Tartu Marathon

Winter in Estonia is early this year and already today the marathon course is skiable in full length. In addition to the daily track grooming, all the other preparations are in full swing too for welcoming the ski fans in South-Estonia on February 19th for Tartu Maraton 2023.

Two months before the event,  Race Director Indek Kelk opens the main renewals for next year. 

“Our first priority is, after the last seasons, to hold the event with a full program. Without restrictions. We want the skiers to feel the good old Tartu Maraton again. A world-class track and an enjoyable journey from the start through the service points up to the finish,” he says.

However, the last few seasons have started several innovations, which will now continue.

Smaller carbon footprint and no single-use dishes

“We have already taken big steps in environment protection. For example, no more plastic bags are used in luggage service. And there are only reusable dishes in the finish catering. The participants’ feedback on these changes is very positive, and we see that caring for nature is becoming more and more important,” explains Kelk.

At Tartu Maraton 2023, the plan is to move on with going green: “At our summer events, we have tested to lose the disposable cups also in the service stations. Today, the negotiations with partners continue. The aim is to make the upcoming Tartu Maraton the first big ski marathon in the world, which will be held only with reusable dishes. In this case, we would avoid using 100 000 single-use cups and bowls. As a second and major innovation, we plan to start using biodiesel in all track maintenance and other equipment, which has a 90% smaller CO2 footprint compared to regular fuel.”

Handy e-services at Tartu Maraton 2023

Digital innovation started during the corona time, when it was urgent to create a platform for virtual races. “Today, our entire self-service environment has been updated. Together with registration, you can also buy, for example, a Worldloppet passport. As the next steps, we plan to add waxing packages as well as bus and parking tickets to be purchased online,” says Kelk. He adds that participants can then do as many marathon-related steps as possible in advance. 

Wave starts to guarantee safety

In the last two years wave starts have replaced the traditional mass-start. “We received a lot of positive feedback from the participants.There is more space on the track, less fallings, and skiing is much more enjoyable. Therefore, we will continue with wave starts also in the future,” confirms the Race Director.

Tartu Maraton program will start on February 12th with the free technique Open Track races. Expo and kids program takes place on February 18th. The 63 and 31 km classic races on the legendary Otepää-Elva course take place on February 19th.

Everyone can also join the race virtually – from January 16 to March 16.

Worldloppet Passport Holders benefit from a free waxing service at Tartu Maraton. Check out the how to get your free of charge waxing done.