1st Marathon of the Wine Towns

This promising new event in the north-east of Italy offers a full and a half marathon. 

The full marathon starts in the small town of Buttrio, located around 10 kilometres to the south-east of Udine. Competitors run one lap through the wine-growing area close to the Slovene border. The race follows quiet country lanes through several charming villages and small towns.

The largest of these is Cividale del Friuli with 11,000 inhabitants. The old town is a real gem, and running through the historic centre and across the Ponte del Diavolo ("Devil's Bridge") is surely one of the highlights of the marathon.

Half marathon runners join in the race 90 minutes later in the village of Prepotto, which is at the half-way mark of the full marathon. Both races finish in Buttrio.

The course is undulating with almost 100 metres of difference in elevation between the highest and the lowest point. The half marathon features a net elevation loss of 24m.

The entry fees are very low and all competitors will be treated to genuine Italian pasta after the race.

Country: Italy

Venue (Map): Buttrio (Udine 11km, Ljubljana 135km, Venezia 137km)

Date: 4 October 2009 (Sunday)

Race distance: 42.2km; 21.1km

Start (marathon): 9.00 Buttrio

Start (half marathon): 10.30 Prepotto

Finish: Buttrio

Entries: by fax or e-mail, payment by bank transfer

Entry fees: 10 EUR (half marathon), 15 EUR (marathon), free entry to wheelchair athletes

Race centre: at the start (Saturday 3 October from 14.00 to 20.00 and on the day from 7.00 to 8.30)

You get: Reebok backpack to the first 100 entries; bus service for half marathon runners before the race (from Buttrio to Prepotto); pasta party after the race; finisher goodie bag (cannot be guaranteed for entries after 21 September 2009)

Prizes (marathon): first 10 M/F; category winners; 36 bottles of wine to the first man

Prizes (half marathon): first 10 M/F; category winners; 18 bottles of wine to the first M/F

Showers, baggage storage: yes

Presentation: 14.00

Event website (in Italian and partly in Slovene and English): Maratona delle Città del Vino

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