Jungfrau-Marathon

The Jungfrau Marathon is a marathon every year in early September in the Bernese Oberland has been held since 1993. He is one of the best known mountain marathons in the world and is organized by Jungfrau Marathon.

History of the Jungfrau Marathon

After the Swiss Alpine Marathon was launched in 1986, the time was ripe for a marathon with target on an alpine peak. The Jungfrau Marathon in the Alps was the first run of this type 42.195 km. At the premiere reached over 1500 runners the goal. First winner was Birgit Lennartz from Germany with a time of 3:30:00. In the men of the Swiss Jörg Hägler missed 3:00:05 with barely a time under three hours. In the later years lined up in the winners' lists known runners like Marco Kaminski, Franziska Rochat -Moser, Tesfaye Eticha, Jonathan Wyatt, Emebet Abossa and many other one.

1998 awarded the two American authors Dennis Craythorn and Rich Hanna in her book The ultimate guide to international marathons the Jungfrau Marathon, the predicate "the most beautiful marathon in the world ". Also helped to make the run so well known and popular that many runners did not get a starting place, because the organizers on 3500 limited to conserve the number of starting places first in 3000 and later the environment.

For the 10th running in 2002, therefore, the run was held on two days, so 5260 runners were able to reach the goal. The following year, the New Zealander Jonathan Wyatt broke the old course record by Ethiopian Tesfaye Eticha of 2:53:28 with the new personal best of 2:49:01,6. In the years 2005 and 2006 Tesfaye Eticha could decide the race for again.

In 2007, the 4th Mountain Running World Championships were held on the long distance in this run, the Jonathan Wyatt won before the two Italians Achmüller Hermann and Gerd Frick for themselves. In the women's Norwegian Anita Håkenstad Evertsen world champion was before the two Russians Jelena Kaledina and Zhanna Malkowa; Anja Carl 's son from Germany was narrowly beaten fourth. At the 20th Jungfrau Marathon from 7 to 9 September 2012 ( because of the anniversary of the Marathon was re- organized on two days ) were here again held the World Championships. The American Stevie Kremer and the Austrian Markus Hohenwarter brought the day's victory and the world title on the long distance mountain running.

Route

The start is in Interlaken ( 565 m above sea level ) and the run ends on the Kleine Scheidegg ( 2095 m above sea level) before the triumvirate of world-famous mountains of the Jungfrau massif: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Here are 1,829 vertical meters upstream and 305 meters of altitude to overcome downward. The highest point is reached at kilometer 41 to 2,205 m above sea level.

After the start next to the Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau, the runner on first turn a short round of Interlaken. The up to 10 km very flat route takes runners through Bönigen to Wilderswil. Now, the first 100 meters of altitude to overcome. Here, the trail runs through the towns and Gsteigwiler Zweilütschinen. After flatter sections of the lines is the last mile to Lauterbrunnen at 20 km steep uphill.

Just after the half-marathon mark only about 300 meters altitude are overcome.

After an even slightly downhill going straight, the runners are at kilometer 25 in front of the " wall ", the steep rise to Wengen, in the 500 meters has to; After 31 kilometers, Wengen is reached. A further 600 meters of elevation to handle up to Wengernalp. The runners get here a view of the surrounding mountains and in good weather the view of the mountains and glaciers of the Jungfrau massif.

The last 400 meters, it goes up on a mountain path, the runners as strung on a string of pearls up work on the rise on the ridge of the moraine of the Eiger glacier, until they reach the culmination point of the route at the Locherflue. Until his death in 2010 there novel Käslin played on a bagpipe runners Scottish melodies. This tradition is now continued by Seppli rest.

The last few kilometers to the finish on the Kleine Scheidegg is going downhill.

Statistics

Track records

• Men: 2:49:02, Jonathan Wyatt (NZL ), 2003
• Women: 3:20:20, Andrea Mayr ( AUT) 2013

Finisher 2012

• 6316 marathon runner finishes ( 4868 men and 1448 women).

List of winners

Geoffrey Ndungu

Development of finishers Ahlen

Virgin - mile

As part of the Jungfrau-Marathon, the Virgin mile has been held since 2004. It is an invitational race for elite runners, part of the post- Cups and consists of a flat road round course of a mile (1609 m). The start is in front of the Hotel Metropole, the goal in front of the Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau.