On Sunday 15 October, the Athora Great Bruges Marathon will celebrate its sixth edition. The course will get a thorough upgrade this year: the runners will get to enjoy the historic city centre of Bruges even more and can look forward to a green loop through Sint-Michiels and a nice stretch through picturesque Damme.
Start and finish of the Athora Great Bruges Marathon remain unchanged: runners will start in the heart of Bruges on the Dijver and finish on the Grote Markt, in the shadow of the Belfry. There is no setting that is more beautiful for running the first and last kilometres of your marathon or half marathon than Bruges’ historic city centre, protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The marathon and half-marathon runners then go via Kruispoort in Sint-Kruis and De Groene Poorte castle in Koolkerke, to continue their course to the pleasant historical town of Damme, where the pretty medieval town hall is an eye-catcher. Participants run back towards Bruges along the Damse Vaart and through the polders.
The half-marathon runners turn towards the finish on the Grote Markt, while the marathon runners head further south towards green Sint-Michiels, with stretches through the woods Tillegembos and Lappersfortbos. Back in the heart of Bruges, the marathon runners start a second and final loop through the historic city centre at the Minnewater. They also finish on the Grote Markt.
The new course of the Athora Great Bruges Marathon contains only about thirty vertical metres, making it ideal for those aiming for a fast time. At the same time, the integration of Damme and Sint-Michiels in the course and the double passage through the stunning centre of Bruges provide plenty of variety and an imaginative setting. It makes the Athora Great Bruges Marathon undoubtedly one of the most beautiful marathons in Europe.
Walkers can also come and enjoy themselves on Sunday 15 October, as the programme of the Athora Great Bruges Marathon’s sixth edition will again include an 8 km Family Walk. Online registration for all distances is open until Saturday 14 October or while stocks last.
Franky Demon, Councillor for Sport Bruges: “The Bruges Marathon is a household name in our city, but also far beyond. Last year, some 5,300 sports enthusiasts took part and created a unique atmosphere in our city. As a UNESCO World Heritage city, Bruges offers a magnificent backdrop for this sporting event. There are plenty of extra assets thanks to the addition of Damme, historically linked to Bruges, as well as a generous dose of nature in Sint-Michiels. The new course and the double passage through the historic centre of Bruges provide more variety and an even more imaginative setting. It makes the Athora Great Bruges Marathon without a doubt one of the most beautiful marathons in Europe. Every great city has its marathon, and the Bruges Marathon has just become even more desirable as a feature on your sports record.”
Course plan:
