[Advendure]: Can you introduce yourself to the Greek trail running community? Which is the team behind the Mozart100 race organization?

[J. Mayerhofer]: I used to be a marketing professional and passionate hobby ultra-trail athlete. Five years ago I decided to become a professional ultra-trail organizer with a passion for marketing :)

The core team of mozart 100®, working all year for the event, consists of only three people. Apart from myself there are Claudia Kolussi, responsible for organisation & customer relations and Sepp Gruber, our race director. Both have been with mozart 100® since the beginning.

[Advendure]: What was the initial inspiration and motive for organizing Mozart100? How did it all start?

[J. Mayerhofer]: I was on the flight back from the Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica with a friend of mine. One of the things we appreciated most about the various stage races we did all over the world was the beauty of the landscapes. We concluded: “Austria is rich of scenery. There is no professional ultra-trail event. We should organise one.” I worked on the concept for four months and presented it to potential sponsors. We won their confidence and one year later we launched the first issue on 23 June 2012.

[Advendure]: In the registration list this year we see more than 300 registered runners, much more than the number of participants in 2016. Quite impressive! How important do you believe was the role of your inclusion is the Ultra-Trail® World Tour series? What motivated you to participate in this global ultra trail running championship? What do you expect from this in the future?

[J. Mayerhofer]: The 320 registered runners are only in the supreme discipline mozart 100 – this ist more than double the figure than last year. The UTWT definitely raised the awareness for mozart 100® outside Europe. We already had 40% foreign athletes, this year it grew to 55%. UTWT is a great brand and opportunity for prime events like ours.

[Advendure]: The Mozart 100 “race menu” is –to say at least- richly satisfying! 105K race, 62K Race, a 42K marathon, 30K race, 12K city trail, relay races! How much complexity does it add to your “job”? Was that a decision to give to Mozart100 a “trail running festival” feel?

[J. Mayerhofer]: Our main goal is to provide an unforgettable and outstanding experience for the whole spectrum of (trail) runners. We are setting a big infrastructure in place and we would like to make the best use of it.

[Advendure]: Such a complex and high class race cannot be held without extra help from the local community, volunteers or some sponsors that believe in the values and the ethics of it. How important is their support for you?

[J. Mayerhofer]: The funding of the regional and local government and the support of corporate sponsors are indispensable for our event. mozart 100® has already a considerable economic impact but sponsorship also encompasses good will and the support of a great idea. We have no volunteers in terms of unpaid supporters, the culture in Austria is different to other countries. The only unpaid volunteer is myself.

[Advendure]: Salzburg area has a unique cultural and musical heritage, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. Apparently the name of the race is inspired by the 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Are there any parallel cultural activities that you have designed for the runners and the persons who accompany them? What do you suggest to all of us, visiting the area to run the race, in order to enjoy the most out of Salzburg and its surroundings?

[J. Mayerhofer]: The brand name is not utterly creative but we were looking for a name that is closely linked to Salzburg and is understood globally. We mainly focus on the sports aspect of the race. Participants can book the special Sound of Music Tour that takes athlets along some parts of the course, the mozart 100 event starts with a string quartet. The city of Salzburg can easily be discovered by foot, the surroundings in the race itself.

[Advendure]: Could you tell as a few things about the technical specifications of the races, especially for the Mozart 100 (105K) & Scenic UItra 62K? We understand from the altitude profile that the highest point is roughly above 1.300 m and that the vertical ascent of the 105K is about 4.700m which is no so big for ultra-trail races above 100 Km. Is the continuous uphill – downhill alternations of the trails the main difficulty? What about the terrain, is it technical or soft and runnable? How many aid-stations each race has along the course?

[J. Mayerhofer]: I am not afraid of complaints that the vertical ascent will have been to little ! I can assure you that you would not want to add one more meter after having crossed the finish line. I am not a fan of more and more vertical ascent and climbing – we are runners after all.

The terrain is very versatile, 80% on trails, mostly runnable but with some very technical parts as well. Aid stations are located about every 10 kilometers.

[Advendure]: Francesca Canepa, last year’s winner appears in the starting lists, together with some other great athletes such as Csaba Németh, Reinhold Schager among others. Do you feel that strong competition from top-class runners gives a stronger glimpse in a race? Do you consider as a success factor for a race the quality of the field? Are there any other athletes that we should spot on?

[J. Mayerhofer]: We have never had such a strong elite field both male and female in all years. Francesca Canepa will face strong competition from her fellow Italians Simona Morbelli, Cecilia Flori or local champion Ulli Striednig.

On the men’s side, the double champion Csaba Nemeth will be challenged by world class athletes such as Alexander Rabensteiner (ITA), Francisco Freitas (POR), Harry Jones (GB) or the past champion Daniel Oralek (CZE) plus the local heroes Andreas Pfandlbauer and Reinhold Schager.

[Advendure]: In Greece and according to Advendure’s yearly research, the growth of trail running scene in our country is rapid and increases rapidly year by year. The numbers are outstanding: More than 10.600 runners (18% more than 2015) have participated in at least one of the 160+ trail running races that held in Greece last year. Do you have the whole picture of the Austrian trail running scene? Is the sport in your country growing as rapidly as here in Greece?

[J. Mayerhofer]: mozart 100® has grown by 40% from last year. We will host 1.000 athletes from 50 countries.

I do not have the picture of the entire Austrian market but we are experiencing a considerable growth. I personally see a huge potential with street runners – more and more get tired from the tarmac.

[Advendure]: In conclusion, which is the main factor than can attract a runner to a race? Why should someone choose the Mozart100?

[J. Mayerhofer]: mozart 100® combines the unique atmosphere of the city of Salzburg with outstanding sceneries and landscapes along the course. We do everything to enable a great overall experience for our participants which are the center of our attention. The athletes reward us with exceptional high customer satisfaction. In terms of logistics Salzburg is easily accessible by plane, train or car from all over the world.

[Advendure]: Josef thank you very much for the brief conversation! We are looking forward meeting you and run the wonderful race. See you in Salzburg!

A few details about Mozart 100

mozart 100® is Austria's most beautiful ultra trail run which takes you from the scenic town of Salzburg through one of the most magnificent areas of Austria, to the Fuschlsee and Wolfgangsee regions, and back to the City of Salzburg. It will be held on 17th of June 2017 and it consists of a very rich menu of races for all abilities making it an ideal destination for those who want to visit Salzburg and run at its wonderful surroundings. In summary, the various courses of Mozart 100 are:

mozart 100

The Scenic 100 (105km) runs in a loop from the City of Salzburg to Fuschl am See, the Wolfgangsee region (Schafberg, Zwölferhorn) and the Fuschlsee and back to Salzburg.

- Vertical ascent: 4.700 D+

- Time limit: 20 hours

- ITRA points: 5. More details

- Aid stations: 8

- Western States criteria race: 20 hours 

Scenic Ultra

The athletes complete a 62 km long round which takes them from the Residenzplatz square in Salzburg to Fuschl am See and back.

Scenic Marathon

The 42 km long individual competition is a loop from the Residenzplatz square in Salzburg to Hof bei Salzburg und back.

Scenic Light

The Scenic Light takes the participants from Fuschl am See over 30 kilometres to the amazing city centre of Salzburg.

City Trail

The City Trail is a beautiful course over 12.5 km through the city of Salzburg and combines a compact distance with a final challenging crossing of the innercity Kapuzinerberg.

mozart 100 Relay

Team member 1: Salzburg – Fuschl: 31 km
Team member 2: Fuschl– St. Gilgen: 32,0 km
Team member 3: St. Gilgen – Fuschl: 12,5 km
Team member 4: Fuschl– Salzburg: 29,5 km

Scenic Ultra Relay

Team member 1: Salzburg – Hinterwinkl: 10,2 km
Team member 2: Hinterwinkl – Fuschl: 20,8 km
Team member 3: Fuschl – Hof: 11,5 km
Team member 4: Hof – Salzburg: 19,5 km

Advendure will run the two main events of the race, mozart 100 and Scenic Ultra and will share our experiences from a premium event! Stay tuned!

Read more at http://www.mozart100.com/

© Photos: Michael Luipersbeck, Barna Schneeweis & sportograf.com