Dear half marathoners,
in just a few weeks, we will be transforming the streets of Hamburg into the biggest 21.1 km party this city has ever seen – and you will be there! In preparation for the race day, we provide you with the important participation information here.
You can pick up your race pack in the foyer of the Hamburg Messe, East Entrance (Bei den Kirchhöfen 1, Hamburg-St. Pauli) at the following times:
Fri, 27 June 2025, 12.00–20.00 hrs
Sat., 28 June 2025, 10.00–20.00 hrs
Sun, 29 June 2025, 7.00–8.30 am
You will need a valid photo ID and this message in digital or printed form for pickup. Please state your race number, which was sent to you by email, on site.
We are running a summer half marathon and it can get warm. To make sure you are well prepared for high temperatures, you should definitely read our guide in advance. Your preparation begins at the latest at the start of the event week!
If you have ordered the official finisher’s shirt for the 31st hella hamburg half marathon, you will find a pickup slip with your race materials. Please present this at the shirt distribution point, which you will find to the right of the exit (see map Foyer entrance east). Additional merchandise will also be available for sale here. The shirt can also be purchased on the weekend of the event at a price of 30 euros (cash only). However, the following applies here: Only while stocks last!
Attention: Ordered shirts must be picked up before the race. Otherwise they will go on sale after the start.
The start will take place in waves. This is to ensure a pleasant flow of participants, minimise overtaking manoeuvres and relieve the pressure on narrower sections of the route and supply points. Please support this by arriving at the pre-start area on the Reeperbahn at the times listed below according to your expected finish time:
08.30 am — Block S: Skating
09.00 am — Block A: Running < 1:54 h
09.18 am — Block B: Running < 1:59 h
09.33 am — Block C: Running < 2:09 h
09.47 am — Block D: Running < 2:24 h
10.00 am — Block E: Running ≤ 3:30 h
Please note that the starting blocks will gradually move up to guide you to the start. Pay attention to the signs and announcements on site.
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Temperatures at the hella hamburg half marathon can exceed 30° C. To ensure that all participants reach the finish line safe and sound, a comprehensive supply system will be used. Please take a look in advance at how you can keep a cool head on race day with our support.
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The city course was designed to fit as many tourist attractions as possible into 21.0975 kilometres. There are almost 50 of them. In addition, there are over 40 event points to get participants moving. You can look forward to DJs, live music, drumming, samba, cheering zones, artists and much more. A party over 21.1 km!
Of course, the course is measured exactly according to World Athletics specifications at 21.0975 km and is therefore officially suitable for the best lists. This should provide an extra boost of motivation. Each kilometre will also be marked with kilometre signs.
Once again this year, our pacemakers will spur on all participants and deliver their entourage to the finish line on time. Five pacemakers will take care of the important times: 1:30 h, 1:45 h, 2:00 h, 2:15 h and 2:30 h. Look out for the men and women with the blue beach flags at the start.
Participants in the speed class and/or with a licence from the German Roller Sports and Inline Association (DRIV for short) may line up in the front starting area. Signs will indicate the designated area. Women start on the southern (left-hand) lanes of the Reeperbahn, men on the northern (right-hand) lanes. There will be a common starting signal for all participants.
The course has some challenging sections. Please exercise extreme caution on the following sections:
Deviating from the original handling, due to the German Championships the age groups are divided into the categories Active (16-29 years), U35 (30-34 years), U40 (35-39 years), U45 (40-44 years), … U80 and U80+. The decisive factor here is the year of birth, not the date. This means that if a participant reaches the age of 2025, he or she will be categorised in the higher age group.
You can find further details, including information on starting at a higher age, in the official announcement.
Your bib number is valid as a ticket for public transport on the day of the event (29 June 2025) and entitles you to travel within the hvv rings A-F to the event venue and back. Help us to reduce the ecological footprint of the event and make use of it.
If you wish to engrave your finish time onto your medal, you can do so in Hall B5 in the finish area (see map Expo/Finish area). If you have not booked it with your registration please bring 8.00 euros.
Please smile! Our photo partner will once again be on hand at six points along the route to capture you from your best side. You can purchase your snapshots on Meine-Sportfotos.de in the week following the event.
You can purchase the following merchandise in the foyer:
In all cases, however, the following applies: Only while stocks last!
You can view your result online directly after crossing the finish line and download your preliminary certificate (without rank). The final certificates including the final ranking will be released after the objection period on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.
Honour to whom honour is due! The winners in the following categories will be honoured on the stage in the finish area at the times listed below.
approx. 10.30 am: Skating
approx. 10.45 am: Skating
approx. 11.30 a.m.: Running
The race of the top athletes will be streamed live on the official YouTube channel. The broadcast will start at around 8.45 am and end at around 10.45 am.
