23rd Kainach Mountain Marathon 2012

Kainach (Austria), Sunday 12 August 2012

The 44km Kainacher Bergmarathon in the Austrian state of Styria takes runners up and down the Gleinalpe (or 'Gleinalm') mountain range on the eastern edge of the Alps.

The start and finish are in the village of Kainach bei Voitsberg, situated in the hills to the west of Graz, Austria's second largest city.

The route is highly challenging as it includes 1800 metres of ascent and 1800 metres of descent. The highest point on the course is at 1790 metres above sea level.

Competitors run through forests and mountain pastures and along the grassy ridge of the Gleinalpe.

Runners can expect to add approximately one hour to their road marathon finishing time. The time limit to complete the course is seven hours.

The event also offers a relay race and walking competitions (see details below).

In 2011, the fastest Bergmarathon finishers were Wolfgang Wallner (3:32:13) and Karin Freitag (4:10:55).

Country: Austria

Venue (Map): Kainach bei Voitsberg (45km from Graz, 119km from Klagenfurt, 220km from Vienna)

Date: 12 August 2012 (Sunday)

Start time and race distance:

• 7.00:  44km power walking
• 9.00:  44km Bergmarathon
• 9.00:  44km Bergmarathon relay (14km + 13.5km + 16.5km)
• 9.00:  18.5km nordic walking

Start and finish: Dorfplatz Kainach (in the centre of the village)

Entries: online (www.hightech-timing.com); payment by bank transfer; late entries on the day until 1 hour before the start (relay until 90min before the start)

Entry fees (44km): € 35/45/50 (until 30 June/10 August/12 August 2012)

Entry fees (44km relay): € 20/30/35 per runner

Entry fees (44km power walking): € 30/40/45

Entry fees (18.5km nordic walking): € 20/25/30

Timing (!): Hightech-Timing - € 3 chip rental fees, € 15 deposit

Race centre: Volksschule Kainach (Saturday 11 Aug 2012: 17.00-19.00; on the day: 6.00-8.00)

You get: finisher T-shirt (for entries until 31 July 2012); pasta party (on Saturday), bus service for relay runners, massage after the race, prize drawing

Prizes: first 3 in each category

Number of finishers 2011: 115 (Bergmarathon), 19 (power walking), 16 (nordic walking), 20 relay teams

Event website: www.tus-kainach.at

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