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Annual footrace in Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki City Marathon
DateMay
LocationHelsinki, Finland
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon, Half marathon, 5K run
Established1981
Course recordsMen: 2:12:47 (1993)
Spain Martín Fiz
Women: 2:36:14 (1991)
Soviet Union Albina Galimova
Official siteHelsinki City Marathon
Participants15,000 (2023)

The Helsinki City Marathon is an annual marathon held in Helsinki, Finland. It has been held since 1981 and is the largest marathon event in the country. It is approved by the World Athletics federation as a standard long-distance race. While earlier it was held in August, it has been moved to May since 2018 to be conducted on the "Helsinki City Running Day". The event was held in October in 2020 and 2021 as an exception due to COVID-19 pandemic.

History

[edit]
Runners in the 2011 Helsinki City Marathon.

The first edition of the Helsinki City Marathon was held on 26 July 1981 and was won by Sinikka Toropainen and Günther Mielke.[1][2] The largest marathon event in the country, it was held in August every year.[2][3] It is approved by the World Athletics federation as a standard long-distance race.[4] The half marathon Helsinki City Run has been held since 1994.[5] Since 2018, the event has been conducted in May annually on the day called "Helsinki City Running Day".[2][3] In 2020, the race was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and was held on 3 October on the same year.[6][7] Similarly, the same happened in 2021, when the event was held on the 2nd of October.[8]

Events and course

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Participants in the Helsinki City Marathon in 2007.

Apart from the main marathon event, other events include half marathon, relay, 5K run and miniathon.[2][3] The relay event consists of four legs 12.8 km, 8.8 km, 12.3 km and 8.3 km respectively with transition areas Meilahti, Opera House, and again in Meilahti and is run by a team of four runners.[9]

The events usually start near the statue of Paavo Nurmi located in the Mäntymäentie street.[10][11] The course runs through the appropriate distance various parks along the route, traverses along the Baltic Sea coastline, before reaching the city centre.[2][10] The races usually end at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium, which also hosts the refreshment areas.[3][12] The marathon route usually traverses at sea level with a highest altitude of 32 m (105 ft) and an average altitude of 8 m (26 ft). Only about 1.1% of the route has a steep uphill gradient along the 42.2 km (26.2 mi) course.[13] The temperature ranges from 13–18 °C (55–64 °F) during the race.[3]

Participation and prizes

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The racers are allowed to participate in different age categories apart from the open category. A participation fee is charged based on the event concerned.[10] About 15,000 participants raced in the event in 2023.[3] Participants are allowed to participate in multiple events including the double of marathon and half-marathon called the "Helsinki City Double.[3]

Cash prizes are awarded for top three finishers overall, and the best placed finishers across various age groups and other specified categories.[10] All finishers of the event within a specified time limit (six hours for marathon race) are awarded a participation medal, and other memorabilia.[2] Racers who clock a finishing time less than 2 hours 20 minutes (men) and 2 hours 40 minutes (women) are awarded an additional cash prize of 500 Euros each.[10]

Winners

[edit]

Source:[14]
Key:   Course record

Men

[edit]
YearAthleteCountryTime
1981 Günter Mielke  Germany 2:23:35
1982 Dominique Chauvelier  France 2:17:02
1983 Francisco Medina  Spain 2:25:39
1984 Niilo Kemppe  Finland 2:20:41
1985 Jorma Sippola  Finland 2:15:36
1986 Tommy Persson  Sweden 2:17:11
1987 Douglas Orr  Sweden 2:19:57
1988 Douglas Orr  Sweden 2:16:43
1989 Jouni Kortelainen  Finland 2:18:58
1990 Alexandr Beljajew  Soviet Union 2:14:36
1991Anatoliy Korepanov  Soviet Union2:18:06
1992Aleksandr Belyayev Russia2:20:39
1993Martín Fiz  Spain2:12:47
1994Zerehune Gizaw Ethiopia2:20:18
1995Tesfaye Bekele Ethiopia2:16:59
1996Julius Mitibani  Tanzania2:19:00
1997Julius Mitibani  Tanzania2:18:07
1998Julius Mitibani  Tanzania2:21:24
1999Pavel Loskutov  Estonia2:19:18
2000Nikolaos Polias  Greece2:18:46
2001Daniel Komen  Kenya2:18:43
2002Sebastian Panga  Tanzania2:18:39
2003Giorgio Calcaterra Italy2:20:55
2004Dmitry Kondrashov  Russia2:21:29
2005Vener Kashayev  Russia2:20:07
2006Francis Wachira  Kenya2:18:26
2007Peter Biwott  Kenya2:20:31
2008Johnstone Chebii  Kenya2:24:31
2009Pavel Andreev  Russia2:22:34
2010Gezahagne Girma  Ethiopia2:22:36
2011Dominic Ondoro  Kenya2:23:24
2012Titus Kurgat  Kenya2:22:45 [15]
2013Hosea Kiplagat  Kenya2:22:26
2014Justus Kiprono  Kenya2:20:42
2015Hiroki Nakajima
2018Robert Magut  Kenya2:29:42
2019Robert Magut  Kenya2:27:09
2020Joni Hirvikallio  Finland2:29:47
2021Eric Mangeh  Cameroon2:21:37
2022Oscar Holmström  Finland2:24:57
2023Eric Mangeh  Cameroon2:26:14
2024Oscar Holmström  Finland2:24:10
2025Jack Nixon  United Kingdom2:25:17
2026 Kari Heikura  Finland 2:21:06

Women

[edit]
YearAthleteCountryTime
1981 Sinikka Torpainen  Finland 2:53:15
1982 Sinikka Torpainen  Finland 2:41:18
1983 Sinikka Keskitalo  Finland 2:39:43
1984 Diane Palmason  Canada 2:48:21
1985 Irmeli Ruponen  Finland 2:50:56
1986 Sinikka Torpainen  Finland 2:49:00
1987 Marita Yli-ilkka  Finland 2:41:53
1988 Ritva Lemettinen  Finland 2:42:35
1989 Ritva Lemettinen  Finland 2:40:32
1990 Swetlana Netschajewa  Soviet Union 2:39:03
1991Albina Galimova  Soviet Union2:36:14
1992Garifa Baijanova  Kazakhstan2:42:41
1993Anne Jääskeläinen  Finland2:43:32
1994Sylvia Renz  Germany2:41:30
1995Roza Vladimirova  Russia2:54:03
1996Svetlana Netchaeva  Russia2:47:38
1997Galina Zhulyeva  Ukraine2:41:38
1998Tatyana Maslova  Russia2:45:30
1999Tatyana Maslova  Russia2:47:10
2000Tatyana Zolotareva  Russia2:44:31
2001Tatyana Zolotareva  Russia2:45:56
2002Tatyana Zolotareva  Russia2:50:10
2003Tatyana Zolotareva  Russia2:57:03
2004Jennifer Lotoiywo  Kenya2:57:31
2005Minna Kainlauri  Finland3:00:29
2006Haile Kebebush Ethiopia2:52:47
2007Flora Kandie  Kenya2:51:05
2008Margarita Plaksina  Russia2:40:47
2009Margarita Plaksina  Russia2:45:28
2010Leena Puotiniemi  Finland2:49:11
2011Leena Puotiniemi  Finland2:38:05
2012Salome Biwott  Kenya2:41:54[15]
2013Leena Puotiniemi  Finland2:42:03
2014Natalya Starkova  Russia2:37:56
2015Elina Junnila  Finland2:54:13
2016Anna Herzberg  Germany2:56:29
2017Anastasia Zakharova  Russia3:06:44
2018Katarina Skräddar  Finland2:54:45
2019Katarina Skräddar  Finland2:50:56
2020Soili Kosonen  Finland2:55:28
2021Aleksandra Borodinova  Russia2:43:22
2022Annemari Kiekara  Finland2:41:11
2023Petra Kilpeläinen  Finland2:47:54
2024Koleta Moravcová  Czech Republic3:07:15
2025Eira Rapp  Norway2:48:30
2026 Petra Kilpeläinen  Finland 2:46:34

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Helsinki Marathon 1981". Marathon view. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Annamari Ahonen (6 February 2020). "Reasons to run the number one running event in Finland - The Helsinki City Marathon". World Marathons. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Finland: famous for fresh air". AIMS world running. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  4. ↑ List of approved standard distance races (PDF). World Athletics (Report). p. 4. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  5. ↑ "Half marathon". Helsinki City Running Day. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  6. ↑ "Helsinki City Running Day postponed to early autumn due to Coronavirus". Helsinki City Running Day. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "Helsinki City Running Day postponed to 3rd of October and returns to the Olympic Stadium". Helsinki City Running Day. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Helsinki City Running Day siirtyy lokakuulle". Helsinki City Running Day (in Finnish). 25 March 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  9. ↑ "Helsinki City Marathon relay". Helsinki City Running Day. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Helsinki city marathon". Helsinki City Running Day. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "Paavo Nurmi sculptures". Ham Helsinki. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "Helsinki city run marathon". Runna. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  13. ↑ "Helsinki marathon course map". Go and Race. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  14. ↑ "Helsinki City Marathon". Marathon view. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  15. 1 2 "Results 2012". Helsinki City Marathon. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
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