Biathlon legend runs through the Dolomites

Three-time overall World Cup winner, world pursuit champion and six-time World Cup medalist, winner of 27 World Cup races – that is Kaisa Mäkäräinen's impressive resume after her long and successful career as a biathlete. At the end of the 2019/20 season and thus also after the fantastic World Cup in Antholz, the now 38-year-old Finn ended her active career.

Nevertheless, Mäkäräinen is still looking for a sporting challenge. And that's probably why the ski hunter, who is very popular especially in Scandinavia, decided to start in the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run. “It is of course an immense honor for us to welcome Kaisa Mäkäräinen, a former star of the biathlon scene. She spent the last few days in Antholz and registered for our event on Wednesday. During her career she was one of the strongest cross-country skiers in the entire World Cup circuit, so we are excited to see how she will do on steep terrain without skis but with running shoes on her feet," says OC boss Gottfried Hofer from the organizing ALV Sextner Dolomiten. The field of participants is worthy of the World Cup The women's field now has the next top athlete in Mäkäräinen. The top favorite, however, is the British Philippa Williams, who arrives with the recommendation of two World Cup bronze medals (2019 in Patagonia in the individual and with the team). Victoria Kreuzer, on the other hand, knows what it feels like to be the first to cross the finish line at the Three Peaks. The Swiss won the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run 2014. The Swedish twins Sanna and Lina El Kott Helander are taking part in the mountain running event in the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site for the first time. You won the Monte Rosa Sky Marathon two and a half months ago. Last year they won, among other things, the Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail 2020.

“Barbara Bani, the Italian trail champion, is also taking part in our event. And of course we are also very excited about the performance of our local hero Agnes Tschurtschenthaler, who only didn't win in 2015 because she crashed shortly before the finish. In the end she took second place,” recalls Hofer. A three-way fight is about to take place In the men's category, there are three favorites at the start: Petro Mamu (Eritrea), Manuel Innerhofer (Austria) and Martin Anthamatten (Switzerland). Mamu, the former world champion in mountain running, has already won the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run three times (2013, 2016 and 2019) and in his last triumph two years ago he also set a new course record on the original distance (1:22.37 hours). With a fourth triumph, Mamu would like to close the gap on record winner Jonathan Wyatt. The New Zealand mountain running legend has triumphed six times in the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run. Manuel Innerhofer, on the other hand, was successful last year when Martin Anthamatten took third place.

This year the renowned mountain run will not be held on the original route. The route is around two kilometers shorter. Due to Corona, the loop through the center of Sexten will be canceled as in September 2020 and so after the start it goes directly towards Moos and from there on to Fischleintal. But this change in route does not make the traditional event, which was held for the first time in 1998 and ended with the victories of Marco Gaiardo and Nathalie Santer, any less demanding. Ready to go As far as preparations for the major event are concerned, they are almost completely completed. “In the last few days before such an event, there are of course still a few smaller details that need to be clarified. But overall we are ready and the race could actually start immediately. We are looking forward to the many starters and appeal to you to adhere to the current Corona rules. This includes wearing a mask if you cannot maintain the minimum distance or if you are inside a building. We will do the start in blocks of 100 with intervals of two minutes. The weather should also cooperate again. We wish all participants much success, but above all an injury-free run,” concludes Hofer. The organizers are expecting 750 mountain runners from 20 different nations.

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Biathlon legend runs through the Dolomites

The next big bang in the run-up to the 24th edition of the South Tyrol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run in Sesto: Kaisa Mäkäräinen, one of the most successful biathletes of all time, wants to take on the 15,2 kilometer long route with 1333 meters of altitude.

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