Helsinki City marathon

The 44th Helsinki City Marathon is the largest and oldest marathon in Finland

The Saucony Helsinki City Marathon has a long history it was organized for the first time in the year 1981 and it has always been the most international and largest marathon event in Finland. This year will be the 44th edition for HCM. The Saucony Helsinki City Marathon’s route will offer you a beautiful sea views and finish at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium on May 11th, 2024!

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TIME TO START

Saucony Helsinki City Marathon Info

Saucony Helsinki City Marathon is one of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking competitions. At the end of the qualifying period, the top ranked runners in each age group will be invited to the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships.

Athletes are ranked according to their single fastest time in a qualifying event. 

Age groups (men and women)

The rankings cover age groups from 40 to 80+ for men and women as following:
40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIPS?

1) TOP RANKED ATHLETES

Leading athletes from each age group will be invited to the 2025 World Championships when the 2024 rankings season closes.  The exact number of athletes for each age group will be dependent on the field size (which will be announced later this year).

2) AUTOMATIC TIME QUALIFICATION

Any athlete achieving the Automatic Qualifying Times listed below will receive an automatic invitation to the 2024 world championships. Please note you must be registered on AbbottWMM.com to receive an invite. Sign up here.

3) THE GLOBAL MARATHON

The Abbott World Marathon Majors Global Run Club will once again host two Global Marathon events (spring and fall) where up to 200 runners completing each event will have the chance to qualify for the 2025 World Championship. More information can be found here.

HOW TO ENTER THE WORLD RANKING COMPETITIONS?

If you are +40 years old, make sure you have selected “Yes” in the section “I allow the event organiser to transfer my participant data to World Marathon Majors LCC.” in your profile.

Age Groups:

Saucony Helsinki City Marathon will award prizes in the following series:

W/M Open Class, W/M40, W/M45, W/M50, W/M55, W/M60, W/M65, M70

Runners who are at least 40 years old in the year of the event race automatically in the correct Age group according to their date of birth, when the “Age group” is selected as the series. The Age group is determined by the age on December 31 of the year of the event.

All 40-year-olds automatically race in the General category.

Prize money is awarded only in the General series. If the participant wishes, he can participate in the General series instead of his own Age group, but not in other Age groups.

Prizes

Each runner finishing within 6 hours receives a Saucony Helsinki City Marathon finisher medal. A diploma can be printed from your own result page after the official results have been published.

Best male and female runners will be awarded with prize money.  In case the winning time goes under 2.20 (men) and 2.40 (women) the winners prize will be raised by 500 euros.

Prize money:

1. 900 EUR

2. 650 EUR

3. 400 EUR

The top 5 runners in the open class and the winner of each age group will be awarded with a special prize.

The top 3 runners of the open class will be awarded directly after the race at the finishing area. Other awarded runners can collect their prizes from the Race Office at the Olympic Stadium.

All rights to changes reserved.

There is an age limit of 18 years to Saucony Helsinki City Marathon. Runners who have or will turn 18 years during the event year are welcome to participate.

Each runner must pick up their bib number from the Race Office at Helsinki Olympic Stadium before their run. Pleace check the Race Office opening hours from the general info.

Please make sure to have your QR code available when you enter the race office. Your friend can also pick up your bib number with your QR code. 

Note!  Saucony Helsinki City Marathon bib numbers must be picked up before 8:40 a.m. on Saturday!

Saucony Helsinki City Marathon entry fees 2024

12.-16.5. 59 €
17.5.-31.10. 69 €
1.11.-8.1.2024 74 €
9.1.-11.3 79 €
12.3.-22.4. 94 €
23.4.-11.5. 105 €
   

 

The event t-shirt is included in the entry fee until June 20th, 2023. From June  21st onwards, you can purchase the event t-shirt for 17,90 euros when you register (23 euros at the event).

All rights to changes reserved.

All rights to changes reserved.

Pace makers help you to keep up the steady speed during the whole event. These experienced runners are wearing flags with the finishing time and bright coloured vests and they will run the whole route with a steady pace.

We have pace makers aiming to the following finishing times:  3:00h, 3:15h, 3:30h, 3:45h, 4h, 4:15h, 4:30h, 4:45h, 5h, 5:15h and 5:30h. Before the start, you will find the pace makers near the finishing time signs beside the start area.

All rights to changes reserved.

The Saucony Helsinki City Marathon route will have 11 refreshment stations, one energy gel station and an extensive refreshment station at the finish area. At the refreshment stations, runners will be served sports drink (Maxim Sports Drink Orange) and water. At some stations, runners will be served salty pickled cucumbers, bananas and on the second round Maxim energy gels (orange and strawberry flavor). Please find the locations of the refreshment stations from the link below:

Saucony Helsinki City Marathon refreshment stations 2024

Personal refreshments 

If you have personal refreshments, please bring them to the marked boxes to the hallway of entrance of the Race Office/Expo Area between 7.30 a.m. and 8.40 a.m. on the race day. 

Please make sure that you can recognize your drinks, and that they are marked with your name and bib number. You can find the locations of the refreshment stations from the link above.

The personal refreshment drinks are served first (before sports drink and water) at the refreshment stations.

Start at 9:40 a.m.
The marathon start is at 09:40 a.m. at the Mäntymäentie street, next to the statue of Paavo Nurmi. All runners should be at the southern Olympic stadium square (starting area) latest by 09:30 a.m.

The Helsinki City Marathon results are based on runners’ net times (time from crossing start line to crossing finish line). Therefore, runners do not need to rush to the start line, as their timing will not start before they cross the start line.  Note! Runners shall not cover their bib number with their hands neither when crossing the start nor the finish line.

Route
The route shows runners the best views and the heart of Helsinki city! It is a comfortable route to run, offering runners a mixture of seaside, park, and, downtown landscaping. It is faster and smoother than before, avoiding some of the steepest and longest hills and narrow curves.

The route consists two nearly identical laps. In the first lap, the route takes runners to Salmisaari, where the route doesn’t go anymore in the second lap.

Finish
The finish line is at the iconic Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Runners are served a variety of refreshments at the finish area.

For a better view, click on the right corner “view larger map”

Elevation profile 2023

Click the profile to get better view of it.

All rights to changes reserved.

General event info

The SAUCONY HELSINKI CITY MARATHON ROUTE 2024

The Helsinki City Marathon route offers a mixture of beautiful seaside, park, and, downtown landscaping. It is faster and smoother than before, avoiding some of the steepest and longest hills and narrow curves. There is 11 refreshment stations, one energy gel station and an extensive refreshment station at the finish area. The finish line is at the iconic Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Helsinki City Marathon is an AIMS certificated race.

Click the map to get better view of it.

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THE entry FEE INCLUDES

  • Participation in the largest marathon running event in Finland
  • Refreshment points along the route and at finish
  • Finisher medal
  • Printable diploma via result system
  • Timing
  • Bag drop
  • International result service UltimateLIVE
  • Transfer service for discontinuing runners (TaksiHelsinki)
  • First aid on the route and at the finish
  • Refreshments at the finish area
  • Free entry to the Helsinki Swimming Stadium
  • Free training twice per month (in Helsinki region)