German ultra runners with great success

May 7, 2009

Altogether five medals were won by the German ultra distance runners in the 7th IAU 24 hour World Challenge in Bergamo (ITA) that included the European Challenge as well.

The outstanding performance was the silver medal of Ralf Weis in the mens individual category (in both World and European Challenge). In the womens individual category Julia Alter placed highest in 5th place (4th place in the European Challenge).

In the team competition the German men took 3rd place in the World and 2nd place in the European Challenge behind Japan and Russia. The German women were beaten only by France, USA and Italy, i.e. in the World Challenge they took 4th and in the European Challenge 3rd place.

Selected results:
Men individual:
1. Henrik Olsson (Schweden) 257,042 km
2. Ralf Weis (Germany) 244,492 km
3. Yuji Sakai (Japan) 242,713 km
…
11. Roland Riedel (Germany) 226,065 km
18. Friedemann Hecke (Germany) 218,554 km
Andreas Baier and Oliver Leu (both Germany): DNF

Women individual:
1. Anne-Cécile Fontaine (France) 243,644 km
2. Brigitte Bec (France) 234,977 km
3. Monica Casiraghi (Italy) 223,848 km
…
5. Julia Alter (Germany) 219,293 km
21. Sabine Strotkamp (Germany) 191,847 km
28. Grit Seidel (Germany) 187,225 km
Heike Christ (Germany): DNF

Teams Men:
1. Japan 706,984 km (Sakai, Suzuki, Takeda)
2. Russia 693,445 km (Bychkov, Dedykin, Kruglikov, 1. EC)
3. Germany 689,111 km (Weis, Riedel, Hecke, 2. EC)

Teams Women:
1. France 684,078 km (Fontaine, Bec, Boufflert)
2. USA 636,159 km (Donaldson, Bednosky, Horn)
3. Italy 626,386 km (Casiraghi, Gross, Di Vito, 2. EC)
4. Germany 598,365 km (Alter, Strotkamp, Seidel, 3. EC)