A city in a record mood

2:07:33 hours – that’s the magic mark that has to be broken today at the anniversary event of the Oberbank Linz Donau Marathon (it’s the 20th edition). At 9.30 a.m. the starting signal for the 42.195 kilometers is fired on the Voest Bridge, which no one else in Upper Austria’s provincial capital has completed as quickly as Alexander Kuzin. The Ukrainian has held the course record for men for a whopping 15 years.

“It has to fall,” says Oberbank general director Franz Gasselsberger in plain language. The strong elite starting field, four Kenyan pacemakers and the forecast temperatures of ten to 18 degrees give reason for confidence. Four athletes have personal best times that are below the Kuzin record: Ayele Abshero from Ethiopia with 2:04:23 hours, Filex Chemonges from Uganda with 2:05:12, Othmane El Goumri from Morocco with 2:06 :18 and Fikre Bekele of Ethiopia in 2:06:27.

The fact that Linz can land on the dot became clear at the 19th marathon in October 2021. At that time, the Kenyan Brenda Jerotich Kiprono crossed the finish line on the main square after 2:30:27 hours. She was 18 seconds faster than the Croatian Lisa-Christina Stublic in her record run in 2011. “I kept looking at the clock and knew that it was going to work out,” said Kiprono.

Three-way battle for the state championship title?

Also at 9.30 a.m. the Borealis half marathon, where the coveted state and national championship titles are at stake, will be heralded. The fastest in the field is Andreas Vojta, who ran 1:03:18 hours in Prague in April. Should the 33-year-old Viennese triumph, it would be his 47th state title in athletics in the general class. You have to do that first.

But be careful: the competition, especially European Police Champion Mario Bauernfeind (personal best time 1:03:36 hours), never sleeps. Dominik Stadlmann (1:03:45) will also have to be on the list. The supposedly most promising Upper Austrians are Martin Enzenberger (TGW Decathlon Union), Lukas Oberhauser (CLR Sauwald Cofain 699) and Patrick Tröscher (LCAV jodl Packaging).

For the women, the path to victory leads over Eva Wutti (1:15:11) and Sandrina Illes (1:15:12), whose personal best times are separated by just one second. The duo is also challenged by the Upper Austrians Anna Pabinger (ALC Wels/1:20:41), Bernadette Schuster (SK Vöest), Leyla Reshed (LCAV jodl Packaging), Anna Glack (Union Neuhofen) or Lisa Oberndorfer (LCAV jodl Packaging) , newly crowned national champion over 10,000 meters.

The Linz AG quarter marathon kicks off at 8:30 a.m. The early bird catches the worm.

Paralympic champion leads field of handbikers

The first on the route will be the handbikers, they start at 8 a.m., 120 seconds later the inline skaters will be let off the leash, if you will.

In the Ascendor Handbike Half Marathon, the field is peppered with medal winners. It goes without saying that Paralympic champion Walter Ablinger (gold 2012 in London and 2021 in Tokyo) will be there. This is a matter of the heart for the Innviertler. “Even if I’ve given up competitive sport, I’ll be at the start in Linz. I would still like to do that when I’m 80 years old, that’s my biggest goal,” said the athlete from RSC heindl Upper Austria once.

His club colleagues Florian Brungraber (Paratriathlon silver 2021), Conny Wibmer (two fourth places at the World Championships), Ernst Bachmaier, Elisabeth Egger and Christoph Etzlstorfer (eight Paralympics medals from 1984 to 2012) also named.

The Fischer Brot inline skating half marathon promises an international show with 2022 athletes from six countries (Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic), where the “grande dame” of the scene, the multiple Mesters world and European champion Desiana Caniatti, who will be part of the party. The Italian has good memories of Linz. Last year she triumphed.

And who is ahead this year?

Marathon Sunday in time lapse

7 o’clock: Donate your clothes bag at the Brucknerhaus in Linz

8 o’clock: Ascendor Handbike Half Marathon

8:02 a.m.: Fischer Bread Inline Skating Half Marathon

8.30 a.m.: Linz AG quarter marathon

9.30 a.m.: Oberbank Marathon, Borealis Half Marathon, Hyundai Relay Marathon (all starts on the Voest Bridge)

10 O `clock: Beginning of the award ceremonies on the main square in Linz

3.30 p.m.: Target shot (end of all running competitions)

till 17 o clock: Collection of the clothes bags in the Brucknerhaus in Linz