ARCHIVED RACE: Venicemarathon 2012 @ Stra, Venice, Italy on 28 October 2012

The 27th edition of the Venicemarathon will be run on 28th October 2012. It is said to be one of the best and fascinating marathons in the world for its unique and picturesque race course.

From the beautiful Villa Pisani in Stra, from which the start is given, the race course goes along the River Brenta passing through the city councils of Stra, Fiesso d’Artico, Dolo and Mira giving athletes an amazing vision of the Venetian mansions of the eighteenth century.

The marathon route goes then through the warm square “Piazza Ferretto” in the heart of Mestre to reach San Giuliano’s Park, the biggest urban park in Europe.
Crossing the long Liberty Bridge which connects the mainland to Venice athletes start breathing the Venicemarathon’s charm. Here athletes have the feeling of running on the water crossing bridges and its canals and running along the typical streets called “calli”. A special 165-meter- long bridge built for the marathon allows marathoners to go over the Grand Canal having an exclusive breathtaking view of St. Mark’s Square.

Since last edition athletes have the opportunity to pass through St. Mark’s square running in front of Correr Museum, Caffé Florian, the Basilica of St. Mark and the Clock Tower – real heart of the enchanting Venice. Going by Palazzo Ducale runners take their route towards Riva Sette Martiri where the finish line is located.

Thanks to the marathon, some areas of Venice are more accessible to anybody for many months during the year, giving the chance to people with disabilities or people with strollers to visit the town.

In fact the thirteen bridges that runners have to cross to reach the finish line are covered with special ramps made of wood which allow an easy way not only for marathoners and hand bikers but also for tourists and citizens.

Venicemarathon welcomes runners from all over the world along its race course but also at its exhibition, located at San Giuliano’s Park. All marathoners in fact visit Exposport to get their bib numbers, to discover the last novelties of the running world or to attend meetings regarding training strategies, sports diet and medicine. But the real protagonists on Saturday morning are families, friends and students who take part to the Family Runs: the two non competitive runs of 4 km each that every year count over 10,000 people who run along the paths inside San Giuliano’s Park in Mestre or along the streets in Dolo.

Venicemarathon is also a champion in solidarity. In fact who runs in Venice run to break their personal best record but also to help unlucky people.
Purchasing a special bib number or just donating an offer athletes can support the projects: Run for Water, Run for Life to dig drinking water wells in Uganda; Bimbingamba to give a prosthesis to unlucky children; Run to end Polio to erase polio from Earth or Venice in Peril to help save Venice financing the restoration of important monuments in the city not to lose part of our history.

Here are just some of the reasons to be part of the 27th Venicemarathon, come and join us! Further information on www.venicemarathon.it