Grüntenstafette 2027: six legs, one team, one mountain
Trail run, road bike, uphill run, alpine run, mountain bike and final run: at the Grüntenstafette in the Oberallgäu, six people share a loop over the Grünten. How to build your team, how the logistics work and why registration in spring matters.
Daniel Gruber · 4 October 2026 · 7 min read
The Grüntenstafette (Grünten relay) is not a race you do alone. Six people share a loop around and over the Grünten mountain in the Oberallgäu: trail run, road bike, uphill run, alpine run, mountain bike and finally a road run. According to the organiser, around 1,700 people take part, and the event closes the summer sports season in the Allgäu (source: 808project.de, Grüntenstafette). It is organised jointly by TSV Burgberg and 808project GmbH. The next edition is announced for late September 2027, but the exact day is not yet clear: the organiser's home page says 25 September 2027 (a Saturday, like 2026), the event page says 26 September 2027 (source: 808project.de, home page and Grüntenstafette).
This page helps you build a team: which leg suits whom, how each person gets to their start, and why your place is decided in spring.
The format in brief
| 2026 edition (for orientation) | |
|---|---|
| Next edition | Late September 2027 (organiser gives both 25 and 26 September) |
| Venue | Burgberg im Allgäu, start and finish at Agathazell airfield |
| Start | 1:00 pm, finishers arrive between 3:00 and 5:00 pm |
| Team | 6 people, each does exactly one leg |
| Minimum age | 16, under-18s need written parental consent |
| Categories | Men open, women, mixed (at least 3 women), masters (combined team age at least 250 years) |
| Entry fee | €270 per team, i.e. €45 per person |
| 2026 registration | Opened 29 April 2026 at 6 pm, then sold out; no late entries |
Sources: 808project.de (Grüntenstafette, race information). As of 3 October 2026.
Six legs, six types
The format is a classic relay: the disciplines follow one another, and at each changeover the timing chip passes to the next person (source: 808project.de, race information). These were the legs in 2026:
| Leg | Length | Elevation | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Trail run | 5.9 km | +193 / −98 | Start at the airfield, tarmac, forest, field and meadow paths, ending on a rising hiking trail to the Zötler brewery in Rettenberg |
| 2 Road bike hill sprint | 7.6 km | +370 / −18 | Via Kranzegg and the pass road to Adelharz, up to the Willersalpe/Vordere Köllealpe at 1,183 m |
| 3 Uphill run | 3.5 km | +549 / −0 | Uphill all the way, past the Grüntenhütte to the Jägerdenkmal memorial on the summit (1,738 m) |
| 4 Alpine run | 2.1 km | +25 / −430 | Steeply downhill on narrow rock and scree paths to the Grüntenhaus and the Obere Schwandalpe |
| 5 Mountain bike | 14.1 km | +188 / −656 | Technical descents via Roßbergalpe and Alterstein to Winkel |
| 6 Final run | 5.0 km | +10 / −110 | Mostly tarmac, through Burgberg back to the finish at the airfield |
Source: 808project.de, race information. Added up, that is just over 38 kilometres and around 1,335 metres of climbing.
Who does what? Building your team
The beauty of the Grüntenstafette is that nobody has to be good at everything. The trick is putting the people from your running group and circle of friends on the right legs.
- Trail run (leg 1): For someone who is fast over 6 kilometres off-road.
- Road bike (leg 2): Short but almost entirely uphill. You want someone with power on climbs, not an endurance rider. The leg is ridden on the road, which is closed to cars during the race (source: 808project.de, race information, FAQ). Any bike without a motor is allowed; switching bikes mid-leg is not.
- Uphill run (leg 3): 549 metres of climbing in 3.5 kilometres. This is for whoever doesn't stop on a hill. Poles are allowed on the uphill and alpine runs (source: 808project.de, race information, FAQ).
- Alpine run (leg 4): The shortest leg, but the trickiest. The organiser calls it technically very demanding, requires sturdy footwear and strongly recommends checking out the route beforehand (source: 808project.de, race information). Cutting across is forbidden. Put someone here who is sure-footed going downhill, not just fast.
- Mountain bike (leg 5): The longest leg, with steep descents. Helmets are mandatory, special safety rules apply, and the organiser says plainly: only send experienced riders (source: 808project.de, race information).
- Final run (leg 6): 5 kilometres, gently downhill, almost all tarmac. The right leg for someone who is quick on the road – and often the best spot for a first-ever race.
For a mixed team you need at least three women. For the masters category, the team's combined age must be at least 250 years, counted by year of birth, and the category is only ranked if at least ten teams enter (source: 808project.de, race information). You can find teammates for the running and mountain legs in the Lauftreffs (group runs) listed on running in the Allgäu.
Logistics: six start points, one team
On race day every team member is somewhere different. This is how it worked in 2026 (source: 808project.de, race information):
- Race packs were handed out on Friday from 5 to 8 pm and on Saturday from 9 to 11 am at Agathazell airfield. The team captain can collect them for the whole team.
- Uphill and alpine run: Shuttle buses left the airfield between 10 am and noon. The uphill-run bus goes straight to the changeover at Alpe Kölle. The alpine-run bus goes to the Gasthof Alpenblick inn, from where it's about a 60-minute walk to the summit. The organiser advises getting on early.
- Road bike: The start is at the Zötler brewery car park at the edge of Rettenberg.
- Mountain bike: Drive to the Gasthof Alpenblick, then about 45 minutes to the start at the Schwandalpe.
- Final run: Start in Winkel near Sonthofen.
- Luggage: There is no luggage service. The easiest way is for the person starting at a changeover to bring the arriving person's change of clothes. Laminated bib cards are provided to tag your bags.
If you want to watch, the 2026 time windows give a guide: trail run 1:00–1:40 pm, road bike 1:20–2:15 pm, uphill run 1:40–2:45 pm, alpine run 2:00–3:15 pm, mountain bike 2:10–3:45 pm, road run 2:30–4:00 pm (source: 808project.de, race information, FAQ). The Grünten stays open to spectators.
Parking at the airfield cost €5 per car in 2026. The car parks at Vitalpark Burgberg and the Steinbruch hiking car park were free, each about 10 minutes' walk away. The organiser asks teams to share cars (source: 808project.de, race information).
Your place is decided in spring
The Grüntenstafette sold out in 2026. Registration opened on 29 April 2026 at 6 pm; entries closed on 21 September or when the limit was reached, and there are no late entries (source: 808project.de, race information). The organiser has not yet announced when registration for 2027 opens.
Since 2024 registration works in four steps. The team captain creates a new team, which secures the place. The captain then shares the team ID. All six register individually with that ID and pick their discipline. Finally, the captain confirms everyone in the registration portal (source: 808project.de, race information). Disciplines can be swapped later, and if someone drops out, the substitute registers with the same team ID. Team changes on site are possible until one hour before the start at the race office (source: 808project.de, race information, FAQ).
For your team this means: sort out over the winter who's in and who takes which leg. When registration opens, only one person needs to be quick to secure the place. Everyone else can sign up afterwards at leisure. All information and the registration link are on the official Grüntenstafette page.
Around the race
On the eve of the 2026 race there was a pasta party at the start area and the race briefing at 7:30 pm in the hangar at the airfield. After the race came the prize-giving at 6 pm and the "Heldenfeier" (heroes' party) at 7 pm (source: 808project.de, race information). Every participant gets a gift, the changeovers have food and drink with bars, gels, sports drinks and water, and showers are in the TSV Burgberg gym (source: 808project.de, race information). There is also a children's relay around the Dattebichl hill (source: 808project.de, Grüntenstafette). The race goes ahead in any weather.
More multisport and mountains in the Allgäu
The Grüntenstafette appears in our annual overview of running events in the Allgäu, in the section on triathlon and relays. The Allgäu Triathlon is run by the same organiser, 808project; if you prefer staying on foot and off-road, the MOUNTAINMAN Nesselwang offers trail races in May.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Grüntenstafette 2027?
- Late September 2027. The exact day is still open: the organiser's home page says Saturday, 25 September, the event page 26 September 2027 (source: 808project.de, home page and Grüntenstafette). In 2026 it took place on Saturday, 26 September.
- Which disciplines are there?
- Six legs in this order: trail run (5.9 km), road bike hill sprint (7.6 km), uphill run (3.5 km), alpine run (2.1 km), mountain bike (14.1 km) and final run (5.0 km). These were the 2026 courses (source: 808project.de, race information).
- How many people does a team need?
- Six. Each person may only complete one leg, and the minimum age is 16. A mixed team needs at least three women (source: 808project.de, race information).
- How much does it cost?
- In 2026 the entry fee was €270 per team, i.e. €45 per person. Prices for 2027 have not been published yet (source: 808project.de, race information).
- How do I register a team?
- The team captain creates a new team and receives a team ID. All six register individually with that ID and choose their discipline, then the captain confirms everyone in the registration portal (source: 808project.de, race information). In 2026 registration opened on 29 April and then sold out.
- How do team members get to their legs?
- Shuttle buses run from Agathazell airfield for the uphill and alpine runs. You get to the road bike, mountain bike and final run starts on your own; the organiser describes the routes in the race information. There is no luggage service (source: 808project.de, race information).