Christa Vahlensieck
Encyclopedia
Christa Vahlensieck (born 27 May 1949 in Düsseldorf
) is a former German long distance runner
and pionier in the marathon
for women.
On 28 October 1973 in Waldniel, she became the first German woman to complete the marathon in under three hours (2:59:26; under her maiden name Christa Kofferschläger). She set another German record (2:53:00) at the Boston Marathon
on 15 April 1974. Both times were also European bests.
In the same year, she won the Essen Marathon in 2:42:38. The time was not recognized as a world record because the course was 745 m too short.
On 3 May 1975, she succeeded at setting the world record at Dülmen
with a time of 2:40:16. In the same year, she was the first German winner at the Schwarzwald Marathon in 2:45:43, a time that still stands as the course record.
On 10 September 1977, her victory at the Berlin Marathon
in 2:34:48 gave her another world record.
At the 1983 World Championship
in Helsinki
she placed 19th (2:40:43).
From 1973 to 1989, she won 21 marathons, among them the 1977 Berlin Marathon
, five times at the Košice Peace Marathon
(1981, 1984, 1986 - 1988) and the 1989 Vienna Marathon
.
She won 11 West German national titles:
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
) is a former German long distance runner
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
and pionier in the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
for women.
On 28 October 1973 in Waldniel, she became the first German woman to complete the marathon in under three hours (2:59:26; under her maiden name Christa Kofferschläger). She set another German record (2:53:00) at the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
on 15 April 1974. Both times were also European bests.
In the same year, she won the Essen Marathon in 2:42:38. The time was not recognized as a world record because the course was 745 m too short.
On 3 May 1975, she succeeded at setting the world record at Dülmen
Dülmen
Dülmen is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Dülmen is situated in the south part of the Münsterland area, between the Lippe river to the south, the Baumberge hills to the north and the Ems river to the east...
with a time of 2:40:16. In the same year, she was the first German winner at the Schwarzwald Marathon in 2:45:43, a time that still stands as the course record.
On 10 September 1977, her victory at the Berlin Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
in 2:34:48 gave her another world record.
At the 1983 World Championship
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
she placed 19th (2:40:43).
From 1973 to 1989, she won 21 marathons, among them the 1977 Berlin Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
, five times at the Košice Peace Marathon
Košice Peace Marathon
The Košice Peace Marathon is the oldest marathon in Europe and the second-oldest in the world .The first course was held in 1924. The marathon takes place each year on the first October Sunday...
(1981, 1984, 1986 - 1988) and the 1989 Vienna Marathon
Vienna Marathon
The Vienna City Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195 km held in Vienna, Austria since 1984. The first edition was held on March 25, 1984 with a total of 794 competitors...
.
Other Records
- World record in the hour runHour runThe one hour run is an athletics event in which competitors try to cover as much distance as possible within one hour. While officially recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a track event, it is rarely contested apart from occasional world record attempts.The event...
: 16,872 meters, 24 May 1975 in Bochum - World record in the 10000 metres10000 metresThe 10,000 metres or 10K is a common long distance running event. As "10,000 metres" it is a track event, and appears in athletics events such as the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics; as "10K" it is a roadrace or cross country running event...
: 34:01.4, 20 August 1975 in Wolfsburg - World record in the 20000 metres: 1:10:50.2, 25 October 1975 in Essen
- Four world records in 25km road raceRoad runningRoad running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
: 1:31:52, 23 March 1975 in Düren; 1:31:01, 13 September 1975 in Rheydt; 2 May 1976 in Ameln; 1:28:33, 22 November 1978 in Griesheim - German Record in 100km runUltramarathonAn ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...
: 7:50:37, 4 September 1976 in Unna
She won 11 West German national titles:
- in Marathon: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1980
- in 25 Kilometer Road race: 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980
- in 15-Kilometer Road race: 1988
- in Cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
1978
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990.... |
1st | Marathon | 2:34:48 |
| 1982 | Osaka Ladies Marathon | Osaka, Japan | 3rd | Marathon | 2:34:42 |
| 1983 | World Championships 1983 World Championships in Athletics The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983.... |
Helsinki, Finland | 19th | Marathon | 2:40:43 |
| New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
New York City, United States | 6th | Marathon | 2:35:59 | |
| 1986 | California International Marathon California International Marathon The California International Marathon is a 26-mile, 385-yard road race in Northern California. The course follows an historic gold-miners' round beginning at Folsom Dam and passing through rural Sacramento and ends at the California State Capitol. The race starts at an elevation of 366 ft... |
Sacramento Sacramento Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
1st | Marathon | 2:39:31 |
| New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
New York City, United States | 9th | Marathon | 2:38:12 | |
| 1989 | Vienna Marathon Vienna Marathon The Vienna City Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195 km held in Vienna, Austria since 1984. The first edition was held on March 25, 1984 with a total of 794 competitors... |
Vienna, Austria | 1st | Marathon | 2:34:47 |