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Guide

Monaco Run, U Giru de Natale, Maremontana.. A guide to running races in Monaco

Monaco Run 2023
© Stéphane Danna - Communication Department

Running is very popular in the Principality, for locals and visiting athletes alike, so Monaco Tribune decided to compile a list of the biggest running events that take place each year, starting in Monaco, or around its streets. 

Monaco Run

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Organised by the Fédération Monégasque d’Athlétisme (Monaco Athletics Federation), the Monaco Run is one of the Principality’s flagship events. Recently awarded the World Athletics Label, the Monaco race is now one of an elite group of 238 races around the world.

Monaco Run
© Monaco Run

A just reward, as the Monaco Run attracts the sport’s stars every year. This year, Frenchman Jimmy Gressier even set a new European record for the 5 km during the event. And the Monaco Run is also a meeting place for amateur runners who want to challenge themselves and compare their performance with other competitors.

With several races open to all comers, the Monaco Run has a motto: each to their own distance. This is why the Monegasque event draws both experienced athletes and youngsters, or the young at heart, who are new to competition.

The races: Herculis 5 km, City Trail, Monaco APM 10 km, Pink Ribbon Monaco 5 km walk

The magic number: 2000 – the number of participants in the 2023 edition

The next edition: February 2024 (date and time to be announced)

No Finish Line

Running for a good cause. And not stopping. Over the past 25 years, the No Finish Line event has raised over 3.2 million euros, which have been donated to a number of charities.

The idea is simple: run or walk round the dedicated 1400m Fontvieille track, which will be open 24 hours a day for 8 days non-stop. You can do as many kilometres as you like, as many times as you want.

No-Finish-Line
© NFL

For every kilometre covered, Children & Future undertakes to donate 1 euro to support projects for sick or underprivileged children. 10,000 participants took part in the 2022 edition, with Roca Team basketball player Yakuba Ouattara as the event’s patron.

Open to all comers, the No Finish Line event contains many challenges, such as the Prince’s Cup, which is awarded for the greatest number of kilometres covered. In 2022, Daniele Juan Alimonti went the extra mile to win it… 886 km in total in fact!

The magic number: 251 770 – the amount in euros collected at the last edition, which was donated to around twenty projects for sick or disadvantaged children.

The race: a 1.4 km loop around the Fontvieille marquee in Monaco

The next edition: from 11 to 19 November 2023 (exact dates and times to be announced)

U Giru de Natale

U Giru de Natale is Monaco’s last running race of the year. It is open to all comers, with races for all ages.

Every year, a few days before Christmas, sportsmen and women gather to go round the Grand Prix circuit and the magnificent Monaco streets.

U Giru de Natale
© Monaco Athlétisme

Organised by the Association Sportive de la Sûreté Publique (ASSP – Police Department’s Sports Association), U Giru de Natale boasts an attractive course, suitable for everyone and that includes the famous bends of the Monaco Grand Prix.

The race: 10 km trail

The magic number: 1500 – the number of participants in the 2022 edition

The next edition: December 2023 (date and time to be announced)

Ultra Trail Côte d’Azur Mercantour

It’s a huge challenge, and an incredible adventure through a fabulous variety of landscapes. For the more adventurous, the Ultra Trail (125 km), the event’s flagship event, provides an exceptional playing field, from Quai Albert 1er to the edge of the Mercantour National Park.

A breathtaking race through 20 centuries of history, with some 7,800 metres of positive gain in store.

© Utcam

Another race that starts off in Monaco is the “Maremontana”. 5 km with 500 m of positive gain, and a testing course. An unmissable race for all trail and nature lovers.

The races: Maremontana (5km) and Ultra Trail (125 km)

The magic number: 2000 – the number of athletes who took part in the 2022 edition

The next edition: departure from Monaco on Friday 7 July 2023 at 7pm