Venezia (Italy), Sunday 27 October 2013

It is difficult to understand why the Venice Marathon keeps charging different entry fees to different people. Non-Italians pay up to € 30 more for registration than Italian runners.

Nevertheless, the event is hugely popular with runners from around the world, and the race usually fills up early. The entry limit is 8,000 runners.

The race follows a point-to-point course that begins 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 the ‘centro storico’ where runners cross 14 bridges that are covered with wooden ramps so that one doesn't have to run up and down the steps. One of the bridges is a 170-metre-long temporary pontoon bridge across the Canal Grande.

The route is mostly flat but there are some gentle climbs on the second half of the course. And you'd be well advised to save some energy for the 14 bridges in Venice.

Country: Italy

Venue (Map): Stra - Venezia

Date: 27 October 2013 (Sunday)

Race distance: 42.2km (AIMS/IAAF-certified)

Start time: ca. 9.20

Start: at Villa Pisani in Stra

Finish: on Riva dei Sette Martiri in Venezia

Entries: online or by fax; entrants must provide a medical certificate at registration (and pay an extra € 7) if they are not registered with a recognized athletics club); entry limit 8000 runners

Entry fees:

• Italian nationals and "foreigners" living in Italy: € 50/58/66 (up to 29 March/28 June/30 September 2013)
• "Foreigners" living outside Italy: € 73/84/96 (up to 29 March/28 June/30 September 2013)

Race centre: Exposport, Parco San Giuliano, Venezia Mestre (24, 25 and 26 Oct 2013 until 8pm)

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

Prizes: (?)

Number of finishers 2012: 5934

Event website: www.venicemarathon.it

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