Linz became an obstacle course, and 2.700 running enthusiasts were right in the thick of it. On May 24, the Merkur Linzathlon and the OÖ Familienkarte Junior Linzathlon transformed the Upper Austrian capital into a stage for athletic ambition, team spirit, and lots of fun.

Whether crawling, climbing, or jumping—beat the city lives up to its name. Around 5 athletes braved up to 10 spectacular obstacles in two distances (2.000+ km or 21 km). Among them were classics such as:

• the “Perfect Wave”

• “Monkeyland”

• “Mission Magna”

• “Wall 4 Banner #believeinmyself”

The starting gun fired at 15 p.m. at the Lower Danube Bank. From there, the route led through the heart of Linz—past landmarks, over the Danube Bridge, through the historic city center, and up to the Schlossberg. The shorter version remained on the Old Town side, but was just as impressive as the long distance. Thousands of spectators along the route provided a lively atmosphere and provided motivation.

The winners of the Merkur Linzathlon 2025:
Herren:

• 1st place: Lucas Kempe (41:34)

• 2nd place: Michael Sauer (42:41,6)

• 3rd place: Rolano Valentini (43:44,7)

Damen:

• 1st place: Veronika Windisch (50:00,5)

• 2nd place: Maria Flecker (53:00)

• 3rd place: Antonia Rossak (54:26,7)

The young talent couldn’t be stopped either:
The day before, around 700 children and young people between 8 and 15 years of age demonstrated their fighting spirit at the OÖ Familienkarte Junior Linzathlon.

• Distance: 2 kilometers

• Obstacles: 11 challenging but fun stations
  The focus was on the fun of exercise and the shared experience.

After-run party:
After the run, there was a fitting celebration at the Lower Danube promenade – with music, a good atmosphere and the well-deserved pride of having mastered the course.

Next stops of the beat the city series 2025:

• Graz – June 14, 2025

• Innsbruck – June 28, 2025

• Vienna – July 26, 2025

Registration is open www.beatthecity.at possible, but only as long as starting places are available.