The first European Running Championships will take place in our country on 12 and 13 April 2025. Professional athletes and recreational runners will be together at the start of the European Marathon, Half Marathon and 10 km Championships that weekend. The marathon course runs from Brussels to Louvain, while the other races start and finish in Louvain. Interest is huge. Pre-registering for what will be the biggest running festival ever in our country is possible now.
Why pre-register now? That guarantees you a spot at the best available rate! On 28 March 2024 you will be able to confirm and pay for your registration with just a few clicks. The official registration process opens two weeks later on 11 April.
Until now, the marathon has been a regular part of the European Athletics Championships, alongside all running and other events on the track, but from 2025, the marathon will become a part of the brand-new European Running Championships. Besides the mythical 42.195km, the half marathon and 10km will also get their own European Championships. So, three championships on the road in our country in one weekend on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April 2025. What is unique about these European Running Championships is that professional and recreational athletes will be at the start together. These European Championships will be organised in a different country every 2 years.
The marathon starts at the Royal Palace in Brussels. An undulating course then leads the runners in a straight line to Louvain. After a 10 km city loop, the finish is at Parkpoort, just like the Road World Championships in 2021. The half marathon and 10 km start from Louvain, cross the city and wider surroundings before also finishing at Parkpoort.
“We are once again bringing a top sports event to Flanders – and to my own beautiful Flemish Brabant no less!”, says Flemish Minister for Sport Ben Weyts. “In this way, we hope to get even more Flemish people moving. Because watching sports, makes sport happen. When European Championships take place around the corner, many people will start itching to put on their own running shoes. These European Championships are also open to everyone: so, you will literally be able to run through Flemish Brabant alongside your idols. Running was already a low-threshold sport – and now it will be even more attractive.”
“Now that the course has been announced and pre-registration is open, these European Marathon Championships can really come to life among the people of Louvain,” says Louvain Alderman for Sport Johan Geleyns. “It is very much in Louvain’s spirit that these European Championships are both a top event for the best European athletes and a sports festival in which as many sports enthusiasts as possible can take part. Running is soothing and beneficial and hopefully we can encourage a lot of people through the races over 10 kilometres, half marathon and even the full marathon to take up this nice challenge in their own city and region. Whatever distance you run or even if you just come to cheer others on: these championships will be a unique experience.”
Brussels minister Sven Gatz is excited about the European Running Championships heading to his capital city. “The marathon starts in the heart of Brussels and runs across an undulating course in a straight line to Leuven, finishing with a 10km city loop. The finish is located at the Parkpoort, the exact same finish as the 2021 World Road Cycling Championships. Brussels is putting itself on the map as a European sports capital, and that deserves our continued support.”
