ZUT 2025: Emotions, Pushing Limits, and Community - This Was the Ultratrail
The Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail 2025 wasn't just a race, but a festival full of emotions. Included: the brand-new ZUT100, a 100-mile experience that redefined boundaries. Three days that showed that this is about more than personal bests - it's about stories, pushing the limits, and a very special community. Curious? Then read on and relive the weekend - or experience it for the first time.
Words: Lukas Motschmann
Photos: Florian Kurrasch
Even before the first starting gun, the Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail 2025 had the potential to be a truly special weekend. Three days of sunshine, a completely sold-out field of around 5,000 participants from 66 nations - Germany's largest trail running festival was poised for new stories.
"Everyone from the German trail bubble is here. It's just cool that everyone comes together, cheers each other on, and has a really good time all weekend long."
- Dani Gassner
For three days, everything around the Zugspitze massif revolved around trails, community, and above all: lots of good vibes. "Everyone from the German trail bubble is here. It's just cool that everyone comes together, cheers each other on, and just has a really good time all weekend," Dani Gassner, Sports Marketing Manager at Salomon, sums it up in a conversation with us. For him, the Zugspitz Ultratrail has long been more than just a race.
“The best trail running event in the world”
- Dani Gassner
Where else can you find such a selection of distances for all experience levels: the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Trail (29 km / 1,440 m elevation), the Ehrwald Trail (86 km / 4,080 m elevation), the Mittenwald Trail (44 km / 1,900 m elevation), the Leutasch Trail (68 km / 2,900 m elevation), the Grainau Trail (16 km / 760 m elevation), the 106 km Ultratrail (5,300 m elevation) - and brand new: the ZUT100, the first 100-mile run of the event with an epic 164 kilometers and 8,300 meters of elevation gain.
The long weekend kicked off with a relaxed shakeout run with the Nomads Runcrew, a local collective of Garmisch runners founded about three years ago. The first sporting highlight followed immediately afterward: the ZUT100.
"A milestone for the event. The 100-miler has taken the ZUT to a whole new level," says Gassner. Fun fact: Although the name might suggest it, none of the seven distances of the Zugspitz Ultratrail climb the Zugspitze itself. The routes lead around the massif, offering spectacular panoramas and intense trail experiences – but the summit is (deliberately) omitted.
One of the 100-milers: René Claußnitzer, better known on Instagram as Master Goodvibe . With dyed red hair, and the plan: to pay homage to his hometown with every mile covered – a sporting love letter to nature and the community that shaped him. René is supported by a physio therapist , photographers, a catering crew, and, above all, many friends in the legendary Zegapa cheering zone, who, however, only wait for the runners towards the end of the race. First, it's off to the relatively quiet night.
Meanwhile, the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Trail (29 km, 1,440 meters of elevation gain) started on Friday. With temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), the most important thing was to keep a cool head. This was best achieved by Sarah Kistner and Manuel Innerhofer, who were able to prevailing in the heat. On Saturday, the focus shifted to the ultimate distance, the 106-kilometer ultra trail (5,300 meters of elevation gain) - and here, too, Salomon dominated. Lisa Wimmer and Eva Maria Sperger of Salomon delivered an impressive race: The two stayed together for hours, running shoulder to shoulder through the night - until Lisa managed to pull away slightly towards the end. After 13:02:56 hours, she crossed the finish line first, with Eva following only around 16 minutes later. In the men's race, Pierre-Emmanuel Alexandre left no room for doubt from the start - he took the lead early on and crossed the finish line as the winner after 11:12:10 hours. Johannes Löw, also wearing the Salomon kit, secured second place about an hour later. This completed the Salomon double podium finish for both the women and the men.
But while the performances at the top are certainly impressive, it's the spirit of togetherness that makes the Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail so special. "It's not just about times," emphasizes Gassner, "it's about everyone supporting each other, sharing water, encouraging each other, and going through the good but also tough times together." A prime example of this: the legendary Zegapa Cheering Zone at Kreuzeck. Hundreds of people, some of whom traveled for several hours, gathered at an altitude of around 1,600 meters to cheer on the runners until late into the night. The mix of partying, euphoria, and unwavering support - we've rarely experienced anything like it before.
After three intense days, one thing remains above all: trail running hits different. Everyone pushes themselves to their limits - and yet at no point does it seem dogged. Continuing in these temperatures for hours, sometimes days, is a mental game - and yet: smiling faces, hugs, mutual recognition everywhere. Everyone is celebrated here - regardless of running style, outfit, or placement. And René? After 25 hours, 25 minutes, and 55 seconds, he crossed the finish line in third place and was almost inseparable from his community while enjoying a well-deserved shoey. Mission accomplished: You may run by yourself, but you're never alone.
In the end, there's only one thing left to say: Congratulations to all the finishers, to everyone who took on the challenge, and to everyone who was part of this unique weekend. You ran together, celebrated together - and made history together. See you next year!
You can find all the results here .
