Preview: 39th Friendship Run 2010

Hotedršica (Slovenia), Saturday 22 May 2010

The long-standing Friendship Run is a very friendly and relaxed event indeed, held in the forested karstic hills between Slovenia's capital Ljubljana and the Adriatic Coast.

Start and finish are in the charming village of Hotedršica, about 25 kilometres from the famous Postojna Caves.

Men and women start together, but their routes split after a few hundred metres. Women take a left turn and run a 7-kilometre-loop. Men turn right and run 13 kilometres.

Both routes travel through forests and lovely meadows, mostly along dirt roads. Just the first and the last kilometre or so are on asphalt.

The first half of the race is mainly uphill, the second half downhill. Overall, the men's race climbs about 335 metres, the women's race 200 metres.

Drinks are provided at the odd farmhouse. After the race all participants get a warm meal on the sports field.

In 2009, the winners were Valentina Bonanni of Italy (27:01) and Slovenia's Simon Alič (48:58).

Race report and photos: Tek prijateljstva 2009

Country: Slovenia

Venue (Map): Hotedršica (42km from Ljubljana, 73km from Trieste, 91km from Rijeka, 99km from Udine)

Date: 22 May 2010 (Saturday)

Race distance: women 7km, men 13km, children 300/600/1200/1500m; guided walk 8km

Start time: 14.00 (children), 15.00 (guided walk), 17.00 (7/13km)

Start and finish: at the sports field in Hotedršica

Entries: on the day (13.00-16.45)

Entry fees: 8 EUR; children 2 EUR

You get: a present, a warm meal, prize raffle

Prizes: trophies to the first 3 M/F, medals to the first 3 in each category

Award ceremony: 30 minutes after the last runner has finished

Number of finishers 2009: 105 men, 37 women, 146 children

Event website (in Slovene): www.hotedrsica.si

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