Swiss wins Engadin marathon

Brigitte Albrecht-Loretan won the Engandin marathon for the third time Keystone

Brigitte Albrecht Loretan has won Switzerland's Engadin skiing marathon for the third time.

Albrecht Loretan finished the women’s competition in 1.34’48”, after covering a distance of 42.2 kilometres between Maloja and Zuoz/S-chanf, in southern Switzerland. The 31 year-old, who is considering retirement, won the race in 1999 and 2001.

Because of strong headwinds, Albrecht had to work hard to shake off her two main rivals – canton Ticino’s Natascia Leonardi Cortesi, who caught up with her half way through the race, and France’s Annick Pierrel.

Nevertheless, Albrecht took the lead about one kilometre before the end of the race, leaving Cortesi a few seconds behind. Pierrel finished third.

Despite her second place, Cortesi expressed her joy after the race. “It was my best marathon so far!”

The men’s race was won by Spain’s Juan Jesus Guterriez, followed by Norway’s Tor Arne Hetland who finished four tenths of a second behind.

Switzerland’s Gion-Andrea Bundi, on the other hand, came in 16th.

swissinfo with agencies