THE BEGINNING OF THE ROUTE DU VIN

The thinking was based on elementary logic. As long as the public does not come to the stadiums to see the athletes in action in their usual environment, the athletes must go where the public is, in the towns and villages.

This simple idea inspired Paul Frieden, our great post-war champion of long-distance races, when he proposed to his friends on the executive committee the idea of a road race, preferably in autumn, at the time of the grape harvest, in the enchanting setting of our Moselle and its vineyards.

At the time, the idea of such an event seemed far-fetched and unrealistic. It was the very first road race organised in the Grand-Duchy (and the surrounding area) on October 16, 1962.

(Emile Thoma - Brochure published for the 39th Route du Vin in 2000)

The Luxembourg winners

Men

The fact that only 3 editions of the Route du Vin have been won by Luxembourg athletes to date is a testament to the high level of performance achieved since then. After Jean Aniset's victory in the first edition in 1962, Théo Bock took over in 1972.

Justin Gloden, winner in 1980, is until now the last Luxembourg athlete to have won this prestigious race in the men's category.

Luxembourg winners

1962 Jean Aniset 1.11.58

1972 Theo Bock 1.08.15

1980 Justin Gloden 1.07.23

Women

On the women's side, 5 individual victories were won by 2 athletes

Luxembourgish. Jeanny Mahnen, pioneer of long-distance running in Luxembourg, was ranked 1st woman on 4 occasions (1976 - 1979 - 1981 - 1982).

Danièle Kaber, who was to finish 7th in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Marathon and was the only national athlete to compete with the best in the world, won the 1987 edition.

Luxembourg winners

1976 Jeanny Mahnen 1.29.40

1979 Jeanny Mahnen 1.30.13

1981 Jeanny Mahnen 1.24.58

1982 Jeanny Mahnen 1.28.00

1987 Daniele Kaber 1.11.33

Luxembourg's best and National Championships

Between 1962 and 1975 the title of National Champion in the men's long-distance race was contested in the framework of the Route du Vin.

Since 2001 the title of National Half Marathon Champion is awarded to the best Luxembourgish athletes.

The most successful athletes are Vincent Nothum and Pascale Schmoetten.

Participation

During the first editions in the 1960s, only experienced took part. In 1962, 29 competitors reached the finish line. The 100 was exceeded for the first time in 1969.

14 years later, in 1983, 662 competitors reached the finish line. The 500 barrier, considered magical at the time, was exeeded for the first time. in the 1980s, the leisure sport was booming and more and more athletes were coming to the start.

In 1990 more than 1000 participants were registered at the finish, while the 1500 threshold was reached in 1999.

Race Routes

Although the Route du Vin was, of course, always run along the Moselle in the middle of the grape harvest, the route taken varied on several occasions. Wormeldange, Grevenmacher and Remich were used as finishing points. The

new route, with a round trip Remich-Stadbredimus-Remich-direction Schengen-Remich, is officially approved by AIMS.

Possible records can be recognised and the times achieved are eligible for the yearly lists of the best world performances.

Organisation and Volunteers

The organisation of an event such as the Route du Vin requires a lot of preparatory work.

The detailed planning of the next edition starts with the arrival of the last competitor.

At the administrative and technical level, the organisers work in close collaboration with the Luxembourg Athletics Federation and the City of Remich and call upon a.o. the Police, the Ponts et Chaussées, the emergency services including a medical team as well as more than 200 volunteers to ensure that the event runs almost flawlessly at all levels.

On the other hand, the commercial partners, who have been faithfully associated with the Route du Vin for years, some of them for decades, also play an extremely important role.

A big thank you to all the those involved !