"Colorful" program

Vienna City Marathon: More than 40,000 registrations

The Vienna City Marathon

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

On April 20 and 21, Vienna will once again be home to the Vienna City Marathon (VCM). For the first time since 2019, more than 40,000 registrations have been registered for the various events, as the organizers Kathrin Widu and Dominik Konrad reported on Tuesday. Not all the details of the starting field have been revealed yet, but it has been announced that the supporting program will be more colourful than ever before. The Türkis-Rosa-Lila-Villa will also be part of it.

Those who have not yet decided to take part can still choose from the races on Saturday - for example, the first "5K Vienna Ring Circuit". The marathon and half marathon on Sunday, on the other hand, are already fully booked. There was at least a preview of the Austrian elite today. The Austrian marathon record holder Julia Mayer will be taking part again. In the men's race, last year's fastest marathon runner in the country, Mario Bauernfeind, will face record holder Peter Herzog. The latter should now be fit again after a long injury break, as was explained today.

A large international crowd is expected, as many are likely to tackle the Olympic limit, it was said. The women's field will also include two participants who have already been faster than the Viennese course record (2:20:59). Full details of the international field will be announced at a later date.

Big supporting program
There are also big plans for the supporting program. A marathon party has been promised, which will continue long after the last finish. There will be various music acts and sound systems along the entire route. Even members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will curate a station. A longer-term collaboration has also been agreed with the orchestra. A VCM fanfare is to be composed next year. There will also be a symphony concert in 2026.

A particularly striking building on Wienzeile will be included in the event: the turquoise-pink-purple villa. A "water and cheering station" will be positioned there under the motto "Embrace Divercity". They want to support the runners because they know how important support is, assured Wolfgang Wilhelm, Head of the Anti-Discrimination Office for LGBTIQ Affairs: "Queer life is still a marathon today."

However, there is also another reason for the commitment. The aim is to promote the Euro Games community sporting event. These are taking place in Vienna for the first time this summer. The cooperation with the villa has been planned for some time, it was confirmed today. Homophobic incidents at other sporting events were not the impetus here. Most recently, such chants caused a stir at a Rapid victory celebration.

"Hero Zone"
Celebrations should not be neglected at the marathon either. The last kilometer and the finish area at City Hall and the Burgtheater will become the "Hero Zone", where the athletes will be cheered on once again. Incidentally, the names of the participants will be larger on the race number this year. An after-race party is also on the program for the first time. It will take place in the 25hours Hotel on the evening of the marathon, it was announced.