Venezia / Venice (Italy), Sunday 23 October 2011

It's difficult to understand why the Venice Marathon keeps charging different entry fees to different people. "Foreigners" pay up to 30 euros more than Italian runners to register.

Well, the marathon is an attractive event in an attractive setting, and the race usually fills up early. The entry limit is 7000 runners.

The start is at the magnificent Villa Pisani in the small town of Stra near the city of Padua.

Participants run eastwards along the Brenta Canal with its many fine Venetian villas, then through Mestre where most of Venice's inhabitants live, and then across the 4km-long bridge that connects the mainland with the islands of Venice.

The final 3km are in Venice proper, where runners cross 14 bridges, covered with wooden ramps, so that you don't have to run up and down the steps. One of the bridges is a 170-metre-long, temporary pontoon bridge across the Grand Canal.

The route is mostly flat but it includes some mild climbs on the second half of the course.

In 2010, the Venice Marathon winners were Simon Mukun of Kenya (2:09:35) and Ethiopia's Makda Harun Haji (2:28:08).

Country: Italy

Venue (Map): Stra - Venezia

Date: 23 October 2011 (Sunday)

Distance: 42.2km (AIMS-certified)

Start time: at some time between 9.15 and 9.30 (depending on TV!)

Start: at the Villa Pisani in Stra

Finish: on Riva dei Sette Martiri in Venezia

Entries: online (payment by credit card) or by post or fax (payment by bank transfer); entrants may have to provide a medical certificate at registration; entries close 30 Sep 2011 or when the entry limit of 7000 runners has been reached

Entry fees:

- Italian nationals and runners living in Italy: 47/55/75 euros (until 31 March/31 Aug/30 Sep 2011)

- "Foreigners": 70/85/100 euros (until 31 March/31 Aug/30 Sep 2011)

Race centre: Exposport in Mestre, Parco San Giuliano (20, 21 and 22 Oct 2011 until 8pm)

You get: goodie bag, chip timing, pre-race bus service from Venice or Mestre to the start, transport of personal clothing to the finish, finisher medal, post-race transportation to Mestre or Stra

Prizes: (?)

Number of finishers 2010: 6258

Event website: www.venicemarathon.it

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page! Please visit the official event website to verify the above information.