By Teemu Virtanen
Kaiser Maximilian Lauf started in 2016 when König Ludwig Lauf, now a Challengers event, was canceled and a replacement event was quickly needed. The local organizers put together a race in a few days, and since then it has become a celebrated sports event in Central-Europe, and it’s been a member of the Visma Ski Classics Pro Tour every year since its inception. This year's edition takes place on Saturday at 8:45 am CET for the women and 9:00 am CET for the men and the recreational skiers.
The 60 km course is quite challenging with long and demanding climbs. The most arduous section is the climb up to Wildmoos and the subsequent descent. Participants will also ski partly on the historic 1976 Olympic trails and enjoy the picturesque landscapes around them. The course will also go through the scenic Leutasch valley where race participants can enjoy the breath-taking scenery and a flat section of the track. After the Leutasch valley, there are some hard climbs before reaching the Seefeld area, but the track goes in the middle of the Tirolean forest with many great sights to see.
Seefeld is located on a plateau at an altitude of 1200 meters, embedded in a majestic mountain atmosphere with more than 245 km of groomed cross-country ski tracks in the area. With more than one million overnight stays each year, it is one of the most popular Tyrolean tourist destinations especially for skiing in winter, but also for summer activities. The town has countless restaurants, cafés, hotels and attractions that can easily enchant a visitor and invite him or her to an amazing winter wonderland.
The idyllic town is less than 20 km away from Innsbruck and Garmisch-Partenkirchen and about a two-hour drive from the Munich airport. It is easily accessible by train from the Munich airport and by public transportation from the Innsbruck airport. In addition to the aforementioned famous cities, Oberammergau is situated about 55 km from Seefeld, and this world-famous Passion Play location, the next one is this summer, has a lot to offer for visitors. It is also the host town of the aforementioned König Ludwig Lauf.
Things to do in Seefeld:
- Visit Rosshute and Kaltwassersee: they are popular ski areas and offer amazing views from the top. You can take a funicular railway and then a smaller cable car to the summit or hike up.
- Hiking in Gaistal Valley: this valley is located in Leutasch, and it is one of the most picturesque places to hike in Seefeld.
- Take a tour by a horse-drawn carriage around Seefeld and see all the best place the town has to offer.
- See the Mösern Peace Bell: the bell was built as a peace sign, and it rings every day at 5 pm to remind everyone to stay in good relations with each other.
- Spend a relaxing day at a spa as there are many great options for that enjoyment in Seefeld.
- Stroll around Wildsee Lake: it’s the main lake in the town and certainly a wonderful experience.
- Have fun at Casino Seefeld: it is one of the main tourist attractions in the town. Even if you are not into gambling, it’s a place worth visiting.
- Enjoy Tyrolean food, drinks and seasonal events – there are many great restaurants and places to eat and many events, besides Kaiser Maximilian Lauf, that make this town and its surrounding region a special place to visit.
