Timo Zeiler marginally misses bronze medal as Germany is left without medals in the European Mountain Running Championships
July 13, 2009
The German team could not fulfil the expectations in the European Mountain Running Championships that were held in Telfes/AUT this weekend.
The biggest medal hope, Timo Zeiler, lost the bronce medal in the mens individual race in the final, very steep climb of the 11,0km-course with 1.400 altitude difference. After controlling the pace until halfway, the German was gapped by Ahmet Arslan (TUR/1st in 58:26) and Marco de Gasperiin (ITA/2nd in 59:09) the steep part and also was passed by Sebastién Epiney (SUI/ 3rd in 59:19) on the later stages. Despite the somewhat unlucky 4th place in 59:31, it was the best placement of Zeiler in a European Championship Race and he was not unlucky, stating that he was “absolutely satisfied”.
The German mens team with Timo Zeiler, Josef Beha (63:42 min; 28th) and Thomas Göpfert (66:35 min; 45th) “only” took 8th place and could not establish themselves as one of the top-nations.
In the womens race, Lisa Reisinger was the best German in 14th place (66:06 min). Also the womens team took 8th place in the team category.
In the junior mens race, Germany also had a medal candidate with René Stöckert. However, the 4th-place finisher from last years championships lost his shoe after 5 km due to a kick from his opponent and consequently lost contact to the front group. He came in 20th place with 55:40 in the Junior mens race (9,4km with 940m altitude difference).
Selected results:
Men individual (11km/1.400m altitude difference):
1. ARSLAN, Ahmet TUR 0:58:26
2. DE GASPERI, Marco ITA 0:59:09
3. EPINEY, Sébastien SUI 0:59:19
4. ZEILER, Timo GER 0:59:31
5. FONTAINE, Raymond FRA 0:59:37
28. BEHA, Josef GER 1:03:42
45. GÖPFERT, Thomas GER 1:06:35
49. STURM, Marco GER 1:07:23
Women individual (9,4km/940m altitude difference):
1. STRÄHL, Martina SUI 0:54:39
2. BELOTTI, Valentina ITA 0:55:28
3. MAYR, Andrea AUT 0:56:55
4. RUNGGER, Renate ITA 0:57:17
5. LEONTYEVA, Natalia RUS 0:57:29
14. REISINGER, Lisa GER 1:00:06
22. ULRICH, Veronika GER 1:01:45
40. HEILIG-DUVENTÄSTER, Marie-Luise GER 1:04:20
53. BÄUSCHER, Lea GER 1:08:14
Junior Men individual (9,4km/940m altitude difference):
1. ALICI, Yusuf TUR 0:50:29
2. CHEVRIER, Xavier ITA 0:50:44
3. PRALONG, Candide SUI 0:51:39
4. BAJZA, Jakub CZE 0:52:58
5. MCDONALD, Scott GBR 0:53:06
20. STÖCKERT, René GER 0:55:40
27. EBNER, Lukas GER 0:56:55
38. ALRAUN, Fabian GER 0:58:24
48. MAI, Christian GER 1:01:21
Junior Women individual (4km/400m altitude difference):
1. ALTINTAS, Derya TUR 0:23:15
2. KARABULUT, Elif TUR 0:23:20
3. CAN, Yasemin TUR 0:23:29
4. OLOGU, Andra Loredana ROU 0:23:39
5. PROROKOVA, Tatiana RUS 0:23:43
20. CORNELSEN, Sarah GER 0:25:43
36. SCHÄFER, Lena GER 0:28:40
Team classification of the German team:
Men: 8th place (77 points)
Women: 8th place (76 points)
Junior Men: 9th place (85 points)
Junior Women: 13th place (56 points)
full results of the championships emrc2009telfes.org