Bibber Marathon in Vienna: Over 45,000 runners brave the cold!

Bibber Marathon in Vienna: Over 45,000 runners brave the cold!

The 42nd Vienna Marathon is taking place today and despite the freezing cold, more than 45,000 runners have registered to take part in this prestigious event. The main events, including the marathon, half marathon and relay marathon, start at 9 a.m. on the Reichsbrücke. According to information from oe24 The top runners plan an impressive pace of almost 20 km/h, which corresponds to a time of around 3 minutes per kilometer.

The hotspots from which spectators can cheer on the runners have also been determined. From 9:07 a.m., spectators can wait eagerly for the first runners on Prater Hauptallee. From 9.33 a.m. the action moves on to the Ringstrasse, which leads from the opera via Karlsplatz and Wienzeile to Schönbrunn - the runners can be expected there from 9.45 a.m. The half marathon runners approach the finish area via Mariahilfer Straße, while the elite runners tackle the second half of the route from 10:03 a.m.

favorites and athletes

The favorites for overall victory include Kenyans Justus Kangogo with a best time of 2:05:57, Asbel Rutto (2:06:24) and Stanley Kurgat (2:07:05). For the women, Vibian Chepkirui, who has a best time of 2:20:59, is considered the favorite. Andreas Vojta, Lemawork Ketema and Eva Wutti can be found among the best Austrian athletes.

The field of participants is diverse and ranges from elite runners to recreational and hobby runners. These are divided into three groups – Fast, Average and Slow, with the elite runners comprising the top 3% of participants, or at least the top five, such as Marathon statistics reported.

Traffic regulations and impacts

The marathon will result in extensive road closures in Vienna. However, urban motorways and expressways such as the A1, A2, A4, A22, A23 as well as S1 and S2 remain passable. From 8:00 a.m. to 3:40 p.m., some exits, including the Südost Tangente (A23) towards the center, will be closed. The organizer recommends using alternative routes.

These include, among others, the A23 connections at Handelskai or Belt as well as Wagramer Straße. To get to the airport, it is advisable to drive from the west via Hietzinger Kai, Schönbrunner Schloßstraße, Grüner Berg and Altmannsdorfer Straße to the tangent and east motorway (A4). From districts 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22 we are advised to use the Nord- or Floridsdorfer Bridge in combination with the A22 or A23. In the city center, drivers can avoid the Handelskai.

The Vienna Marathon attracts not only professional athletes, but also numerous amateur and hobby runners who want to achieve their own goals and personal best times. Such an event is not only a challenge for the participants, but also a big celebration for the city and its spectators.