Hannes Perkmann is one of the top favorites. © Wisthaler

The “South Tyrol Three Peaks Alpine Run” is just around the corner

The time has come in four weeks: On Saturday, September 9th, the starting signal for the 26th edition of the popular mountain run in the 3 Zinnen Dolomite region will be given in Sexten. A month before the big showdown, some of the best mountain runners in the Alpine region have registered for the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run 2023.

August 11, 2023

From: pm

As of today, Hannes Perkmann is the top favorite to win the 26th South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run. The Sarner, who triumphed at the Stettiner Cup in Passeier last weekend, has four absolute top results in Sesto. In 2015, the now 30-year-old took third place, improved to second place the following year and came third again 12 months later. In 2019, when the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run was classified as a World Cup stage, Hannes Perkmann was able to take sixth place. The vertical specialist is only missing one victory, but he always cuts a good figure in road races.

Perkmann is challenged by a German and a Trentino man. Simon Eisele made people take notice this year with a second place at the Stuiben Trailrun and at the Innsbruck Trail Run Festival he finished the 25-kilometer route in third place. The route in Sexten, with a length of 17 kilometers and an altitude of 1333 meters, could therefore suit the 26-year-old very well. Just like Trentino's Marco Filosi, who won the prestigious Ledro Sky - Senter dele Greste in June and demonstrated his ability on the road in March by winning the Brescia Half Marathon.

The event always provides great pictures. © Wisthaler

We are also looking forward to the performance of veteran Armin Gögele. The Merano native was recently in action at the Stettiner Cup, where he finished fifth. The 42-year-old came seventh in the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run last year. Also registered is Martin Hackhofer, a strong local hero. Last year the athlete from the organizing ALV Sextner Dolomiten came 15th.

Two young hopefuls on the fast track

For the women, all eyes are on two endurance talents. Iris De Martin Pinter from neighboring Comelico Superiore is a member of the Italian national cross-country skiing team and reigning Italian runner-up sprint champion. The recently 19-year-old narrowly missed a medal at the Junior World Championships in January in Whistler over 20 km in the classic technique, finishing fourth, and was taken to the World Championships in Planica a month later, where she came 22nd in the sprint . Anna Hofer, on the other hand, is one of the up-and-coming running talents in South Tyrol. The woman born in Rabland in 2005 is a multiple Italian champion in mountain running and cross-country running and now wants to put her skills to the test in the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run.

Margit Siller from Sand in Taufers, the winner of the Ratschings Mountain Trail 2023, also appears on the start list. She will be fighting for a top result just like Manuela Beer, a South Tyrolean by choice (she originally comes from Germany), who was already on the podium at the Ratschings Mountain Trail and the Brixen Dolomites Marathon and took eighth place in Sexten last year.