Thanks to a collaboration between the Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon, Zermatt Tourism and the University of Applied Sciences Valais, runners will be able to battle virtually in the Zermatt Winter Run. A competition format will be launched that is well-suited to the current situation and offers the opportunity in this time of social distancing for runners to compare themselves against other participants.
How does it work?
Runners need to register on Strava, the tracking app. They can also do this using a QR code on the website or on the notice board at the train station. After registering, the app will show participants the required route and track their time. Afterwards, a ranking will appear on the app for runners to compare themselves against each other.
Nine kilometres through a fairytale winter landscape
The Zermatt Winter Run takes athletes on a 9 km route in and around the village. Runners can enjoy the fairytale winter landscape and complete a challenging training run. The start is in the centre of Zermatt, outside the tourism office. The route forms a loop that heads over the 1862-metre high Furi station and back to the start. A finisher’s bag can be collected from the tourism office after the run.
It’s not always the fastest that wins
There are two prizes to be won in the Zermatt Winter Run. Participants will be eligible for a prize by sharing a photo of the run on their Instagram and using #ZermattWinterRun. They also need to tag and follow @GornergratZermattMarathon and @Zermatt.Matterhorn. The photo will then be shared on @GornergratZermattMarathon's Instagram. The photo with the most likes will be crowned the winner. A second winner will be drawn at random from all participants after the end of the event.
