Trans Alpine Run - Stage 4

The racers’ arrival in Scuol Switzerland marks the halfway mark on the GORE-TEX® Transalpine-Run with four stages down and an equal number still to come. Today held more of the same of experiences the runners have enjoyed already over the last few days: beautiful weather, exciting trails and phenomenal vistas! The British runners Andrew Symonds and Tom Owens of ‘Saab Salomon Outdoor’ seem to thrive on these conditions as they managed to claim a fourth consecutive stage victory (03:51:26.0 hours). Neither a vertical gain of 2,339 m nor a distance of 39.92 kilometers could slow them down – they simply deliver extraordinary stage times – one by one. By comparison, the next ranking top Men’s team, Thomas Geisenberger and Michael Veit (Team Dr. Steinbauer, 04:10:07.5 hours), took nearly twenty minutes longer before crossing the finish line and putting their legs up. The Italian team ‘Ferienregion Ober-Mittel- Vinschgau’ around Anton Steiner and Alexander Erhard trailed the secondplacing Germans by five minutes (04:15:42.1 hours) but managed to claim the third podium position with what is still a phenomenal time.
Scorching temperatures didn’t make today’s run across Futschölpass (2,768 m) and Piz Clünas (2,793 m) any easier for the runners. Tom Owens of the leading Men’s team claimed to have taken it easy for the longest time because of that. He and partner Andrew Symonds ran with a small group up front before eventually increasing the pace and leaving the rest behind to cinch the stage. By the end of the day, their overall lead in the race had grown to over an hour – a comfortable buffer to be strategizing from for the rest of the week. Tom Owens pointed out that they’re “satisfied with the way the run is developing, but also tired. It’s good that tomorrow’s uphill sprint race will be sort of a rest day.”
Tom Geisenberger and Michael Veit of Germany continue to solidify a runner-up position immediately behind the seemingly unbeatable leaders. ‘Team Dr. Steinbauer’ once more managed to shake off yesterday’s podium ranking ‘Telmekom Team Südtirol’ who, in turn, arrived in seventh place today. Team ‘Dr. Steinbauer’s ambition to land a top-ten overall position seems within reach at this point as long as they can maintain their current condition. Geisenberger is thrilled: “We went across the day’s first pass with some others, but after reaching Alp Laret they weren’t able to keep up to our pace. We’re happy that things go so well right now.”

Reaching the podium with hardly any specific race training
Today’s third-placing team was even more excited about a highly successful arrival in Scuol. Anton Steiner of Team ‘Ferienregion Ober- Mittel Vinschgau’ commented on his feelings: “It’s simply a dream.” Even more so given that his teammate Alexander Erhard decided late on participating in the race and had no more than three weeks of prep time. Leading Masters’ team claims third overall rank with stellar performance Team ‘BLT Laufsport Saukel Haglöfs’ proved today that runners may age differently than ordinary folks. Dr. Thomas Miksch (47) and Anton Philipp (42) managed to hold on to their leader jerseys clocking in after 04:16:20.4 hours and advancing to third place in the overall ranking. Dr. Miksch, who has participated three times in the GORE-TEX Transalpine Run and previously has enjoyed views from all podium positions, offered an explanation: “At the Transalpine Run, youthful power is not all that counts, it’s also experience. The latter may often be more important.”

Mudge/Bardsley once again ahead of the pack among Mixed teams
The top-ranking mixed teams face similar problems as the Men’s and Master’s teams: Who stands even a remote chance of touching the dominant leader duos? Angela Mudge and Ben Bardsley (Team Saab Salomon Outdoor) certainly haven’t offer a weak spot that would allow others to attack. The two British racers ran from Galtür, Austria, to Scuol, Switzerland, in 04:21:41.7 hours, which meant that they kept out of sight of their closest pursuers most of the time. By comparison, Iona Robertson and Casey Morgan had to fight for their second-place rank today as their ‘Team TPC Freight Management’ (04:39:40.4 hours) barely managed to stay ahead of the Italian siblings Annemarie and Ulrich Gross of ‘Telmekom Team Südtirol’ (04:40:37.9 hours).

Team Latsch clarifying who’s boss halfway through the race
The leading women’s ‘Team Latsch’ claimed a fourth consecutive victory today and put an additional eight-minute lead between them and their fierce competitors of Team ‘Sexten Salomon’. Irene Senfter and Petra Theiner were elated about extending their lead (18:33 minutes by now) substantially with their stage time of 05:12:44.3 hours. Senfter is going to keep on her toes though: “It went much better for us today. But we haven’t won the race at this point. Much can happen yet.” Regine Schlump and Carmen Schindler of Team ‚Intersport-Salomon Womenice’ arrived in Scuol after 05:22:21.0 hours on the trail thus rounding out the women’s podium as third today.

Preview Stage 5 – Uphill Sprint Race, Scuol (SUI):
Runners specializing on pure uphill races will be thrilled tomorrow. The uphill sprint to Motta Naluns (2,130 m asl) over a distance of 6.19 km and a vertical gain of 936 m will demand not just endurance and strength but also a lot of technique. The steep ascent over different surfaces will be short but extremely taxing – not exactly what one would ordinarily consider a rest day!

For more information please vist www.transalpine-run.com