Russian double in Swiss mountain marathon
Two Russians have taken one of the world's most scenic and gruelling marathons in the world. The Jungfrau Marathon's overall winner was Sergei Kaledin who ran the course in 2'59"33.
Coming in for second place, 51 seconds behind, was Switzerland’s Urs Christen.
1999 winner Svetlana Netschaeva, also from Russia, set a new women’s course record, to take victory in Saturday’s race ahead of Switzerland’s Franziska Rochat-Moser.
The Swiss athlete set the course record in 1997, but proved no match for Netschaeva who beat her by more than five minutes this year with a time of 3’22″04.
Thousands of spectators lined the route, cheering on the field of some 3000 runners who set off on the 42 kilometre race – with its highly challenging 1,800 metres of height gain – at 8.45am.
Starting off at 565 metres in Interlaken, the competitors ran via Lauterbrunnen and Wengen to a high-point of 2,320 meters at the Eigergletsch, and then down to the Kleinescheidegg mountain pass finishing line at 2,090m.
Set amidst the famous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks of the Bernese Oberland, the race is rated as one of the most spectacular marathons in the world. It regularly attracts entrants from over 30 countries.
swissinfo with agencies
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