“St Pölten was voted Race of the Year in the 2023 Challenge Family awards, and it’s easy to see why. Not only is the course unique and incredibly picturesque – it’s also an exciting challenge that’ll have you feeling like you’ve tested your limits to reach the finish line.”
The team of TRI247 had an extensive look into Challenge St. Pölten and we love to share their insights.
“A UNESCO world-heritage listed landscape sets the scene for Challenge St. Pölten, one of the oldest middle distance races in Europe. Featuring a stunning, spectator-lined course and often attracting some of the world’s best PROs – it’s not hard to see why St. Pölten was voted Challenge Family Race of the Year in 2023.
“The race is centred around the St Pölten Olympic Centre. Which combined with the festival of triathlon set up, complete with a Junior Challenge, AquaBike, BikeRun and a Fun Tri for beginners, creates a buzzing race weekend atmosphere. From the unique two-lake swim to the challenging but incredibly scenic bike course, Challenge St. Pölten is the ultimate way to experience the beauty of Austria.”
Location – outstanding beauty
“Situated just under an hour away from Vienna, St. Pölten is the regional capital of Lower Austria, where you’ll find intricate Baroque architecture and impressive contemporary structures in a charming blend of old meets new.
“Take a stroll through the historic centre and you’ll find an Old Town filled with the intricacies of Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance period grandeur. But this isn’t a city that’s stuck in the past. Head into the modern government district and you’ll be greeted with sweeping contemporary architecture – from the striking ‘Festspielhaus’ theatre, to the ‘Tower of Sound’ offering spectacular panoramic views of the city.
“The stunning city makes way for the Wachau Valley – a UNESCO world heritage-listed valley that runs along the Danube River, offering rolling hills, winding vineyards and spectacular views of the Austrian countryside.
“With such a naturally beautiful race location, it’s good to know that the race organisers at Challenge St Pölten have made a strong commitment to sustainability – winning Most Eco-Friendly Race of the Year in the 2023 Challenge Family Race Awards. Over the last two years the team has collaborated with five universities to evaluate and start reducing their carbon footprint. So far measures have included switching to green electricity sources, reducing plastic and paper use and offering shuttle buses from the hotels to the race start to reduce the number of individual journeys.
“Race at Challenge St. Pölten and you’ll get to experience the very best of what this stunning location has to offer. With crystal clear lakes (yep, plural!) to swim in, a rolling bike course and a downtown run course lined with spectators. This might just be one of the most spectacularly beautiful middle distance race courses in Europe.”
