Sustainable running festival in the city of Mozart

With its dedicated ecology concept, the Salzburg Marathon is a role model among marathon events worldwide in terms of sustainability. Together with its partners, the Running Festival in the City of Mozart from May 17th to 19th will present an exciting sporting offer that will last longer.

Environmental protection and sustainability have played an important role at the running festival in the city of Mozart for many years. With a focus on high-quality organic and regional tasting, close cooperation with Salzburg Verkehr and the implementation of a committed ecological concept, the Salzburg Marathon sets important impulses in the context of sustainable event implementation. "It is very impressive how the Salzburg Marathon manages to combine sport with many important areas," praised Mag. Stefan Schnöll, Provincial Councilor for Transport, Infrastructure and Sport, at today's press event in the Wyndham Grand Salzburg Conference Centre, the official partner hotel of Salzburg Marathon.

Tenth organic certification in a row

The Salzburg Marathon takes an exemplary position in the field of nutrition. In 2010, in cooperation with Bio Austria Salzburg, the first official organic certification was achieved - a novelty in the world of marathons. It was the beginning of a successful collaboration that is celebrating a special anniversary this year: the tenth organic certification in a row to be carried out by the SLK. “Organic foods offer the best overall package. They are the best, most natural and most sustainable in production and the best in taste and quality," emphasizes DI Andreas Schwaighofer, Managing Director of Bio Austria Salzburg. "Organic nutrition is integrated into a delightful experience over three days with a particularly atmospheric atmosphere at the Salzburg Marathon weekend." Organic and sustainable cultivation in agriculture is a quality feature of the province of Salzburg. 58% of the agriculturally used agricultural area is farmed organically - top value within the European Union. “Organic certification means control. This means that the participants and all spectators are guaranteed to enjoy high-quality organic food, where Salzburg is in it, on the weekend of the running festival in the City of Mozart,” adds Mag. Gerald Reisecker, Managing Director of Salzburger Agrar Marketing.

Marathon day as the least traffic day of the year

As the largest active sports event in the federal state of Salzburg, the Salzburg Marathon on May 19 naturally entails some traffic restrictions. In cooperation with the Salzburger Verkehrsverbund and the Salzburg authorities, very good solutions for public and private transport were found this year as well. "The Salzburg Marathon offers an opportunity to give a health-conscious and mobile target group a taste for covering sustainable routes with public transport or in a sporty way," emphasizes Provincial Councilor Schnöll.

Start number as a public transport ticket

In cooperation with Salzburg Verkehr, all participants in the competitions of the Running Festival in the City of Mozart are invited to use their starting number as a ticket for public transport in the city of Salzburg on the respective day of the competition. Provincial Councilor Schnöll hopes that the stress-free and relaxed arrival of the running enthusiasts will provide an important impetus for many people in the city and region. "Environmental awareness and sustainability meet the zeitgeist just as much as exercise and an active lifestyle," explains Mag. Allegra Frommer, Managing Director of the Salzburg Transport Association. “Therefore, the symbiosis between public transport and the running festival in the city of Mozart is ideal.

Environmentally friendly in mobility and logistics

On May 19th, the race control leads the starting field in the sustainable Hyundai KONA Elektro. The Korean car manufacturer, a pioneer in the field of alternative drive types, has been the premium mobility partner of the Mozart City Running Festival this year. The officials, employees and, for the most part, the authorities, use bicycles and e-bikes to get around the course on the marathon weekend. Other highlights of the committed ecological concept are an enormous reduction in waste, the reduction of logistics trips, the containment of plastic and the absolute ban of aluminum cans as well as the Sparkasse starter bags made of corn starch.

sustainability for health

An important level is the lasting effect of running on the health of the participants. As a popular destination, the Running Festival in the City of Mozart motivates thousands of people in Salzburg and the surrounding region year after year to train regularly and to establish exercise as a fixed part of their lifestyle. They also radiate this role model effect to children and young people. On the one hand through the popular and emotional competitions of the junior marathon on Saturday afternoon, May 18th, on the other hand through the day of sports, which the state sports organization is implementing for the fifth time together with the Salzburg marathon. From 12 p.m., 16 Salzburg sports associations and clubs will present themselves and what they have to offer on the extensive and varied grounds of the Volksgarten and invite children, young people and adults to actively participate and try things out. “Sports Day on May 18 is a big stage that encourages movement. Because sport and exercise are of central importance for the health of young people. Due to the wide range of offers, there is definitely something exciting for everyone," says Provincial Councilor Schnöll.

Sightseeing at a run

The running festival in the city of Mozart offers a special kind of sustainable sightseeing with the CUP&CINO breakfast run on Saturday morning, May 18th. On four different routes, running guides take the participants to special and well-known places in the city of Mozart and draw a close connection between sport, art and culture. This special sightseeing is packed into a leisurely jog, which ends with a joint breakfast in the CUP&CINO Coffee House, which is included in the entry fee.

In the photo: from left Mag. Gerald Reisecker (Managing Director Salzburger Agrar Marketing), DI Andreas Schwaighofer (Managing Director Bio Austria Salzburg), Mag. Stefan Schnöll (Provincial Councilor for Transport, Infrastructure and Sport), Mag. Allegra Frommer (Managing Director Salzburger Verkehrsverbund), Johannes Langer (organizer Salzburg Marathon) and Dr. Helmut Mang (running guide CUP&CINO breakfast run)