Genoa runs again: record numbers for the 20th Mezza Maratona

The 20th edition of the “Genova International Mezza Maratona”, the traditional road race that brings the heart of the city to life each year, has come to an end. From Friday, April 17 to Sunday, April 19, the Porto Antico served as the hub of the event, hosting a rich programme of activities including an event village and stands dedicated to Ligurian cuisine. Organized by the Amateur Sports Association Podistica Peralto Genova, with the support of Fondazione Carige, the event once again confirmed its national and international appeal, strengthening the connection between sport, local identity, and community participation.

The Mezza Maratona (21.097 km) offered participants one of the most scenic routes, with both start and finish at the Porto Antico. Alongside the main race, the “Corri Genova Metinvest,” a non-competitive 13 km run, also took place, sharing the same start and finish area.

There was also strong participation in the “Family Run Grondona–Calizzano,” a non-competitive run/walk of about 4 km, which featured a new route this year: starting from the ferry terminal square in Dinegro and finishing in Piazzale Mandraccio. The initiative involved more than 5,000 participants, including families, children, and enthusiasts from across Italy.

Among the key figures of the day was Genoa’s mayor, Silvia Salis, a former Olympic hammer thrower and gold medalist at the 2009 Mediterranean Games, who highlighted the importance of the event for the city and praised the work of the organizing committee. Giuseppe Pace, president of ASD Podistica Peralto, described this year’s edition as record-breaking, with 10,000 participants across Mezza Maratona, CorriGenova, and Family Run: registrations for the main races had already sold out by the end of March, confirming the event’s growing success. Looking ahead, organizers are already considering possible changes to the route and have announced the 2027 edition of the “Genova by Night Run 10km,” a new evening race scheduled for July along the striking route of the Sopraelevata - Genova's iconic elevated road.

The event confirms its position as one of the most popular and widely attended sporting occasions in the local area.