The Ultner Höfelauf race is stepping in. © ENDU

As a replacement for the Reschensee Run

The sudden end of the Reschensee Run after 25 highly successful years also unexpectedly impacted the Top7 series and was met with great regret. Nevertheless, the organizers of the popular South Tyrolean running series immediately began searching for a replacement. They found one in another South Tyrolean classic, the Ultner Höfe Run, which celebrates its 20th anniversary on Sunday, July 19th.

26 January 2026

From: pm

In 2025, the Reschensee Run celebrated its 25th anniversary. Around 3500 runners from all over the world took part in this classic South Tyrolean race. However, as the organizers of the popular race around the famous lake with its distinctive Graun church tower announced last week, the Reschensee Run will no longer take place after 2026. "The regret is, of course, immense, as the Reschensee Run is the largest and probably best-known amateur race in South Tyrol. After 25 such successful years, it has naturally been a tremendous promotional tool for running in the region. The reasons for its discontinuation are understandable, and we would like to sincerely thank Gerald Burger and his team for their outstanding collaboration over the past years," said Christiane Warasin, a member of the board of the Top7 running series, with a touch of melancholy.

For her and her team, it was immediately clear that a replacement for the Reschensee Run had to be found. The Top7 committee quickly found one: the Ultner Höfe Run stepped in. "The organizers of the Ultner Höfe Run had already expressed interest in participating, but it didn't work out back then due to organizational reasons. After the cancellation of the Reschensee Run, they were our first point of contact for several reasons: The Höfe Run fits well both in terms of timing and location; it also takes place in July and is located in the western part of South Tyrol. Furthermore, the Höfe Run is a unique race with a 20-year history this year. The organizing team there knows the ropes," Warasin praised.

18 kilometers and almost 500 meters of elevation gain

The Ultner Höfelauf offers its participants a course of just under 18 kilometers with nearly 500 meters of elevation gain. Starting in Kuppelwies, the route follows the Ultner Höfeweg, the most famous hiking trail in this quaint side valley, first to St. Gertraud and then back to Kuppelwies on the opposite side of the valley. Along the way are numerous farmsteads, some centuries old, which give the trail its name. On July 20, 2025, the 19th edition of the race was won by Andreas Reiterer, the Haflinger Mountain Running Vice World Champion, in the men's category, and Andrea Schweigkofler from Merano in the women's – both are among South Tyrol's running elite, who are regulars at the Höfelauf. This running festival is now part of the Top7 series, which began on December 31 with the BOclassic Ladurner Volkslauf.


The remaining dates of the Top7 running series 2026 at a glance:
Saturday May 9, 2026: 10 Miglia del Teroldego 2026
Sunday, July 5, 2026: Seiser Alm Half Marathon
Sunday, July 19, 2026: Ultner Höfelauf
Saturday, August 29, 2026: South Tyrolean Erdäpfllauf
Sunday, September 27, 2026: Panorama Run Soltn
Saturday, October 24, 2026: AgeFactor Run Branzoll and awards ceremony