Austrians go to a Buschenschank to sample young, home-made wine. Usually, these seasonally opened wine-taverns also provide cold buffets of traditional, mostly meat-based peasant food.

We don't advise you to try the wine and the hearty food during the Buschenschank Half Marathon, although you may be tempted to do so. Several wine-taverns on the route offer their wine and home-made specialities, and some participants just can't say 'no', but you should wait until the finish line. Ample food will be available at the "Buschenschankfest" after the race.

The event is held on a rural course through woods, fields and vineyards around the village of Loipersdorf in the Austrian province of Styria, close to the Hungarian border. It incorporates races of 4.5km, 10.8km and 21.1km, as well as a 13km nordic walking competition. 

All races start at the thermal spa Therme Loipersdorf. The finish of the 4.5km run is at the spa, all other races finish in the village of Loipersdorf, 4km to the north. The route is hilly and mostly on asphalt roads.

In 2008, the half marathon winners were Marius Bock (1:12:16) and Christine Wenzl (1:31:53)

Country: Austria

Venue (Map): Loipersdorf near Fürstenfeld (Szentgotthard 20km, Graz 61km, Maribor 85km)

Date: 3 October 2009 (Saturday)

Distance: 21.1km; 13km (nordic walking); 10.8km ("Steinlauf"); 4.5km ("Thermenlauf"), children 400m and 1500m

Start time: 12.20 (children); 12.50 (4.8km); 13.30 (21.1km/10.8km/nordic walking)

Start: Therme Loipersdorf

Finish: Mehrzweckhalle (sports hall) in Loipersdorf

Entries: by post, fax or e-mail until 30 September 2009, payment by bank transfer; late entries (additional 8 EUR) on the day until one hour before the start

Entry fees: 25 EUR (half marathon), 20 EUR (nordic walking), 16 EUR (10.8km), 14 EUR (4.5km), children 5 EUR

Timing: Hightech-Timing (15 Euro deposit for the chip!)

Race centre: Therme Loipersdorf (Friday 2 October from 16.00 to 18.00 and on the day from 10.30 to 13.00)

You get: evening ticket for the thermal spa in Loipersdorf (we don't know if this is valid on the day of the event), chip timing, T-Shirt

Prizes: trophies to the first 3 in the categories, 100 EUR prize money for a new course record in the half marathon

Changing facilities: Therme Loipersdorf (at the start) and Volksschule Loipersdorf (at the finish)

Presentation: at the finish in Loipersdorf

Number of finishers 2008: 162 (half marathon), 321 (nordic walking), 146 (10.8km), 34 (4.5km)

Event website (in German): www.b-active.at

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page.