Sandro Spaeth (Image credit: Luke Baylis (scheiderbauer.com sports))
Sandro Späth and Dolores Rupp won the 110km Worldclass Marathon Challenge on Sunday in Offenburg, Germany in summery conditions.
After the highest summit, at 871m, five men formed the lead group including Späth, Thomas Zahnd, Ramses Bekkenk, Markus Kaufmann and Jörg Scheiderbauer. At kilometer 65, Kaufmann dropped off and then Scheiderbauer fell off the pace as Bekkenk attacked. Spath and Zahnd continued to hold the high pace.
On the final steep climb, last year's winner set off from the other two and went on to defend his title in four hours and 17 minutes. Bekkenk held on for second just under four minutes back. Zahnd finished third.
A Swiss racer also won the women's race. Dolores Rupp set a new record and left her competition behind. She finished in five hours and seven minutes. Fabienne Heinzmann finished second and Annette Griner took third.
