State Championships

50th individual title for Andreas Voijta

Andreas Vojta and Julia Mayer can celebrate.

(Bild: Olaf Brockmann)

A big anniversary for Andreas Vojta! At the age of 35, he secured his 50th (!) individual title of his great career at the state championships in the 10 km road race in Tattendorf.

The Lower Austrian, who runs for the Viennese club team2012.at, won in 29:57 minutes. As expected, the women's title also went to Vienna. Julia Mayer (DSG) won in 34:03, but she had to be persuaded, literally forced, to start...

Julia Mayer

(Bild: Olaf Brockmann)

"There was no way I wanted to run on Saturday afternoon at 4pm. I didn't feel up to a 10 km run," explained the 28-year-old. The reason: after the change in training (higher intensity and change in technique), she didn't think she was in shape for a championship after the Olympics in Paris. But her coach Vincent Vermeulen was very clear: "You have to run!"

Pauer still strong
So she had no other choice. She competed from full training and won her 21st individual title ahead of Nada Ina Pauer, who took another great step forward on her comeback after her long injury break (with numerous operations). Nada Ina Pauer, already third in the 5000 m championships on the track this year, finished second in 34:37 ahead of Sandrina Illes, who celebrated her 38th birthday with a bronze medal in 34:46.

"It was brutal!"
"I'm very happy for Nada that she can run well again," said Julia Mayer, who, like all the other runners, emphasized the tough conditions at this championship race held as part of the 6th Windpark Run in Tattendorf: a strong headwind in the first part, many turning points and "all the road surfaces you can imagine" over the ten kilometers, asphalt, gravel and just plain dirt. "All in all, it was brutal, but that can be the case in a championship race." The time wasn't that important.

She now had to check her stride length during the race and then discuss the next steps for the upcoming races with Vincent Vermeulen. Next up for her are the national half marathon championships in Salzburg (October 6) and the marathon in Valencia (December 1).

Drawn level with Weidlinger
Andreas Vojta, to whom Julia Mayer takes her hat off ("It's great that Andi is still at the front!"), has the same program ahead of him. He won the title ahead of Carinthian Thomas Messer, who surprisingly finished second in 30:00. Messner has recently appeared more as a triathlete, but now he wants to concentrate on running. Dominik Stadlmann took bronze in 30:03 ahead of Timo Hinterndorfer (30:11).

Andreas Vojta

(Bild: Olaf Brockmann)

Andreas Vojta: "It was tough competition today! I didn't know how the race would develop. After 3 km I was in front, but we took turns with the pace work because of the headwind." In the end, he came out on top and secured his 50th individual title. He thus drew level with Günther Weidlinger. The Upper Austrian already has 53 titles including team rankings, while Andreas Vojta now has 51. He won his sixth championship in the 10 km road race in Tattendorf.