This trail running festival – because Mozart100 by UTMB is not a single race - offers 9 different distance options, covering a range between 108km to 9km, thus addressing practically all the levels and preferences of the trail running community. Overall, the center of all is the enchanting city of Salzburg, in which the finish line of all races is located. Salzburg is definitely well known for its historical center full of specially designed buildings and monuments, as well as the countless touristic shops, outdoor bars and restaurants, interesting museums and other beauties spread in every corner throughout the whole city. However, the amazing places spread around Salzburg are maybe an even better reason to visit this divine place on earth, especially if one knows that the Mozart100 by UTMB races cross many of these places.

To give a quick overview of Mozart100 by UTMB organization, the following 9 different races were available, and most of them were sold out many days before the registrations closing date:

- mozart 100: Ultra-Trail race – 108km – 5.400m+, Start at 05:00am – Salzburg

- mozart Ultra: Ultra-Trail race – 83km – 4300m+, Start at 07:00am – Fuschl am See

- mozart Marathon: Trail Marathon – 39km – 1.650m+, Start at 09:00am – St.Gilgen

- mozart Light: Trail race – 31km – 1.300+, Start at 11:00am – Fuschl am See

- mozart Half Marathon: Half marathon Trail – 21km – 900m+, Start at 12:00am – Koppl

- mozart City Trail: Race throughout the city – 9km – 300m+, Start at 10:00am – Salzburg

- mozart 100 Relay: Relay race for teams of 4 members running mozart100 race

- mozart Ultra Relay: Relay race for teams of 4 members running Mozart ultra race

- kids mozart race: kids races 400m, 800m and 1200m

Having the privilege this year to run the “big” distance of the Mozart100 by UTMB organization, namely the Mozart 100 (108km, 5400+), my personal impression remains the same as 2018 where I had also finished the same race. …To be honest, almost the same…

This was the 12^th edition of Mozart 100 which is the biggest trail running event in Austria. However, many things have changed if we compare this edition to the previous ones.

At first, a notable sold out of the 5/8 Mozart 100 by UTMB races (e.g. Mozart 100 and Relay, Mozart Ultra and Relay, Mozart Light) has been recorded, setting a new high standard to the organization, and exhibiting an amount of more than 2000 runners.

The change of the routes added on one hand beauty and wilderness, on the other hand though the races became more difficult. This fact had also an impact on the finish times as well as on the number of finishers and the DNFs.

The aid stations offer a complete variety of refreshments and definitely meet the standards of such a big international race.

To sum up, the Mozart100 by UTMB organization team deserves many congratulations not only for the successful races realization but also for their exceptional attitude, offering again a variety of trail running races for every runner and for 12^th consecutive year.

Reasons to run Mozart100:

• The scenic route. It involves landscapes of unbelievable beauty (lakes, rivers, forests).
• Salzburg city. Finishing in this historical monument and combining the running with some possible exceptional visits before and after the race is not something you are offered every day or in every race.
• The “accessibility” of the routes. A race of 100+ km can never be accounted as easy, but the fact that Mozart100 by UTMB races have many kilometers on forest roads or even tarmac, makes them suitable of every conventional runner.
• The UTMB label and standards which offer all the by UTMB advantages (stones collection, starting and finishing gifts, high aid station quality etc.)

Points that can be improved:

• The time limits remained the same with last year, however the route has changes. I think that the Organization should reassess the limits according to the current difficulty of the races.
• All the outdoor shops, in Kapitelplatz square were closed after 9:00 p.m., while the Mozart100 race finishers were finishing until 3:00 a.m. Therefore, if any finisher wanted to have something to drink or to eat, apart from the organization tent offering some things, it was a bit difficult to dig out an open shop in the rest city. Moreover, even though the organization people where more than pleasant and always willing to help you and to cheer you up, the Salzburg city itself did not seem to follow entirely the race pulse.

Above all, I know very well that all the Greek runners were impressed from the race and are planning to come back to Salzburg and to Mozart 100 by UTMB next year.

So, CU at Mozart100 by UTMB 2024, the 13^th edition, with its wonderful routes and incredible beauty.

All the races results can be found here

For ADVENDURE

Christos Katsiropoulos