Spring has arrived in South Tyrol. Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing – and the days until the ninth edition of the Rosengarten Schlern Sky Marathon are flying by. There are exactly 100 days to go until Saturday, 11 July, when the starting gun will be fired in Tiers for the popular trail event in the Dolomites.

Registrations, which have been open since the start of the year, are picking up pace. Just under 320 mountain runners have now signed up, with more joining every day. Two-thirds of those registered are men, including several big names from the South Tyrolean trail running scene. First things first: local hero and crowd favourite Daniel Pattis has confirmed his participation once again. At the last, eighth edition, the Tiers native had to pull out with a heavy heart due to injury. In 2026, the 28-year-old, who already secured victory in 2024, will be back on the starting line.

He’ll be up against some strong competitors. Last year’s winner, Andreas Reiterer – arguably South Tyrol’s best trail athlete – has confirmed his participation but has not yet registered. Vice-world champion, multiple Italian champion and a big fan of the long 45-kilometre route (around 3,000 metres of elevation gain) of the Rosengarten Schlern Sky Marathon (“It’s one of the most beautiful routes in Italy,” said the Haflinger native, who has won in Tiers a total of four times, last year) – Reiterer is always a welcome guest for the organisers. There is unlikely to be an attempt to successfully defend the title in the men’s race on the middle course, which is 36 kilometres long and features just under 2,000 metres of elevation gain. Luca Clara has, in fact, entered the long 45-kilometre route. However, he can still “change his mind” during the race up until the junction where the two distances split, as the Klausner native did last year before going on to win impressively.

A title defence is on the cards

Among the women, who make up around a third of the entrants, a runner from the Gadertal valley is set to defend her title. Cristina Salton will once again tackle the 45-kilometre course in 2026. Last year, she won impressively, finishing almost half an hour ahead of her nearest rival. The outcome on the new route is also set to be exciting. The 16-kilometre course, featuring 800 metres of elevation gain, will be part of the Rosengarten Schlern Sky Marathon for the first time. So far, just over 50 mountain runners have signed up for this challenge. It is not as gruelling as its two ‘bigger’ siblings, but will still pose a considerable challenge to the participants.

Whether it’s the long, medium or short distance: the joy of completing one of these routes will still be palpable at the finish line in the centre of Tiers in 2026. Hundreds of mountain runners will once again create a lively, almost family-like atmosphere at the ninth edition of the event. Until 31 May, ‘early birds’ can save money by registering on the event website (www.skymarathontiers.it). Until then, the entry fee is 80 euros (46 kilometres), 75 euros (36 kilometres) or 70 euros (16 kilometres). After that, the entry fee increases by 15 euros. The price includes a generous starter pack with local products and practical trail gadgets, as well as smooth organisation and support along the respective routes.