Wörthersee marathon draws 8,500 runners

The first Wörthersee marathon has attracted 8,500 runners from 36 nations, ORF reported. The event will take place on September 27, with organisers expecting it to boost both sport and tourism in the region.

The 42-kilometre marathon will start in Klagenfurt and run around Lake Wörthersee. The event also includes a half-marathon to Velden and a team marathon. The premiere sold out in July.

Marathon participants account for 4,166 of the registered runners, making it the event’s largest discipline. Organiser Kathrin Widu said it would be Austria’s second-largest marathon event after the Vienna City Marathon.

The route runs from Klagenfurt to Velden along the southern shore road before returning via Krumpendorf to Klagenfurt. The half-marathon has attracted several prominent local runners, including Eva Wutti and Thomas Messner.

Messner described the course as demanding, with frequent changes in rhythm caused by climbs and some steep downhill sections. He said runners would need to maintain their pace and approach the race with a smile.

Many of the 8,500 participants are expected to travel with family and friends, stay in the region and visit Lake Wörthersee beyond the race. Organisers and tourism officials hope the event will strengthen the late-season tourism period.

Adi Kulterer of the Klagenfurt Tourism Association said the marathon could help extend the season into the autumn holidays, giving employees longer periods of work and a future in Carinthia.

The marathon will take place only a few weeks after Kärnten läuft, another major running event held in August. Although there had been doubts about whether Carinthia could support two large races, Widu said the current running boom made the events compatible.

The number of overnight stays and the economic value generated by the marathon will be assessed after the premiere.