As one of the biggest events of its kind in Germany, the hella hamburg half attracts participants from all over the world to the city on the Elbe every year to take on a lively 21.1 km course
When countless running fans once again start their chant on the morning of June 29, 2024, experienced runners know it’s time: Now it’s getting serious! Then the starting signal for the hella hamburg half is just a few moments away, when over 14,000 participants once again set off on a 21.1 kilometer party. The event is a race to remember.
It starts with the course. The city route was designed to accommodate as many tourist attractions as possible in 21.0975 km. There are almost 50 of them. It all starts in Hamburg’s biggest nightlife district, the world-famous Reeperbahn, where the party-goers are on the streets instead of the sidewalks for a change. From there, it’s down to the harbor, past the Landungsbrücken (a transport hub for ships), along the historic Speicherstadt (a warehouse district which became a UNESCO world heritage), through the Wallring Tunnel, over the Kennedy Bridge, around the Outer Alster Lake until the finish line at the exhibition grounds… And these are just some of the sightseeing highlights – you might miss a few along the way.
Perhaps the 40 or so event points, which on average give the runners a boost every 500 meters, will also play a part in this. With DJ support, live music, African, South American and Japanese drums, a real Swiss mountain festival with alphorns, a Low German shanty choir, several cheering zones and artists, you are virtually carried along the course. One acoustic and visual highlight follows the next – the kilometers fly by. And the Hamburg audience plays their role very well.
On the home straight, the blue carpet is literally rolled out for the participants… while they are greeted by a frenetic audience. A few meters later, you can be celebrated as the finisher of the hella hamburg half – only about 1.5 kilometers from the starting point on the Reeperbahn, where the party began.
Once again, a spectacle can be expected in Hamburg that attracts guests from over 90 nations to the Elbe metropolis every year. A large international elite field and many running crews are likely to have already made a note of the date when one of Germany’s biggest half marathons invites them to dance again. On June 29, 2025, the motto will once again be: Hamburg Half – Double Fun!
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