Florian Grasel, born around 1992 in Austria, has established himself as one of the most reliable Austrian ultratrail runners. His path into ultra trail running led through classic mountaineering and marathon running — a combination that gave him both the endurance and the alpine experience needed for long mountain races. Growing up in the Austrian Alps, the mountains were never just training grounds for him but a way of life and source of inspiration.
Grasel's career in ultra trail running developed steadily over several years. National successes at Austrian trail running championships and strong showings at international Alpine races brought him to the attention of the national team coaches. His focus lies on distances beyond 50 km, where his strengths in pacing consistency and nutrition strategy come fully into play.
What sets Grasel apart from many other ultra athletes is his ability to precisely gauge his own body over long distances. He knows his limits and understands exactly when to push the pace and when restraint is needed. This self-awareness — paired with experience from countless training hours in the Alps — formed the foundation of his success at the WMTRC 2023.
Beyond his sporting career, Grasel is known in the Austrian trail running scene as an approachable and helpful athlete who shares his knowledge about nutrition, equipment and training planning within the community.
At the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 in Innsbruck-Stubai, Florian Grasel delivered an outstanding performance at the Stubai Ultratrail. On the 65 km course with 3,800 metres of elevation gain through the Stubai Valley, he finished in 5th place with a time of 7:44:33 — a result that placed him among the five best ultra trail runners in the world.
Grasel's race was characterised by a controlled start and a strong second half. While the leaders around Hannes Namberger (gold, 7:18:44) and Timotej Bečan (silver, 7:25:11) set a high pace from the start, Grasel opted for more conservative pacing. On the high-alpine passages in the second half of the race, he consolidated his position against the international competition. Directly ahead of him, his compatriot Jakob Herrmann placed 4th (7:38:05).
With two Austrian athletes in the top 5 — Herrmann and Grasel — the AUT team demonstrated impressive depth at the Stubai Ultratrail. Grasel's 5th place at a World Championship is a career highlight and confirms his status as one of Austria's best ultra trail runners. The complete results show just how tight the battle at the front of this race was.
Grasel's approach to ultra trail running is methodical and data-driven. He uses heart rate monitoring and pace targets to optimally divide his race. At distances like the 65 km Stubai Ultratrail, he relies on early restraint that pays off in the second half — a pattern that shows consistently across his best results.
His nutrition strategy during ultra races involves a mix of solid food (bars, salted potatoes, bread) and liquid energy intake. Grasel makes a point of eating regularly during the first hours, before hunger sets in — a common mistake among less experienced ultra runners. This system reliably provided him with energy throughout the entire 7 hours and 44 minutes at the WMTRC 2023.
| Discipline | Placement | Time | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stubai Ultratrail | 5th Place | 7:44:33 | 65 km / 3,800 m D+ |
Florian Grasel is from Austria and was born around 1992. He was approximately 31 years old at the WMTRC 2023. He trains in the Austrian Alps and specialises in ultra trail distances beyond 50 km.
Grasel finished 5th at the Stubai Ultratrail with a time of 7:44:33. He was around 26 minutes behind the winner Hannes Namberger (7:18:44) and only 6 minutes behind the fourth-placed Jakob Herrmann (7:38:05).
The top 5 were: Hannes Namberger (gold, 7:18:44), Timotej Bečan (silver, 7:25:11), Marcin Świerc (bronze, 7:31:28), Jakob Herrmann (4th, 7:38:05) and Florian Grasel (5th, 7:44:33). Austria had two athletes in the top 5.
Grasel relies on controlled pacing with a negative split: he starts conservatively and picks up speed in the second half. He uses heart rate monitoring and pace targets to manage his effort. This approach paid off at the Stubai Ultratrail, where he gained positions on the high-alpine passages.
Yes, Jakob Herrmann also competed in the Stubai Ultratrail (4th place) and Trail Long (8th place). In the women's race, Karin Freitag earned a bronze medal. Austria was exceptionally well represented in the long-distance events.
Complete results for all five disciplines are on the results page. Profiles of other athletes like Hannes Namberger, Jakob Herrmann or Christian Stern can be found on the athletes overview.