In the Pitz Valley, where glaciers meet the sky, lies Mandarfen, one of the most picturesque alpine villages in the Austrian Alps. Surrounded by towering peaks and massive glaciers, this breathtaking natural setting will host the Salomon Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail (23 km, 1,700 m+), the seventh race of the 2025 Golden Trail World Series (GTWS), this coming Saturday. With much still to be decided in the overall standings and only two European races remaining before October’s grand finale, the Austrian Tirol will set the stage for a wild, remote, and demanding course that will challenge the athletes’ versatility.

This will be the first time the GTWS visits Austria. The Salomon Pitz Alpine Glacier is one of the most alpine and high-altitude races of the season, featuring extraordinary glaciers, sharp ridgelines, and pure technical terrain. The course blends fast sections with highly technical segments, demanding a complete athlete capable of adapting to all types of conditions and pacing.

The route follows a flower format, which allows spectators better race tracking, and is made up of three thrilling loops. The first is 5 km long with 120 meters of elevation gain, featuring a gentle climb to the Taschachalpe — a typical Alpine pasture used for grazing in summer. The second loop is wild, technical, and demanding: 13 km with 1,300 meters of vertical gain. It begins with a climb exceeding a 30% gradient through the Hirschtal valley up to the Sunna Alm alpine hut, followed by a brutal ascent to Grubenkopfpeak (560 meters in just 2.2 km). The final loop is a fast, dizzying downhill back to Mandarfen, the start and finish of the race.

MEN’S RACE: ATHLETES TO WATCH

With current series leader Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco – Nnormal) absent in Austria, here are some of the top contenders to watch at the Salomon Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail:

  • Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail). Kipngeno has either won or reached the podium in every GTWS 2025 race he has entered: winner at Kobe Trail (Japan) and Jinshanling Great Wall Trail Race (China), and third-place finisher at Broken Arrow Skyrace (USA) and Tepec Trail (Mexico). Currently second in the overall standings, he’s aiming for a win that would bring him to 600 points ahead of the Grand Final.
  • Christian Allen (USA – Nike Trail). After a strong start to the season at Broken Arrow Skyrace, where he finished fourth and won the vertical kilometer, Allen returns for his second GTWS race of the year. His technical downhill skills could give him the edge to fight for a top spot.
  • Cesare Maestri (Italy – Nike Trail). The Italian champion returns to competition after time off due to injury. His last race was at Il Golfo dell’Isola (Italy), where he placed fifth in one of his best short-distance performances. Despite his recent injury, Maestri remains a serious contender.
  • Timothy Kibett (Kenya – Milimani Runners Salomon). The young Kenyan, with a road running background and growing promise in mountain racing, has carefully prepared for his GTWS comeback with his training group following a strong fourth-place finish in China. “I feel ready and super motivated for my upcoming races,” he shared in a social media post.

Also lining up at the start will be several other strong contenders, including Manuel Innehofer (Austria – Salomon Running Team Österreich), winner of the 2024 edition with a time of 2:19:56; Roberto Delorenzi (Switzerland – Brooks), European short-distance champion; Michael Selelo Saoli (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail); Richard Omaya Atuya (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail); Lorenzo Beltrami (Italy – Scarpa); and Robert Pkemoi Motayango (Kenya – Joma Sport).

WOMEN’S RACE: ATHLETES TO WATCH

The women’s race is wide open, with several athletes who have either claimed a victory this year or come very close throughout the season. These are the main contenders to watch in Austria:

  • Caroline Kimutai (Kenya – Milimani Runners Salomon). Her debut on the circuit couldn’t have gone better: she claimed victory at the Jin Shan Ling Great Wall Trail Race and now returns as one of the top favorites to win the Salomon Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail.
  • Faith Kiplagat (Kenya – Milimani Runners Salomon). The young Kenyan continues her European tour after taking the win over the 23 km distance at the Marathon du Mont Blanc. This will be her first appearance in the Golden Trail World Series.
  • Malen Osa (Spain – Salomon). Third at both the Kobe Trail and Zegama-Aizkorri, Osa returns as a serious contender for the win. Currently sitting eighth in the standings, the Spanish will be chasing valuable points to move up the general classification ahead of the Grand Final.
  • Naomi Lang (United Kingdom – Salomon). A technical runner who excels on rugged terrain, Lang could stay close to the front if she manages to hold pace through the faster sections. The young Brit recently showed strong form with a third-place finish at the Marathon du Mont Blanc.

Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail), Rosa Lara Feliu (Spain – Compressport), Takako Takamura (Japan – SMW.inc), and Austrian runner Krystina Cerna (BOA Trail Team) are also among the names to watch in the battle for the win.

SCHEDULE AND WHERE TO WATCH

The race will be broadcast live on August 2 on Eurosport and Discovery+ (in Europe), HBO Max (in Europe and USA), TNT Sports (in United Kingdom), Servus TV (in Austria), LN24 (in Belgium) and Flotrack (in USA).

  • Women’s race: 11:30 AM (UTC+2)
  • Men’s race: 11:45 AM (UTC+2)

AN ALPINE GEM

The Pitztal Valley, located in the Tirol region, is made up of the municipalities of Arzl, Wenns, Jerzens, and St. Leonhard. It’s known as “The highest of Tirol”—a name that says it all: it is home to Tirol’s highest glacier, Austria’s highest mountain lake, and countless peaks over 3,000 meters.

In summer, the valley offers 380 kilometers of hiking trails, 36 mountain huts, 3 cable cars, 15 alpine lakes, nearly 95 kilometers of mountain biking routes, as well as via ferratas, climbing routes, bouldering areas, high ropes courses, and much more. In winter, visitors can enjoy 121 kilometers of ski slopes spread across three ski resorts, ice climbing routes, and freeride zones for the more adventurous, along with winter hiking trails, toboggan runs, snowshoeing routes, and cross-country skiing—perfect for both families and thrill-seekers.