Großglockner Ultra

Injury devil prevents Herrmann from taking revenge

Jakob Herrmann will not be able to take part in the GGUT this year.(Bild: ZVG)

The Großglockner Ultra Trail will take place this year without Jakob Herrmann. The mountain runner broke his tibia, so the summer is over for the Werfenwenger. Nevertheless, the organizers are looking forward to top-class starters.

"I'll be lucky if I can run again in two months," says mountain runner Jakob Herrmann, who is currently going through a difficult phase. Two weeks ago, the seemingly tireless athlete broke his tibia. The dream of a rematch at the Großglockner Ultra Trail has thus been shattered. Last year, he had to give up after 78 of 110 kilometers due to injury. The motivation for this Friday (start at 10 pm in Kaprun) was great: "I have the chance to settle this outstanding score next year," said the Werfenwenger a year ago, highly motivated.

Instead of the 6500 vertical meters of the Grossglockner Ultra Trail, his current challenge is to get up and down the stairs of his house with his crutches. "The summer is over," says today's birthday boy (turning 37), who has to accept the situation as it is. Herrmann doesn't want to complain: "Running isn't everything. Something worse can always happen."

Top runners rave
The hope is to be halfway fit again for the two-week Iceland vacation in September with his wife Andrea.

Despite Herrmann's withdrawal, the field of participants for the ninth edition of the ultra run is full of top athletes. "We are delighted and honoured by the popularity of the top international runners," says organizer Hubert Resch. Andreas Reiterer (silver at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships), a strong South Tyrolean, raves about the event: "For me, the GGUT is one of the most beautiful competitions I have ever run." Florian Grasel (Lower Austria) has won twice on his favorite mountain and is motivated again this year. A total of almost 2000 runners from around 50 nations compete over various distances.