Lakes Marathon 2027: 2000 runners expected between Varese and Monate

Context

TL;DR

• Sunday, April 11, 2027: start and finish in Angera
• Three lakes and eight municipalities in the project
• Approximately 2.000 runners estimated for the first edition
• Economic impact between 600mila and 750mila euro

Key facts

The project presented in Rimini

Sunday 11 April 2027 Angera will be the starting and finishing point of the Maratona dei Laghi, a new event promoted by the Varese Welcome Foundation. The project combines three events: a marathon, a half marathon and a 10 kilometer race.

The initiative was presented at the TTG Travel Experience in Rimini, among the initiatives hosted in the Lombardy Region stand. For the Varese Welcome Foundation, this is the first major sports competition promoted by the Varese Welcome Foundation. The proposal involves eight municipalities and three lakes in the Varese area.

The organizers aim to transform the race into an opportunity to discover the area, involving accommodation facilities, restaurateurs, commercial activities and tourist services. The event is thus proposed not only as a competition, but also as a project capable of linking the carrying out of the tests to the presence of visitors in the area.

For the promoters, the choice of those who run concerns both the test and the place to experience before and after the event. The "More than a Marathon" formula is based on this idea, also designed for the athletes' companions, who will be able to use the trip to stop for a few days in the Varese area.

For the first edition, the organizers estimate around two thousand runners and direct economic benefits of between 600 thousand and 750 thousand euros. These are the numbers associated with the initial scope of the project, which combines the sporting offer with the promotion of the territory.

The departure and arrival in Angera give the city a central role in the design of the event. Around this point a project is developed that involves Ispra, Brebbia, Cadrezzate, Travedona Monate, Biandronno, Bardello with Malgesso and Bregano and Ranco. The event is therefore designed on a broader territorial dimension than just the starting municipality.

Operational details

Sports tourism and economic impact

Estimates for the first edition

The figures released for the first edition distinguish between the three distances and also include the people accompanying the participants. The total includes approximately two thousand runners: 500 are expected for the marathon, 800 for the half marathon and 700 for the 10-kilometer race. They would be joined by approximately 1.500 accompanying persons.

The organizers' calculations are based on average stays of 1,8 nights, with daily spending of 120 euro. In the presentation release, the total direct economic impact is estimated at between 600mila and 750mila euro. The figure concerns the first edition and is presented as an estimate of the impact linked to the event.

To support sports tourism, the Camera di Commercio di Varese launched the call for applications “Sport&Stay: extend your vacation”. The presentation release indicates grants of up to 200 euro per night, intended to encourage athletes to extend their stay beyond the race days.

The measure is paired with the marathon project as a tool to support a longer stay than participation in the races alone. The reference to athletes concerns extending their stay beyond the race days, while the economic estimates also include the accompanying persons listed by the organizers.

For subsequent editions, the stated goal is to reach three thousand registered participants. This figure is not a forecast for the debut, which remains set at approximately two thousand runners, but the target cited for the continuation of the event. The first edition therefore comes with a growth outlook already defined in the project.

Mauro Vitiello, president of Fondazione Varese Welcome and the Camera di Commercio di Varese, links the initiative to sports tourism and the promotion of the area.

Mauro Vitiello, president of Fondazione Varese Welcome and the Camera di Commercio di Varese, states: «La Maratona dei Laghi represents an important showcase and a fundamental piece in continuing to develop sports tourism». Vitiello adds that the event will help promote the area by bringing sport, nature and hospitality together.

Key points

The course and the three races

From the shore of Lake Maggiore to Lake Varese

The sporting program scheduled for Sunday, April 11, 2027, is divided into three distances. The marathon is 42,195 kilometers long and features 280 meters of elevation gain. The half marathon is 21,097 kilometers long, with 124 meters of elevation gain. These two races are joined by a 10-kilometer race.

The longest distance will start in Angera and follow the shores of Lake Maggiore. The course will then continue toward Lake Monate, reached between the thirteenth and sixteenth kilometers, and will arrive in the Lake Varese area between the twentieth and twenty-third kilometers.

The organizers' presentation lays out the course in relation to the three bodies of water involved in the project: Lake Maggiore at the beginning, Lake Monate in the section from the thirteenth to the sixteenth kilometer, and Lake Varese in the section from the twentieth to the twenty-third kilometer. These are the geographical reference points of the marathon given in the presentation.

The list of municipalities involved includes Angera, Ispra, Brebbia, Cadrezzate, Travedona Monate, Biandronno, Bardello con Malgesso e Bregano and Ranco. The event therefore involves eight municipalities, with Angera identified as the start and finish location. The project thus maintains a direct link between the sporting course and the Varese lakes area.

The three races have different characteristics: the marathon features the greatest distance and elevation gain; the half marathon offers a shorter course and an elevation gain of 124 meters; the 10-kilometer race completes the program. The source does not assign a specific route among the lakes to the two shorter races, while it describes the marathon course in detail.

For subsequent editions, the organizers' stated goal is to reach three thousand registrants. The first event remains the one scheduled for April 11, 2027, with the start and finish in Angera and a program consisting of a marathon, half marathon and 10-kilometer race. Growth to three thousand registrants is instead indicated as an objective for subsequent events.

Source: varesenews.it