A Historic New Chapter in the Salzkammergut
On May 23, 2026, the Mozart 100 by UTMB opened a brand-new chapter in its history. After years based in Salzburg's city center, the event relocated to Fuschl am See in the heart of the Salzkammergut, bringing runners closer to the mountains from the very first steps. Approximately 3,000 runners took the start across five individual races and a relay — but the Salzkammergut had a surprise in store.
Weather: Rain, Wind, and Exposed Ridgelines
Race day brought challenging conditions: moderate-to-heavy rain showers hit the region throughout the day, with temperatures hovering around 8–20°C and nearly 9 mm of precipitation recorded in the valley. At altitude, conditions were significantly tougher — the exposed ridgelines of the Schafberg (1,783 m) and Zwölferhorn were battered by wind and cold rain, turning technical sections into slippery, demanding terrain.
The rain made the steep rocky ascent of the Schafberg — already the crux of the course — particularly treacherous, with wet rock and muddy forest trails testing even the most experienced runners. Conditions eased somewhat in the afternoon for the shorter distances, but the 119 km and 72 km runners faced the worst of it during the critical middle sections.
DNF Rates: The Mountain Took Its Toll
Out of approximately 3,000 starters, 2,337 runners finished — leaving an estimated 663 DNFs (around 22% overall). The longest distances paid the heaviest price:
- Mozart 100 (119 km): ~329 finishers out of an estimated 460+ starters — a DNF rate approaching 28–30%, consistent with the combination of distance, elevation, and adverse weather
- Mozart Ultra (72 km): 526 finishers — DNF rate estimated around 15–18%
- Mozart Marathon (44 km): 748 finishers — low DNF rate around 3–5%
- Mozart Half Marathon (28 km): 520 finishers — minimal DNFs
- Mozart Lake Trail (12 km): 214 finishers — near-zero DNFs
The primary reasons for abandonment were the combination of rain-soaked trails and fatigue on the technical climbs, particularly on the Schafberg ascent where several runners reported slipping on wet rock. Hypothermia risk on the exposed ridgelines also forced some runners to pull out at aid stations.
Mozart 100 (119 km / 5,700 m D+): Affolati Dominates
Italian ultra-runner Alessandro Affolati delivered a commanding performance on the queen distance, crossing the finish line in 11:42:16 — over 36 minutes ahead of his nearest rival. The Adamello Ultra Trail champion showed exceptional strength on the two major climbs to the Schafberg and Zwölferhorn, building an insurmountable lead in the second half of the race.
France's Jérémie Marin took second place in 12:18:25, while compatriot Sébastien Leday completed the podium in 12:48:12.
In the women's race, Czech runner Jana Dobrovolná claimed victory in 13:25:43, finishing nearly an hour ahead of Poland's Magdalena Kraszpulska (14:28:29). Japanese star Kimino Miyazaki — the 2025 Tarawera TMiler champion — rounded out the women's podium in 14:51:03.
A total of 329 runners completed the Mozart 100.
Mozart Ultra (72 km / 3,300 m D+): Szcześniewski Edges Out Simón
The Mozart Ultra produced the closest battle of the day. Poland's Miłosz Szcześniewski — a European Trail Running Championship medalist running for the Hoka Garmin Team — edged out Spain's Andreu Simón Aymerich by just 3 minutes and 30 seconds, finishing in 6:14:37 to Simón's 6:18:07. Italy's Stefan Ungericht completed the podium in 6:38:05.
Germany's Severine Petersen dominated the women's Ultra, finishing in 7:50:43 — just four minutes ahead of Norway's Mari Wetterhus (7:54:08), the former biathlete who continues her impressive transition to ultra-trail. Cindy Friebel rounded out the women's podium in 8:21:29.
526 runners finished the Ultra distance. Notably, four Polish athletes landed on podiums across multiple distances, including Szcześniewski's win and Kraszpulska's second place on the 119 km — a historic day for Polish trail running.
Mozart Marathon (44 km / 1,600 m D+): Geiser and Speer Shine
South Tyrolean specialist Tobias Geiser — already a Mozart 100 veteran from previous editions — won the Mozart Marathon in 3:18:42, just ahead of Slovakia's Pavol Orolin (3:22:04) and Germany's Lennard Muschinski (3:24:43).
Austrian home favorite Isabell Speer, a Salomon-sponsored athlete from Salzburg, delighted the local crowd with a dominant women's victory in 3:38:17, followed by Great Britain's Sonia Samuels (3:49:16) and Poland's Urszula Paprocka (4:02:55). After crossing the finish line, Speer celebrated her "Heimsieg" (home victory) with a swim in the Fuschlsee — a moment that quickly went viral on social media.
The Marathon attracted the largest field, with 748 finishers.
Mozart Half Marathon (28 km / 1,100 m D+) and Lake Trail (12 km)
Austria's Daniel Peer won the Mozart Half Marathon in 2:01:26, ahead of Italy's Giovanni Malugani (2:04:04) and Norway's Aasmund Kjøllmoen Steien (2:06:18). Germany's Nadine Hubel took the women's title in 2:18:19. 520 runners finished the half marathon.
On the Mozart Lake Trail (12 km), Austria's Gregor Strasser blazed around the Fuschlsee in 48:26, while Lena Lupsa won the women's race in 54:01. 214 runners completed the Lake Trail.
The Relay: Höhenmeter Hustlers Take the Title
In the Mozart Ultra Relay (72 km), the aptly named "Höhenmeter Hustlers" — German for "elevation gain hustlers" — took the victory in 7:09:53, ahead of Speededge United (7:23:30) and Hurra die Gams (8:34:48). 19 teams competed in this format.
Social Media Buzz
With the race barely 48 hours old, social media is still buzzing with finisher stories and race photos. The standout moment: Isabell Speer's post-race swim in the Fuschlsee after her marathon victory — a celebration that captured the spirit of the new Fuschl am See venue and was picked up by Austrian media outlet Salzburger Nachrichten.
The Polish trail running community erupted with pride after four Polish athletes landed on podiums across multiple distances, with the running magazine Bieganie.pl calling it a historic day for Polish trail running. Szcześniewski's Ultra victory and Kraszpulska's second place on the 119 km were particularly celebrated.
On the UTMB World Series Facebook page, the official results post highlighted the international diversity of the podiums — with winners from Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Austria, and South Tyrol across the distances.
Many finishers shared photos of the rain-soaked trails and muddy conditions, with the Schafberg climb emerging as the defining challenge of the day. The hashtag #mozart100 trended across Instagram and Strava, with runners praising the new Salzkammergut setting despite the weather.
A New Home That Delivers — Rain or Shine
The move from Salzburg to Fuschl am See proved to be a resounding success, even in challenging weather. Runners were immersed in mountain terrain from the gun, trading the urban start through Salzburg's streets for immediate access to alpine trails. The Salzkammergut setting — with its lakes, forests, and iconic peaks — provided a world-class backdrop that few UTMB World Series events can match.
With over 2,300 finishers from dozens of nations, the Mozart 100 by UTMB has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of the European trail running calendar. The 2026 edition will be remembered as the year the race found its true alpine identity — and the mountains reminded everyone who's boss.
Full Results
Complete results for all distances are available on UTMB Live (119 km), 72 km, 44 km, 28 km, and 12 km.