Bolzano-Bozen (Italy), Monday 31 December 2012

World-class athletes and fun runners will meet on Piazza Walther, Bolzano's main square.

On new Year's Eve 2012, around 700 athletes will assemble again on Piazza Walther in Bolzano (German: Bozen), capital of Italy's alpine province of South Tyrol, for the annual Boclassic races.

The event will begin at 1pm with a 5k run, which is open to all runners in possession of a medical certificate for athletics. Participants will run four laps of a 1250-metre course through Bolzano's Old Town.

After that, children will run either 1.25km (one lap) or 2.5km (two laps).

The 5k handcycling race will start at 2.30pm.

Eagerly expected will be the elite races for top athletes, which will be held on the same course. Women will run 5km (at 3pm), and the men will run 10km (at 3.30pm).

Over the years, many world-class runners have taken part in the Boclassic.

Last year, Kenya's Edwin Soi won the 10k in a time of 28min 16sec. His compatriot Vivian Cheruiyot celebrated victory in the women's 5k in 16min 3sec.

Country: Italy

Venue (Map): Bozen / Bolzano (Trento 60km, Innsbruck 118km, Verona 152km)

Date: 31 December 2012 (Monday)

Race distance: 5km (open race); 2.5km and 1.25km (children); 5km (elite women); 10km (elite men)

Start time: 13.00 (open race); 13.40 (children's races); 14.30 (handcyclists); 15.00 (elite women); 15.30 (elite men)

Start and finish: Piazza Walther (Waltherplatz)

Entries: online; late entries on the day; entrants must provide a medical certificate at registration; race limit 555 runners

Entry fees (5km open race): € 20 (up to 29 Dec 2012), € 30 (up to 31 Dec 2012)

Entry fees (children's races; handcyclists): no entry fees

Race centre: on Piazza Walther (30 Dec 17.00-20.00; 31 Dec 9.00-11.00)

You get: chip timing, T-shirt, feed station on Piazza Walther (before and after the race)

Prizes (5km open race): to the first 3 M/F and to the first 3 in each category

Showers and changing facilities: yes

Award ceremony: after each race

Number of finishers 2011: 527 (5km open race), 153 children, 9 handcyclists, 23 (elite women), 28 (elite men)

Event website (in English, German and Italian): boclassic.it

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy or thoroughness of the information on this page.