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Sākumlapa NewsJelgava night half marathon, August 22
Jelgava night half marathon, August 22
18/07/2025

In 2025, the “BTA” Jelgava Night Half Marathon will take place on August 22.

PROGRAM

  • 12:00 – Registration and number collection (Pasta Island)
  • 19:30 – Start of the mile race
  • 20:15 – Start of the children’s races
  • 21:15 – Start of the half marathon
  • 22:25 – Start of the 5 km and 10 km races
  • 00:30 – Awards ceremony
  • 01:05 – Live music by Žoržs Siksna and the band “ARmaestro”

FREE ENTRY FOR SPORTS SCHOOL AND CLUB STUDENTS

To encourage children and young people to stay active and engage in city sports events, students of Jelgava sports schools and clubs born between 2006 and 2018 (ages 7–19) can participate for free in any race – children’s, mile, 5 km, 10 km, or half marathon. Registration is open until 760 free spots are filled (in honor of Jelgava’s 760th anniversary) or until June 20.

Applications must be submitted through the athlete’s coach, including the participant’s full name, year of birth, representing team (school/club), chosen distance, phone number, and email address. The data will be used solely for event organization and communication. Coaches may begin entering participants from March 1, and free entry will be confirmed after data verification.

Please note: according to race rules, anyone may enter the 5 km and 10 km races regardless of age. The half marathon (21.0975 km) is open to participants born in 2007 or earlier. Younger participants must present written consent from a parent or authorized guardian when collecting their race number.

FREE ENTRY FOR LAUREATES AND CITY RACE SERIES PARTICIPANTS

You can also earn free entry by placing in city running events such as the “Pavasara vēstneši” challenge, or by attending the official training cycle, which starts in May. Training sessions are held every Wednesday at 7pm on Pasta Island, and participation is free with no prior registration required.

MILE RUN WITHOUT MEDAL – FREE

As in previous years, participants have the opportunity to refuse the medal and instead donate its value to Latvia’s greening efforts. If you choose this option during registration, you may enter the mile race free of charge.

DISCOUNT FOR “3+ FAMILY CARD” HOLDERS

Holders of the Latvian “3+ Family Card” are eligible for a 25% discount. To apply, enter the discount code during registration and present the card along with a personal ID when receiving a participation number.

ROUTES

The course routes are confirmed:

  • 5 km distance runners must complete a small circle – from the start in the direction of Dobele, through the castle courtyard and to the finish line.
  • 10 km distance runners must complete a large circle – the start is the same as for the 5-kilometer distance, but after running through the castle courtyard, they must cross the river to the Zemgale Olympic Center and back to the finish line.
  • Half-marathon distance runners must complete large circles (10 km loops).

FREE BUS TO RIGA

After the event, a free bus to Riga will be provided. Registration for the ride will open closer to the event date.

AWARDS FOR FASTEST RUNNERS FROM JELGAVA

The fastest male and female runners from Jelgava across all categories (5 km, 10 km, and half marathon) will be awarded based on the World Athletics points table. Awards will be presented on August 27 at 6:45 PM on Pasta (Post) Island before a group training session.

Jelgava city records will also be tracked in the U-18, U-20, and adult categories for all three distances.

HISTORY

The Jelgava Night Half Marathon was first held in 2014. Since then, it has become the largest annual sports event in the city, attracting not only locals but also runners from across Latvia and abroad.