There was a slow start to the men's senior race, with a large leading pack reaching the 2.5 km mark.
He finished second in the senior race and took the team gold with Kenya.
Around 1000 male and female athletes participate in the senior races each year.
Krackowizer was then also in the senior race three laps into the lead before he had to abandon because of a defect.
Past champions were similarly absent from the women's senior race.
The start of the senior race was already delayed for at least an hour and a half due to bad weather and increasingly poor visibility.
The first edition of the competition featured only senior races and 180 athletes took part.
His first senior international race came four years later at the 2007 Championships.
The race has previously been broadcast live on television and attracts over 600 runners for the senior races annually.
A men's junior race was held in addition to the main senior race in 1963.