Date, time and weather

Date  Sunday, October 23, 2011

 

Venicemarathon is held every year on the fourth Sunday of October. Future editions: October 28, 2012 - October 27, 2013 - October 26, 2014.

 

Start time  There will be 3 separate starts, in the following order: lite women, handbikes, mass. The starts will take place between 9:15 and 9:30 am.

 

The exact start times will be decided the day before the race, according to operational needs and TV broadcasting needs.

 

Weather  average high: 15C / 59F

average low: 7C / 44F

 

Course

Start  Stra (VE) - Villa Pisani

 

Finish  Venice - Riva Sette Martiri

 

Distance  42.195 kilometers / 26.224 miles

Distance measured and certified by AIMS/IAAF.

There is no half marathon race. The race is only on the full marathon distance.

 

 

Course overview  Start is located in Stra (a small country town about 25 km west of Venice), at the beginning of Riviera del Brenta, the beautiful riverside area where rich and noble Venetians built their vacation mansions in the 18th century.

 

The finish is in the historic centre of Venice, on the embankment named Riva Sette Martiri, in a scenic position facing the lagoon.

 

The first part of the route, along the Riviera del Brenta, lays in an environment rich with history, culture and beatiful landscapes, characterized by the numerous Venetian villas facing on the waters of the river.

 

The marathon goes through the centre of Marghera and Mestre, then runs for more than 2 kilometers inside San Giulianos Park and gets to Venice via the Liberty Bridge (a flat and straight bridge long just a little less than 4 kilometers).

 

The race proceeds in Venice's renovated port area and reaches the city centre for the last kilometers, which are simply unique and unforgettable. Marathoners run next to the Giudecca Canal to Punta della Dogana, where they cross the Grand Canal on a pontoon bridge, especially built for the race.

 

Passing by Piazza San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale, the marathon route gets to the finish line located in Riva Sette Martiri.

 

Passing through Piazza San Marco (high tide allowing...), near the Belltower and the Palazzo Ducale, the marathon route reaches the finish line located in Riva Sette Martiri.

 

Course difficulty  The Venicemarathon course is basically flat and fast. There are just a few difficulties, represented by 3-4 short slopes (100 meters or so) between the 25th and 35th kilometer.

 

In the final part of the marathon route (last 3 kilometers), runners will face 14 little bridges over Venices canals. Wooden ramps are put in place to prevent athletes from running on the steps.

 

There is no cobblestone on the course (apart from the last 100 meters before the finish line). In the final 3 kilometres the running surface will be mainly made of large rectangular stone slabs.

 

The course is entirely closed to traffic and marked every kilometer.

 

Course highlights  Riviera del Brenta, with several 18th century mansions just next to the course (in particular the impressive Villa Pisani next to the marathon start line).

 

Zattere, a 2-km-long embankment next to the Giudecca Canal, where athletes run close to the water.

 

Pontoon Bridge over Grand Canal, a 170-meters-long floating bridge which is built the night before the marathon and dismantled the night after.

 

Piazza San Marco and Palazzo Ducale, renowned Venice landmarks.

 

Finish line in Riva Sette Martiri, in the picturesque waterfront of St. Marks Basin.

 

Maximum times  Maximum time - half marathon: 2h50'

Maximum time - km 30: 3h55'

Maximum time - finish: 6h00'

After these times the organization cannot guarantee complete closing of the race course.

 

 

Support stations  Refreshement stations with water are available on the course every 5 kilometers starting from km 5. Sports drink, fruit and cookies will be available from the 20th kilometer station.

 

Runners will find 2 personal sponges in the race packet. They should carry the sponges with them during the race and soak the in the fresh water tanks available every 5 km, starting from km 7.5. Additional sponges will be available in the starting area, but not along the course.

 

For withdrawn competitors pick-up buses are available to carry athletes to the first-aid stations (placed at km 23,5 and 31,5).

 

Timing  Race timing will be managed by Timing Data Service.

 

Thanks to the chip applied to the back of athlete's bib number, sensors will record the actual time in which each runner finishes the race.

 

Intermediate times will be also recorded at the km:

5, 10, 15, 21.097 (half marathon), 25, 30, 35 and 40.

 

Times and rankings will be available in real time during the race on the web site www.venicemarathon.it.

 

Pacemakers  Pacing teams will help the participants to achieve the desired result.

 

These are the pacemakers' target times: 2h50'- 3h00' - 3h10' - 3h40' - 3h30' - 3h40' - 3h50' - 4h00' - 4h15' - 4h30' - 5h00' - 6h00'.

 

Registration

Participation requirements  1) participants must be at least 20 year old on October 23, 2011

2) one of the following:

a) participants must be membership card holders for the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL)

b) participants must be membership card holders for an Italian Sport Promotion Authority recognised by FIDAL

c) participants must be membership card holders for a foreign Athletics Federation affiliated to the IAAF

d) participants must have a medical license signed by a physician certifying that they are fit to run a marathon at a competitive level. The medical license must have been issued later than October 24, 2010.

 

In case d) - according to the FIDAL rules - athletes have to pay an additional 5,00 euro fee to get the "daily license for road races participation" which will be pre-filled by the organisation

 

 

Entry fees  Italian athletes (and foreign athletes with residence in Italy)

 

- 45,00 from October 25, 2010 until December 31, 2010

 

- 47,00 from January 1, 2011 until March 31, 2011

 

- 55,00 from April 1, 2011 until August 31, 2011

 

- 75,00 from September 1, 2011 until September 30, 2011

Foreign athletes

 

- 60,00 from October 25, 2010 until December 31, 2010

 

- 70,00 from January 1, 2011 until March 31, 2011

 

- 85,00 from April 1, 2011 until August 31, 2011

 

- 100,00 from September 1, 2011 until September 30, 2011

 

 

Registration fee includes  - race number

- insurance and medical assistance

- refreshments along the course

- goody bag

- official programme and information publications

- rent of timing chip

- results by SMS and e-mail

- finishers commemorative medal

- pre-race transportation from Venice Tronchetto or Mestre to the start area

- personal clothes transportation from start to finish area

- post-race transportation from the finish area to Venice Tronchetto, Mestre or start area

 

Registration deadline  - registration will close when 7,000 entries are reached

- registration will close on September 30, 2011 if the participants cap has not been reached before

 

Entry fee reimbursemnt policy  Under no circumstances are the entry fees refundable. However, the registered athletes who cannot take part to the marathon have two options:

 

1) Transfer of registration to another person. It is possible to transfer the registration to another person by formal request to be made by October 10, 2011 and by payment of an extra 10,00 fee for office expenses. The substituting participant must provide all information necessary for the application.

 

2) Transfer of registration to Venicemarathon 2012. By notifying his/her withdrawal from the race by October 19, 2011 and paying an extra 15,00 fee, the athlete can transfer his/her registration directly to Venicemarathon 2012.

 

Bib pick-up  Pick up your bib and race packet on Thursday October 20, Friday October 21 and Saturday October 22 at the Exposport.

Exposport will be located in Venezia Mestre, inside San Giuliano's Park. Opening hours: Thursday from 3pm until 8pm, Friday from 10am until 8pm and Saturday from 9am until 8pm.

 

How to get there: directions will be included in the confirmation letter.

 

No bib pick-up on Sunday morning before the race. No bib sent at home before the race.

 

 

Transportation services for athletes

To get to the start area  - bus service from Venice Tronchetto (fruit and vegetables market area) from 6:50am to 7:10am

- bus service from Venice Mestre (railway station) from 7:00am to 7:20am

The transport service is free and reserved to the runners only.

 

 

To return from the finish area  - ferry service from Venice Giardini to Venice Tronchetto (fruit and vegetables market area), from 1:00pm to 4:15pm

- bus service from Venice Tronchetto (fruit and vegetables market area) to Stra (start area)

- buses from Venice Tronchetto (fruit and vegetables market area) to Venice Mestre (railway station)

The transport service is free and reserved to the runners only.

 

 

Additional information

Hotel reservation  Oltrex Viaggi

Castello, 4192

30122 Venezia

Italia

Phone: +39 041 524 28 40

Fax: +39 041 522 19 86

 

 

 

 

Information  A.S.D. Venicemarathon Club

via F. Linghindal, 5/5

30172 Venezia Mestre

Italia

Phone: +39 041 5321871

Fax: +39 041 5327744