At New Year, many people make ambitious New Year’s Resolutions. Some plan to quit smoking, others never to drink alcohol again, to get married, to work less or to enjoy life more. And then there are people who resolve to conquer the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace (121 km/7554 m altitude differential). Or one of the three shorter routes that are offered in the context of this extreme mountain running event along the “Hufeisen tour” in the Sarntal Alps. The good news is: six and a half month before the start gun is fired (Friday, 27 July) there is still plenty of time to prepare for the adventure Südtirol Ultra Skyrace.
This long and intense preparation period is desperately needed if you do not want to completely crumble before this “most extreme experience in the Alps”. Alongside physical fitness and mental strength, the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace requires absence of vertigo and surefootedness. After all, the Hufeisen tour in the Sarntal Alps includes some very tricky sections. “On the three shortest routes, the Skyrace (69 km/3930 m altitude differential), the Sky Marathon (42,2/2863) and the new Sky Trail (27/1067), there are no dangerous precipices near the track. Experience in Alpine terrain is absolutely imperative”, stressed Chair of the Organising Committee Josef Günther Mair 200 days before the sound of the start gun on Friday, 27 July at 8 pm on Piazza Walther in Bolzano.
Interest in the four runs of the now 6th edition of this extreme sports event in South Tyrol remains high. The organizers of the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace are delighted that many athletes have registered early. Already, more than 160 starting places were allocated to a sensational number of 19 registered nations. “We are thrilled with this level of interest, because experience tells us that registrations happen relatively late. Compared to the same period last year we were able to increase the number of registrations by 20, that is by 15 percent”, Mair continued.
New for the summer of 2018 is the Südtirol Sky Trail that was first introduced to the public last autumn. The start for this shortest distance of the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace is in Sarentino village centre. After a demanding climb to Auener Joch pass and the Omini di Sasso the route continues gently downhill via Salto and San Genesio, and then briskly back to the finish at the Prati del Talvera in Bolzano. With this fourth course that is just longer than half marathon (27 kilometres/1067 m altitude differential), the organisers are hoping to attract people who are trying out trail running for the first time.
You can register on the official websites www.ultraskyrace.it. Until 31 May registration for the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace costs 140 Euro. Participation in the Südtirol Skyrace costs 90 Euro and in the Südtirol Sky Marathon 60 Euro. Registration for the Südtirol Sky Trail is 40 Euro, 10 Euro of which are donated to the local Sports Aid. The event is supported by sponsors Sportler, La Sportiva, Cassa Raiffeisen Val Sarentino and other local sponsors.
INFO: Südtirol Ultra Skyrace
