11th Buschenschank Run and Nordic Walking 2011

Loipersdorf (Austria), Saturday 1 October 2011

It's all about food in the Buschenschanklauf, a running and nordic walking event staged in a region of rolling hills in south-eastern Austria, close to the border with Hungary.

Along the course, several wine-taverns (Buschenschanken) offer home-made wine and cold buffets of traditional, mostly meat-based peasant food.

As the hearty Buschenschank food can be rather heavy on the stomach, the 13k nordic walking has become the most popular distance. Last year, more than half of the 635 finishers were walkers.

Runners choose between the half marathon, the 10.8k and the 4.5k run, which follow very undulating routes through woods, fields and vineyards around the spa village of Loipersdorf.

In 2010, the half marathon winners were Gerhard Gansinger (1:18:36) and Christine Wenzl  (1:32:00).

Country: Austria

Venue (Map): Loipersdorf, near Fürstenfeld (Graz 65km, Maribor 85km, Vienna 163km)

Date: 1 October 2011 (Saturday)

Race distance: 21.1km; 10.8km; 4.5km; children 400/1500m; nordic walking 13km

Start time: 12.20 (children); 12.50 (4.5km); 13.30 (21.1km/10.8km/nordic walking)

Start: Therme Loipersdorf

Finish (4.5km, children's races): Therme Loipersdorf

Finish (10.8km, 13km, 21km): Mehrzweckhalle (sports hall) in Loipersdorf (ca. 4km from the start)

Entries: online, payment by bank transfer; late entries on the day until one hour before the start

Entry fees (21km): 25/32 euros (until 28 Sep/until 1 Oct 2011)

Entry fees (10.8km): 19/26 euros

Entry fees (4.5km): 18/25 euros

Entry fees (children): 5/12 euros

Entry fees (nordic walking): 20/27 euros

Timing (!): Hightech-Timing - 2 euros chip rental fees and 10 euros deposit for the chip; walkers don't need a timing chip

Race centre: Therme Loipersdorf (Friday 30 September 16.00-18.00; on the day 10.30-13.00)

You get: finisher T-shirt, evening ticket to the thermal spa "Therme Loipersdorf" (this may not be valid on the day of the event)

Prizes: trophies to the first 3 in each category; 100 euros prize money for a new course record in the half marathon

Changing facilities: Therme Loipersdorf (at the start) and Volksschule Loipersdorf (at the finish)

Award ceremony: at the "Buschenschankfest" in Loipersdorf

Number of finishers 2010: 113 (21km), 106 (10.8km), 28 (4.5km), 42 children, 346 nordic walkers

Event website (in German): www.b-active.at

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page.