Walking steps on the last climb and a winner who purposely went without a watch

Top weather and a high-quality field of participants characterized the Gögerltrail run by PSV Weilheim.

Several athletes from the Schongau region were among the front runners.

Weilheim - The terrain on Weilheim's "local mountain", the Gögerl, sometimes causes even experienced athletes to falter.

On the last steep ascent from the allotment gardens up to the finish, Peter Vogt from Rottenbuch had to walk a few steps with fourth place in mind.

After the competition, Martin Sedlmayr's arm was even adorned with a large patch - the Wessobrunner had fallen in a wooded area.

Vogt and Sedlmayr agreed that taking part in the second “Gögerltraillauf” was definitely worth it.

Vogt (50:18) was even two minutes faster than at the premiere three years ago.

Due to Corona, the 2020 and 2021 run had to be cancelled.

The organizer, Post SV Weilheim, therefore did not throw in the towel.

Race director Lothar Kirsch and his team were rewarded for this on Sunday with a high-quality starting field and the best weather.

Around 110 men and women had registered for the approximately 12.5 kilometers.

110 participants and the best weather

In the end, the city administration also made it possible for the final ascent to be run up to the upper Gögerl car park.

The steps are currently being renovated.

The section that was last closed to pedestrians was opened for the competition.

However, the decisions in the fight for the day's victory for women and men were made before the last few meters.

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Right from the start things got down to business: The photo shows a scene immediately after the start of the Gögerl Trail with (from left) Markus Brennauer (TSV Penzberg), Peter Vogt and Stefan Fichtl (both from “Team Schönegger Käse-Alm”) and Gabriel Alte Bäumer ( LG Würm Athletics).

© Gisela Schregle

The women fought a three-way battle for the day's victory.

Melanie Albrecht took first place (54:58) – only seven men were faster than her in the overall standings.

The Wallgauerin (26) started as a cross-country skier and has already caused a sensation in the trail running scene.

In 2016 she won the mixed category in the Transalpine Run with Timo Zeiler, and in 2017 she triumphed in the 73-kilometre Rennsteig run.

After some problems in the past two years, it is now "rebuilding", as she says.

She described the route of the Gögerltraillauf as “beautiful”.

Albrecht ran without a watch and was happy about her victory.

However, their performance is "improvable".

Markus Brennauer takes second place overall

Mikki Heiss (55:10) was the second woman to cross the finish line.

"I just have to do it slowly uphill," said the Iffeldorfer (47) with a smile.

Until recently, she was one of the best German marathon runners - in 2019 she won DM gold with the "LG Telis Finanz Regensburg" team.

In the recent past, however, Heiss has been struggling with various injuries.

"I specifically chose the Gögerl trail run".

In contrast to a precisely measured, flat road run, the Iffeldorfer explained that one does not have to keep looking at the clock in the Cross.

Heiss was significantly faster on the Gögerl than she had previously thought – she ultimately clocked a time of 4:25 minutes per kilometer.

Sabine Nagel is third among the women

The third best woman on the Gögerl was Sabine Nagel (55:44).

A week ago, the woman from Peiting (36) set her second-best time over 10 kilometers (40:41) on a gravel track in Sonthofen.

On the Gögerl, the athlete from SVO LA Germaringen ran together with Albrecht and Heiss for a long time, from kilometer eight "the other two then accelerated," reported Nagel.

It was okay with her: "It's always your own time that counts" for an athlete more than placement.

And in Nagel's case, she was three minutes faster than in the 2019 race, when she finished second.

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For the men, Markus Brennauer (TSV Penzberg) and Munich-based Frenchman Frédéric Gabry (35) initially took turns in leadership.

Brennauer set the pace from km five to 8.5, after that Gabry passed in the forest and gained a lead of around 30 meters.

Brennauer closed the gap again, but in the end Gabry pulled away.

After 47:06 minutes, the winner crossed the finish line.

"A beautiful forest run," said the Frenchman.

Of course he was very satisfied with the placement.

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Strong performance: Rupert Haseidl (ESV Bad Bayersoien) finished ninth in the Gögerltraillauf.

© Paul Hopp

Brennauer (47:20) also had a happy facial expression, even if the Penzberger (42) was unable to repeat his victory from 2019: "We ran consistently and the pace was high right from the start".

For him it was also "a great test" with regard to the marathon championships next weekend in Hanover.

In comparison to the Gögerl Trail run three years ago, Brennauer himself said he was about 30 seconds faster – and that over a distance that, according to his calculations, was around 200 meters longer.

Schilcher and Haseidl each in third place

Sebastian Birzle from Geretsried came in third overall after 50:01 minutes.

"It was pretty good for the start of the season," said the 37-year-old.

The Rottenbucher Vogt and the Hohenfurcher Stefan Fichtl (50:41) came in fourth and fifth.

The duo from “Team Schönegger Käse-Alm” had achieved personal best times in the 10-kilometer road run in Augsburg the week before.

Her result on the Gögerl was therefore more than impressive, even if Fichtl said with a smile: "We're not really trail runners."

Rupert Haseidl also placed in the front field among the men.

The athlete from ESV Bad Bayersoien made it into the top ten in ninth place (55:08).

Haseidl (41) finished third in his age group.

Heinz Schilcher also took bronze in his class: Schönberger (born 1970), who started for DAV Peiting, finished in 58:44 minutes, which meant 20th place in the overall men's ranking.

Only as a spectator was Christian Scholz from Peiting - seventh overall in Gögerl in 2019 - at the trail run.

With a heavy heart, he gave up a race in order to be able to compete in top form at the German Marathon Championships next weekend.