Marathon and Race Walking in the heart of Munich - European Championships Munich 2022 announce official routes

The schedule and the routes for the European Championships in marathon and race walking have been fixed. As usual, the classic road events will be held outside the athletics stadium. The city centre of Munich will offer the athletes the largest possible stage and underlines the aim of the organisers to offer easily accessible European Championships for all of Munich.

The European Championships will ensure a sporting festival of superlatives in Munich. From 11 to 21 August 2022 nine European Championships in the sports of athletics, beach volleyball, canoe sprint, cycling, gymnastics, rowing, sport climbing, table tennis and triathlon will all take place in the host city. 176 medal decisions and around 4,700 athletes will make the event the biggest multi-sport event in 50 years.

Glorious start to the European Championships with four medal decisions

50 50 exciting decisions for gold, silver and bronze will be held during the European Athletics Championships, making it the sport with the most medals to win and lose. The first day of the European Athletics Championships on 15 August 2022 will be a sight to see. The marathon runners will provide the first golden moments of the European Athletics Championships 2022, guaranteeing four riveting decisions for the European Championship title in the heart of the city. On Assumption of Mary Day, around 80 women will take on the 42.195-kilometre course in the morning, followed by 80 men an hour later, so that both competitions can be watched at once. The marathon results will count for both the individual and team rankings, where the three best times per nation and gender will be added together to reveal the final ranking.

The athletes will start from Odeonsplatz towards the north to Siegestor and will first run a short introductory loop. The ten-kilometre loop then begins at Odeonsplatz as well but sends the athletes along other classic Munich sights. The course takes the continent's best marathon runners on a sightseeing tour past Marienplatz, Viktualienmarkt, Gärtnerplatz, Isartor, the Eisbach wave and the Friedensengel through the city centre to English Garden, which needs to be completed four times. The finish line at Odeonsplatz will be an impressive sight for the top athletes, with thousands of spectators expected in the stands on the public holiday. Additional European Championship entertainment will be provided by several music groups along the route.

An elite task for the public: „Run of 22“on the marathon course for all

Afterwards, the European Championships Munich 2022 will open its doors to the general public. The numerous onlookers can become an active part of the unique sporting event themselves by taking part in the subsequent ten-kilometre "Run of 22" or by cheering on the amateur runners on the original course of the stars. Anyone who wants to experience the goosebump feeling can register now at www.munich2022.com/en/runof22.

Munich's Lord Mayor, Dieter Reiter: “The anticipation for the European Championships next summer is growing. The routes for the decisions in the marathon and race walking competitions have been chosen excellently with the route through the centre of Munich and are sure to generate enthusiasm among the spectators and athletes. The fact that the running circuit will be made available to all running enthusiasts afterwards is great and once again underlines the sustainable concept of this major sporting event.”

European Athletics President, Dobromir Karamarinov: “The preparations for the European Championships Munich 2022 are now in full swing and the release today of the marathon and race walking courses for the European Athletics Championships are proof of this. The routes will take in many of Munich’s iconic sites including the Marienplatz, the Siegestor and the finish line at the Odeonsplatz. I am sure that Europe’s top athletes as well as athletics and sports fans alike are counting down the days to what will be a fantastic multi-sport European Championships.”

A premiere for race walking

In addition to the marathon decisions, four medal decisions in walking will also take place in the city centre of Munich. On Tuesday, 16 August, the 35 kilometres are scheduled and on Saturday, 20 August, the 20 kilometres will be decided. The race walkers will complete a two-kilometre circuit between Odeonsplatz and Professor-Huber-Platz. The 35-kilometre competition will celebrate its premiere at the European Championships. Until now, 50 kilometres have been part of the competition in its stead - just like at the Olympic Games. Next summer, Tokyo silver medallist Jonathan Hilbert (GER) will have the chance to win his first gold medal over this distance on home soil.