September 1, 2003 – Swiss rider Thomas Frischknecht took his first official rainbow jersey in a MTB race at the first Marathon World Championships in Switzerland. Frischknecht, ever the bridesmaid in so many cross-country worlds, rode the course just under four hours to defeat Dutch rider Bart Brentjens in the first ever running of the Marathon at the worlds. Canadians Geoff Kabush and Andreas Hestler finished 23rd and 47th in the event.

The women's race was won by 19-year-old Polish rider Maja Wloszco ahead of compatriot Magdalena Sadlecka, in 4.32.06.7 Canada's Leslie Tomlinson finished a solid 19th. There were close to a thousand competitors totalling the massive event.

Men – 78 km

1.Thomas Frischknecht (Switzerland)            3.48.01.9
2.Bart Brentjens (Netherlands)                    0.01.4
3.Carsten Bresser (Germany)                       3.59.4
4.Bas Peters (Netherlands)                        4.00.4
5.Mauro Bettin (Italy)                            4.31.6
6.Marzio Deho (Italy)                             4.31.9
7.Massimo De Bertolis (Italy)                     4.32.8
8.Frédérique Frech (France)                       5.20.9
9.Thomas Dietsch (France)                         7.45.9
10.Sandro Spaeth (Switzerland)                    7.57.1
———–
23 Geoffrey Kabush (Canada)                      14.29.2
47 Andreas Hestler (Canada)                      24.35.8

Women

1. Maja Wloszcowska (Poland)                    4.32.06.7
2. Magdalena Sadlecka (Poland)                     4.50.4
3. Sandra Klose (Germany)                          9.20.5
4. Birgit Jüngst (Germany)                        10.37.6
5. Petra Henzi (Switzerland)                      14.18.3
6. Alexandra Hober (Italy)                        14.18.9
7. Regina Marunde (Germany)                       22.29.7
8. Jacqueline Mourao (Brazil)                     22.33.7
9. Ilona Bublova (Czech Republic)                 22.36.4
10. Maroussia Rusca (Switzerland)                 24.38.1
—-
19. Lesley Tomlinson (Canada)                     36.45.7