Der Mann kennt sich aus, wenn es um internationale Titelkämpfe und Medaillengewinne geht. Stian Angermund (laut Pass Norweger, der Urgroßvater aus Deutschland, und die Frau seines Vorfahren aus Dänemark, also zu rund einem Achtel Deutscher und zu rund einem Achtel Däne)  – ist nicht nur amtierender Weltmeister auf dem Trail Short, den er in Chiang Mai 2022 gewonnen hat, sondern hat bereits 2016 bei der WM in Lleida Vertical- und Sky-Marathon-Rennen gewonnen.

„Als Teenager war ich ein Biathlet“, erzählt Angermund. „Dann habe ich mit dem Berglauf begonnen, und als ich 25 oder 26 Jahre alt war, traf ich bei einem Wettbewerb in Norwegen Jonathan Wyatt, mehrfacher Weltmeister, eine Ikone unseres Sports. Ich fragte ihn nach wichtigen internationalen Rennen und er empfahl mir den Großglockner Berglauf.“ Gute Erinnerungen an Österreich sind seitdem geblieben: „Wunderbare Landschaften, freundliche Menschen. Jedes Land hat seine Besonderheiten, doch irgendwie kann man die Natur in Norwegen mit jener in Österreich vergleichen – ohne die hohen Berge allerdings. Jedenfalls liebe ich es, Zeit in den Alpen zu verbringen.  Meine Freundin hat einen Onkel im französischen Avoriaz, wir haben Freunde in der Schweiz, ich war auch beim Dolomitenmann in Linz dabei. Und am Großglockner wurde ich 2014 Zweiter, 2015 Erster.“

That was during a time when Angermund first started skyrunning with friends, and he soon felt comfortable running downhill as well as uphill. “Up until five years ago, I would have said I was stronger uphill. Now I'm about equally strong uphill and downhill - the only thing that matters to me is that it's as steep as possible, because I'm not super-fast on easy trails.”

Stian Angermund does not want to judge whether the Vertical, the Trails or the Skyruns are more important or more prominent. “For me it's not about the distance and the meters in altitude. It's about feeling the joy of running, spending time in nature and challenging myself. It's about the feeling of running, about feeling your surroundings and yourself.”

The man from Bergen with an ITRA index of 916 is looking forward to the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 Innsbruck-Stubai - with the Trail Short route from Innsbruck to Stubai and its altitude profile appealing to the defending champion. In a year full of competitive highlights, further medals are of absolute priority for the Scandinavian. In the week of the UTMB, Angermund will compete at the OCC and even before that, he plans to be the first athlete to stay under the two-hour mark at the Dolomyths Skyrace. “Other events may be more financially rewarding, but in terms of prestige, nothing can match World Championships. It will be a tough job, and the fact that I am the defending champion counts for nothing on the trails of Tyrol. Besides, I don't like the term ‘defending champion’; much rather, I see myself as an attacking champion. And my attitude carries over to my race strategy."

“It's a great idea to combine mountain running and trail running into joint World Championships, and Innsbruck-Stubai will organize outstanding title runs. But please: Change the names of the trail races, for example to Mountain Marathon and Ultra Trail. For me personally, a Trail Short equals a Mountain Classic, both in terms of length and meters in altitude.”

Stian Andermund has been signed by Asics a few days ago. In addition to being a world-class runner, he is also a running coach and looks after the next generation of runners, supporting them together with his girlfriend, Danish running star Katrine Villumsen (ITRA 682). Katrine initiated the Norwegian Skyrunning Series and is Head of Nordic Skyrunning, an organization active in five Nordic countries. The pair of them will hold a youth training camp subsequent to the WMTRC and also attend the Skyrunning World Championships in Italy in order “to encourage and inspire the next generation.”

Angermund has an 18-month-old daughter (who didn't let him sleep for almost a year due to lactose intolerance that was not immediately discovered), a dog and no time for hobbies. “But that's okay,” says the world-class athlete. “And it’s also okay that the trail running scene is becoming ever more professional. The WMTRC in Innsbruck-Stubai will play their part in pushing this development even further. They're certainly going to be a big thing.”