Istanbul to host cross-continental marathon

The Istanbul Marathon, unique for spanning the Asian and European continents, will be run for the 36th time in Istanbul on Nov. 16.

The 36th Vodafone Istanbul Marathon, organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, is set to start at 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 16. Participants will start the race on the Asian side of Istanbul and cross to the European side by running over the Bosphorus Bridge.

Apart from the marathon, a 15 km race, a 10 km race and an 8 km fun-run with no timing or ranking will take place.

Some 5,538 athletes from 118 different countries will run the 42 km distance this year, an increase over the 4,229 participants in 2013 and the 3,838 in 2012.

Istanbul Sport Events Company’s General Manager İsmail Özbayraktar said there was an increase of approximately 25 percent in the number of applicants this year, adding the racetrack would pass through the city’s historical peninsula.

Every year for the past 36 years the Istanbul Marathon (formerly known as the Eurasia Marathon) runs in November and follows a route that begins in Asia and ends in Europe. The marathon is unique for being run on two continents and offers a panoramic view of the picturesque city and its many historic sites.