RUMOR ISSUE // HIGH ALTITUDE EDITION 01

Some races collect runners. SAT collects personalities that don’t blink at 3,000 meters. Nothing confirmed. But imagine this start line.

Andi Reiterer

Reigning ULTRA champion of the first-ever SAT. Local legend. Training secrets include cake, naps, and riding a lawn mower in Zone 2. Climbs the way other send emails: calmly, repeatedly, without bells and whistles. And SAT – long, steep, properly alpine and structurally opposed to flatness – tends to reward that exact tone.

Andi is officially confirmed for SAT 2026.

Lisa Wimmer

Open account with SALTY races. Still unpaid. Moved to the Allgäu, which we respect, but also question emotionally. Definitely not your pick when it comes to a challenge in the final downhill. Treats technical descents as timing, not suggestion. And SAT – high, exposed, finishing on alpine terrain that rewards nerve over negotiation – would settle that account properly.

Lisa is officially invited to SAT 2026.

Manu Merillas

His legs are largely responsible for why we got into trailrunning. Skyrunning champ. Zegama winner. Collector of vertical in all three daily meals. Some people read maps. Manu zooms in until the contour lines get nervous. There are few creatures more inspiring. Occasionally his dog Zar, but only by a margin. And SAT – steep, high, properly alpine and impatient with hesitation – should feel like a proper Hunter-S.-Thompson-breakfast for him.

Manu is officially invited to SAT26.

Miriam Meinheit

Trailrunner. Mountaineer. Medical doctor. Basically Innsbruck’s personality in three bullet points. Often spends her mornings gaining vert and her afternoons explaining why that was necessary, medically speaking. Knows exactly what altitude does to the human body and still signs up for it voluntarily. And SAT – intense, steep, high-alpine and generously applied above 2,500 meters – feels like the kind of field study she’d absolutely conduct on herself.

Miri is officially invited to SAT26.

Cristian Minoggio

Skyrunner. World champion. European champion. The kind of CV that makes start lines behave differently. There are rumors Jim still checks under his bed for “OCC” because of Cristian. One of Italy’s finest mountain athletes, and in that country, that’s not handed out with espresso. And SAT – steep from the start, properly alpine, and structurally uninterested in comfort – would feel very on brand.

Cristian is officially invited to SAT26.

Anna Plattner

Keeps smiling while dismantling sections that were supposed to hurt. Won the SKY distance at last year’s SAT. Casually. Former roadie. Former MTB champion. Current collector of uphill arguments. If there’s a KOM nearby, it’s already slightly nervous. Good vibes, high cadence, zero drama. And SAT – sharp, vertical, unapologetically alpine and allergic to moderation – seems to fit that exact frequency.

Anna is officially confirmed for SAT26.

Johannes Wingenfeld

Force of nature with a mean Bad Bunny drop at km 28. Apologies in advance, buddy. He probably hates that we're mentioning him here. We can't help it, though. True wizard in technical terrain. Downhill? Bad Bunny would be proud of him. Carb-rations? Optional. Staying real while everyone else is thinking about their Strava caption? Mandatory. And SAT – high, rough, properly alpine and finishing on terrain that punishes hesitation – is exactly the kind of place where his sort of magic stops being subtle.

Johannes is officially invited to SAT26.

Fabiola Conti

Italy exports espresso and mountain athletes like this for a reason. Does not arrive. She materializes. Mountain runner with a résumé that climbs almost as consistently as she does. Moves uphill like it’s a private agreement between her and gravity. Technical terrain does not slow her down. It clarifies her priorities. And SAT – steep, high, properly alpine and unfiltered above treeline – is exactly the kind of terrain where that agreement gets interesting.

Fabiola is officially invited to SAT26.

Lukas Mangger

South Tyrolean by heart. Which already explains a lot. Won the SKY at last year's SAT and made it look like a casual neighborhood loop with better scenery. Got second at OTF and complained about all the “flat” sections, which felt academically consistent. Athletics background included. This year he’s lining up for the ULTRA. That feels deliberate. And SAT – long, high, structurally vertical and unwilling to entertain boredom – is exactly the kind of place where “flat” finally stops being an issue.

Lukas is officially confirmed for SAT26.

Toni McCann

South African engine. Alpine appetite. Moves like she already read the course profile and decided yes. Altitude doesn’t make her dramatic. It makes her efficient. Long climbs tend to sort people out. She usually remains. Calm, positive face. Unsettling consistency. And SAT – steep for hours, high for sport, and very honest above treeline – is exactly the sort of place where that efficiency compounds.

Toni is officially invited to SAT26.

Nothing confirmed. We just ran the SAT elevation profile next to these names and something felt… logical. High altitude. Long climbs. Honest descents. Good people. You can imagine the rest.

SAT remains South Tyrol's most credible argument against comfort.

Tag the friend who would sign up for this.