More than 13,000 runners are expected to participate in the 2016 edition of Bucharest Marathon, which will be organised in October, according to Valeria Racila Van Groningen, the president of Bucharest Running Club, the competition’s organizer.

“Last year, there were 13,000 runners, so we expect the number to increase because this has happened every year,” she said, reports local Agerpres.

The route will remain the same as last year, and will have a total of 33 kilometers, which means that a segment of the race will repeat. For next year, however, the organizers would want to expand the route to 42 kilometers.

“We hope that the authorities will understand us, and we will be able to extend to the Kiseleff Boulevard so that foreigners can admire the beautiful buildings in the area,” Valeria Racila Van Groningen added.

Bucharest Marathon is one of the biggest sports events organized in Romania every year. Read more about the event here.

Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea said in July that she didn’t want any more cultural and sports events that block traffic in downtown Bucharest. However, Valeria Racila Van Groningen talked with Firea a few days later, and the two agreed that the marathon will still be organized this year.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Bucharest-marathon.com; photo by Daniel Urata)