Five-times SPAR European Cross Country Championships medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen is the headline entrant for this weekend’s (29-30) German Cross Country Championships in Darmstadt. The 28-year-old won senior women’s silver last year in Antalya.
Although she has had a subdued track season, she will be looking to test her form on the national stage before a possible return to international action at the Lagoa 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships on 14 December.
The 2022 European 5000m champion and 2019 world 5000m bronze medallist will face a tough domestic field of international medallists.
Among them is Alina Reh, bronze medallist in the senior women’s race at both the 2021 and 2022 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Dublin and Turin respectively.
Also entered is Eva Dieterich, who won 10 km silver at the European Running Championships in Brussels–Leuven earlier this year.
Another name worth watching is Nina Engelhard, who won both the Up and Down and Classic Hill races at the Annecy 2024 European Athletics Off-Road Running Championships.
She also claimed double gold at the World Mountain & Trail Running Championships in Canfranc-Pirineos in 2025.
In the same race, Kira Weis looks like the leading U23 contender and, having secured a European U23 10,000m silver in Bergen this summer, will be keen for another medal tilt at Lagoa 2025.
Abraham, Görger and Ehrle set to contend for titles
In the senior men’s contests, Filimon Abraham, 5th in the senior men's race at the Turin 2022 SPAR European Cross Country Championships and defending champion Markus Görger head the entries.
In the age groups, Kira Weis is entered for the women’s U23 competition and, having secured a European U23 10,000m silver in Bergen this summer, will be keen for another medal tilt at Lagoa 2025.
In the women’s U20 class, the versatile Julia Ehrle, an U20 world champion in mountain running and 5000 m bronze medallist at the Tampere 2025 European Athletics U20 Championships, is a likely contender.