Wachau Marathon


The Wachau Marathon is a 26.2-mile foot race on paved roads along the Danube River in Wachau, Austria run in September. The race was founded in 1998, and its course is certified by World Athletics.
More than 7,000 runners participated in 2019.
The marathon runs from Emmersdorf to Krems an der Donau. During the race weekend, there is also a half marathon favored by competitive runners. The half marathon often has a deep International field.
The shortest race is a "quarter-marathon," 6.8-mile race. On the previous day, children's runs are held over different distances. After Helmut Paul led the event for ten years, another company under the leadership of Michael Buchleitner took over the responsibility for the run in 2008.
From 2004 to 2007, an ultramarathon was offered, which was part of the European Ultramarathon Cup.
The course is described as fast and flat with beautiful scenery. The route first leads 3 km upstream on the left bank of the Danube, turns and then runs downstream to the center of Krems for the finish. The half marathon starts in Spitz, the 6-mile in Dürnstein.
The Austrian National Championships have been held three times as part of the Wachau Marathon. In 2002, Max Wenisch as overall seventh for men and Veronika Kienbichl as overall eighth for women became Austrian marathon champions. In 2007, the overall winner Eva-Maria Gradwohl became Austrian champion in the half marathon, while the men's title went to Martin Pröll. In 2010 Andrea Mayr, third overall, won the national championship title in a half marathon in 1:14:21, while Günther Weidlinger, seventh overall, won with a time of 1:04:59.

Course records

Marathon
Men: 2:12:32, John Kipngeno Rotich, 2003
Women: 2:33:33, Karina Szymańska, 2002
Half Marathon
Men: 59:53, Peter Cheruiyot Kirui, 2016
Women: 1:09:21, Perendis Lekapana, 2018

Results

Marathon

Half marathon

6.8 mile

Ultra marathon