From a daring attempt by a group of friends to one of the most iconic endurance races in the world, the 246-km Spartathlon has defied the downturn in Greek sports, drawing record numbers as ultra marathons become more popular.
In a country that has seen international events wiped off the calendar amid a ravaging economic crisis, this race has captured the imagination of runners the world over, making it a rare example of how to succeed in difficult financial times.
First completed in 1982 by a group of British friends and now with a budget of less than 250,000 euros, organisers have created and cultivated an event whose international market value far exceeds that of its cost of staging.
Up until a few years ago the budget for the race was just half that before a private Greek foundation pitched in as the race’s sole sponsor.
Retracing the steps of ancient Athenian messenger Pheidippidis, who also ran from the Marathon battle ground to Athens to announce victory over the Persians, when he ran to Sparta to seek help against the invading army, this race takes runners on a highlight tour of ancient Greece.
Elefsis, Corinth, Nemea, Megara and Sparta – landmark cities and city-states in ancient Greece – lie in the runners’ path on the way to the Peloponnesian heartland.
Through citrus orchards, vineyards and olive tree groves along the sparkling Aegean sea, and up the 1,200m high Parthenio mountain at night with temperatures dropping to single digits, this race is equally picturesque as it is gruelling.
Last Saturday, Italian runner Ivan Cudin won the 245.3km historic Spartathlon race for a third time, clocking 22 hours, 29 minutes and 29 seconds.
Cubin, 39, fourth last year, also won in 2010 and 2011.
Finishing second for a second year in a row was Germany’s 30-year-old Florian Reus in 23:57.13 while 33-year-old Andrzej Radzikowski of Poland was third in 25:49.05.
The first woman across the line for a second year in a row was 40-year-old Szilvia Lubics of Hungary in 26:53.40. She was ninth overall.
The first Greek to make it to the finish line was 43-year-old Ioannis Kourkourikis, coming in at 29:45:28 and 23rd overall.
The race has remained a huge event on the growing running calendar of the year. The race is neither the toughest, nor the longest, yet more sign up for it every year.
“This is because of the historical aspect. The race built around a legend,” said Danish long distance runner and coach Claus Rasmussen, who attempted the race and was the first to run it in sandals.
“There are hundreds more scenic races, longer ones, more challenging ones and definitely with more history around them. But this one has history within itself.”
A record participation of 380 athletes from 42 countries touched the statue of Spartan warrior king Leonidas in the town centre. The race started at the Acropolis in Athens on Friday and ended in the southern Greek town of Sparta on Saturday.
Among the runners this year was also American Dean Karnazes, one of the world’s most renowned ultra marathon runners and best-selling author, who made his maiden Spartathlon attempt, albeit on a diet Pheidippidis would have had as a documentary crew follow him around.
American Jan Olsen, the 2013 24-hour world champion of the International Association of Ultrarunners, was also another big name participant.
Race organisers, whose strict rules and qualification criteria have sparked a smaller Sparta-to-Athens run organised by runners who fail to make the cut for the Spartathlon, say they cannot keep up with the demand.
“At the moment we are basically limited in our growth by the number of hotel rooms in Sparta. We just cannot sleep all the people wanting to compete,” Spartathlon organising committee member Takis Alikaniotis told Reuters.
This growth is partly due to a current boom in ultra marathon races worldwide, with more and more athletes eager to tackle longer distances.
But more importantly it is also due to the fact the race is offering athletes and potential sponsors a unique proposition, Simon Chadwick, professor of sports business strategy at Coventry University, told Reuters.
“It (Spartathlon) is almost as if it is symbolic of Greece, of what went before and the challenges now facing sport.”
“We are operating in an environment where sport does not just happen. Sport is more commercially market-driven and so the ultra marathon is a symbol of what Greece has been and what Greece needs to become.”
For the first time this year the race is under the auspices of the country’s Tourism Ministry as Greece looks to improve its image abroad after years of bad press.
“Greece must take it (sports events) more seriously in strategic and commercial terms and drive economic activity,” Chadwick said.
“Clearly in terms of brand Greece there is an incredible sporting heritage there that the government could take advantage of. The country is looking for
opportunities.”
The top five finishers:
1. Ivan Cudin (ITA) 22hr 29min 29sec
2. Florian Reus (GER) 23:57.13
3. Andrzej Redzikowski (POL) 25:49.05
4. Marco Bonfiglio (ITA) 26:01.26
5. Dietmar Goebel (GER) 26:15.57
Source: Karolos Grohmann for Reuters, AFP