We interviewed Samuli Vasala, a Finnish former long and middle-distance runner and one of the main organizers of Helsinki City Marathon. In his active years, Vasala won the Finnish Championship in for example 1500 m, 5000 m and duathlon. He currently works as the Director of Amateur Athletics for Finnish Athletics. He told us about Finland’s largest marathon event, Helsinki City Marathon.
When and where is Helsinki City Marathon organized?
The annual Maxim Helsinki City Marathon is organized on Saturday the 16th of August 2014 in the Finnish capital Helsinki. The race start takes place at 3 pm in front of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium at Mäntymäki. The race has a festive finish inside the Olympic Stadium. The course runs on the streets and sea shores of Helsinki, and also does a small loop on the Espoo side of the city border.
Tell us something about the history of the event. How was it born in the first place and how has it developed over the years?
Helsinki City Marathon was arranged for the first time in 1981 with approximately 1500 runners. Currently the yearly participant amount is around 6000, from which about 1000 are international runners. Especially the amount of international runners has grown in recent years. HCM concept is owned by Suomen Urheiluliitto (Finnish Amateur Athletic Association) and three sports clubs: Viipurin Urheilijat, Helsingin Poliisi-Voimailijat and Helsingin Kisa-Veikot. The basic idea of the event has remained the same throughout the years; all the profits from the event are used entirely on developing athletics activities.
Are there other activities available around the race?
A two-day expo including sports retail is organized as a part of the event in Töölön Kisahalli, sports hall of Töölö in central Helsinki. Additionally, on race morning there is a Minimarathon for children, with approximately 1600 little runners taking part.
Tell us something about the course. What kind of sights will runners see on the way?
The course of Helsinki City Marathon tours all the essential sights of the city. However, as an exception to other international city marathons, the course largely follows the sea shores of Helsinki, giving the runners the chance to breath in fresh air throughout the run. You can check out the 2013 course here. In 2014, the course will be the same for the most part.
How many participants do you expect for 2014 Helsinki City Marathon?
We are expecting around 6000 runners for the marathon and around 1600 children for the Minimarathon. According to an estimate by the police, there will be around 60 000 spectators along the course.
Do many international runners take part in HCM?
The amount of international runners will be around one thousand. We provide for our international guests by offering all the event information in English on our website. Registration is also possible in German, French and Swedish at MyNextRun.
How would you describe the event to those who have not yet participated in it? What makes the event unique?
Maxim Helsinki City Marathon is by far the largest marathon event in Finland. The organization is top quality on international standards. The registration service is very functional, and the scenes, including the finish at Helsinki’s legendary Olympic Stadium, are unique. The atmosphere is a one of a kind mixture of Finnish culture and an international top event.
