A dream day puts the icing on the anniversary cake
A fabulous record number of participants, superb conditions and a top-class field with Jonas Buud and Jasmin Nunige taking first place all combined to make the 25th Swissalpine marathon an event to remember.
By Anita Fuchs
"This Swissalpine marathon is the best in all its history – in fact, it can’t be bettered.” That was the comment on the 25th anniversary of the Swissalpine marathon by no less than Andrea Tuffli, who started the event in 1986 and has directed it ever since without a break. He particularly mentioned the “fantastic record number of participants” with 5910 entries, the "top fields” for the K78 (won by Jonas Buud and Jasmin Nunige), K42 (Huw Lobb and Maud Girand) and K21 (Dario Cologna and Lea Vetsch) as well as the “superb conditions with beautiful weather and ideal temperatures” from start to finish.
Buud’s performance lauded by the competition
The highlight of the day was provided by the exciting race between the elite runners led by Jonas Buud, who left the whole field trailing behind for the fourth time (lead time of 15:24 minutes). He missed his personal best, set last year, by only 28 seconds, finishing this time in 5:49:11 hours. This is was surprising since the Swede ran the section to Filisur faster than ever before. As he explained: “I matched my speed to the competition”. Thomas Lorblanchet from France (2nd place) and Bruno Heuberger (5th place) set the initial fast pace in their first appearance in Davos.
In Bergün, exactly half-way along the course, these two led, with Buud following immediately afterwards. However, on the next ascent to the Keschhütte the clear favourite moved into first place and did not relinquish it for the rest of the race. The amazing fact is that, as 12 months ago, he took around 10 minutes off the competition from the highest point to the finishing line. “I have the greatest respect for Buud’s performance” was the reaction from both Lorblanchet and Jean-Yves Rey (Crans-Montana) in third place. Buud is also the first runner to win the Swissalpine marathon four times in a row.
Nunige faster than ever
Since Saturday, the list of victories for Jasmin Nunige now includes three wins in the Swissalpine marathon. The athlete from Davos completed the 78 kilometres with an excellent time of 6:39:25 hours, around 20 minutes faster than her wins in 2005 and 2008. According to Nunige she had prepared very well for the race and focussed early on the main event of this season. And for the first time the former Olympic participant did not take part in any cross-country skiing events last winter. “That meant I could concentrate all my energy on the running season.”
Whilst Nunige in the lead ran an unbeatable race in the closing phase, the duel between Maja Meneghin-Pliska (Vermens) and Corinne Zeller (Weissenburg) meant a thrilling finish for the other two places on the podium. Ultimately it was Meneghin, younger by 10 years than her opponent, who finished 35 seconds ahead. And the half marathon, which started on the Sunniberg Bridge in Klosters, was also decided by a sprint finish. Dario Cologna, the Olympic champion in cross-country skiing, crossed the finishing line in Davos in 1:20:48 hours, a mere four seconds ahead of Timo Zeiler, fourth in the European Mountain Running Championships. Perhaps we will see revenge taken next year.
List of winners
K78. Men: 1. Jonas Buud (SWE) 5:49:11. 2. 2. Thomas Lorblanchet (FRA) 15:24 behind. 3. Jean-Yves Rey (SUI) 19:48. 4. Johan Oosthuizen (RSA) 25:44. 5. Bruno Heuberger (SUI) 27:44.
Women: 1. Jasmin Nunige (SUI) 6:39:25. 2. Maja Meneghin-Pliska (SUI) 4:23. 3. Corinne Zeller (SUI) 4:58. 4. Gloria Vinstedt (SWE) 39:51. 5. Denise Zimmermann (SUI) 44:22.
K42. Men: 1. Huw Lobb (GER) 3:16:00. 2. Thierry Breuil (FRA) 2:23 behind. 3. Dirk Strothmann (GER) 7:21.
Women: 1. Maud Girand (FRA) 4:04:21. 2. Manuela Jenny (SUI) 9:22. 3. Regula Meier (SUI) 11:56.
C42. Men: 1. Jochen Kümpel (GER) 2:43:03. 2. Rune Kvikstad (NOR) 6:40. 3. Gert Mertens (BEL) 12:33.
Women: 1. Marion Hebding (GER) 3:09:39. 2. Edith Zwahlen (SUI) 5:40. 3. Mari Kauri (FIN) 6:48.
K31. Men: 1. Marcel Glaser (GER) 1:56:10. 2. Markus Merz (SUI) 1:31. 3. Yves Van Hoeck (BEL) 5:32.
Women: 1. Teresa Gaillard de Laubenque (GBR) 2:15:12. 2. Astrid Müller (SUI) 1:49. 3. Katja Vera Stöckli (SUI) 3:21.
K21. Men: 1. Dario Cologna (SUI) 1:20:48. 2. 2. Timo Zeiler (GER) 0:04. 3. Florian Reichert (GER) 2:06
Women: 1. Lea Vetsch (SUI) 1:35:24. 2. Seraina Boner (SUI) 0:28. 3. Diana Lehmann (GER) 1:49.
K11. Men: 1. Peter Ricklin (SUI) 42:20. 2. Marcel Staudenmann (SUI) 5:27. 3. Seamus Müller (GER) 6:33.
Women: 1. Teresa Segbers (GER) 47:16. 2. Nicole Ricklin (St. Gallen) 2:13. 3. Nina Högger (SUI) 2:23.
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