI), 5th at her first Long Trail World Championships. She knows the course and trails very well, and that could well make all the difference.

Blandinde L’Hirondel – Credit @astridrenet

TOP 15 WOMEN:

On the women’s side, the first Long Trail World Champions were the French, followed by the Spanish in second place and the Italians in third.

This year, the predictions once again point to the French in first place. Two nations well placed to make their debut on the podium are the Polish for silver and the Germans for bronze. However, we must not discount the Spanish, who will not let their title of World Vice-Champion slip away so easily. As for the French, will they be able to retain their Long Trail World Championship title?

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