- Important running events with international participation are held in Thesprotia, Boeotia, Patras, Rhodes, and Ilia in March and April, under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization. These events contribute significantly to the promotion of the regions where they are held, and attract a large number of visitors from abroad and even outside the peak tourist season, while at the same time strengthening Greece’s position as a top destination for sports tourism.
Specifically:
Next Sunday, March 23, the Sivota Run Aeolos mountain running race will take place in Sivota, Thesprotia. The race is organized by private entities in the region in collaboration with the Municipality of Igoumenitsa and the Philoprodos Association of Sivota and aims to strengthen sports tourism and adventure tourism in Epirus, highlight the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the region and promote safety and sustainability in outdoor activities. The event includes a 22 km mixed terrain race for men and women over 18 years of age and a 5 km asphalt race for beginner athletes and children over 14 years of age, as well as events to promote local culture and products.
On the weekend of April 5 and 6, the 1st Mountain Road Race “Helicon Mountain Race” is held in the city of Livadia and in the unique natural environment of the mythical mountain of Helicon. The event includes a 36 km mountain running race. (Helicon Mountain Race 36 km) with an elevation gain of +2,200 m, a 36 km relay race (Helicon Mountain Race Relay 36 km) with an elevation gain of also +2,200 m, a 14 km mountain road race (Helicon Mountain Race Basic 14 km) with an elevation gain of +700 m and a 5 km (Helicon Entry Trail Run 5 km) with an elevation gain of +200 m, as well as a 1.5 km children’s route (Helicon Kids Race) without an elevation gain. The organizers’ goal is to highlight Livadia and Helicon as places untouched by large numbers of visitors and at the same time promote the area as a destination for sports tourism.
On Sunday, April 6, the 3rd International Patras Half Marathon is being organized, which also includes 10 km, 5 km and 1 km road races. for children. All routes will run through the city center and its coastal front, passing through its characteristic neighborhoods and historical landmarks, so that participants will have the opportunity to get to know, at the same time, the history of the Achaean capital and its natural environment. The race is a co-organization of the “Pelops” Athletic Club of Patras, the Region of Western Greece and the newspaper “Peloponnese”, while more than 5,000 athletes from Greece and abroad are expected to participate.
On the same day, the 10th TUI Rhodes Marathon is being held in Rhodes. The event, which has been taking place since 2014 and has become a reference point for the global running community, also includes half-marathon, 10 km, 5 km and 1 km races. for children, as well as a 5 km walking route, on a coastal route next to the walls of the Medieval City overlooking the Aegean Sea. This year’s event marks a new era, as it is renamed the TUI Rhodes Marathon, reflecting the strategic partnership with the TUI Group, which significantly enhances its international recognition and reach. Athletes from around 60 countries are expected to participate in the race, thus boosting tourism on the island at the start of the summer season.
Finally, on the three-day weekend of April 25-27, the events for the Truce Route 2025 will take place in Ilida and Ancient Olympia. Specifically, on April 25, the “Cleosthenes Route 2025” race from Pisa to Ancient Olympia, 5 km long, will be held, on April 26 the “Ifitus Route 2025”, a 2 km route for children in Ilida, while the event will culminate on April 27 with the “Truce Route”, 50 km long on the “Ecotourism Route: The Truce Path”, which starts from Ancient Ilida, passes through 13 villages of semi-mountainous Ilia and ends in Ancient Olympia, where the closing ceremony and the awards ceremony for the runners will take place. Furthermore, as part of the event, an art exhibition dedicated to Olympic values ??will be held at the War Museum of Athens from May 27 to 29.
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