Rosa Salva's Idea in 1986
1986The Venice Marathon was created from an idea by Piero Rosa Salva, who organised the first race in 1986. The organisers say more than 2,000 runners from several nations registered for that first edition.
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Course & Elevation
The Wizz Air Venicemarathon is a point-to-point marathon from Stra, on the Riviera del Brenta, to Venice, held on a Sunday in late October. Venicemarathon S.S.D. organises it, and the 40th edition was run in 2026. The race starts at about 09:40 at Villa Pisani in Stra and follows the Riviera del Brenta through Marghera and Mestre before reaching Venice over the Ponte della Libertà. In the historic centre, the runners go along the Giudecca Canal to Punta della Dogana, where they cross the Grand Canal on a floating bridge built for the race. The route passes through St Mark's Square, near the Campanile and the Doge's Palace, if the water level allows, and finishes on Riva Sette Martiri. A half marathon starts in Mestre's Piazza Ferretto and a 10 km race starts in Parco San Giuliano, and both finish in Venice. In 2026, about 24,000 runners entered across the three distances, 10,200 of them for the marathon. The course records are 2:07:31 for men, set by Peter Kwemoi Ndorobo in 2026, and 2:23:37 for women, set by Helena Kirop in 2011.
Surface: road Profile: Flat
Weather
Typical climate for the race month — an estimate, not a forecast or a race-day record
Temperature 14°C
Humidity 72%
Rain Chance 45%
October in Venice is mild: highs average about 18°C and lows about 11°C.
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Venice
Race Lore
The Fastest Edition in 2026
2026At the 40th Venicemarathon in October 2026, Kenya's Peter Kwemoi Ndorobo won in 2:07:31, a new course record, and three men finished under 2:08:00 for the first time in the event's history. In the women's race, Jackline Jerono won in 2:26:16, the third-fastest time in the history of the event, seven seconds ahead of Ethiopia's Alemaz Samuel Teshale.
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Course Record
02:07:31
Peter Kwemoi Ndorobo (2026)
Registration
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Fun Facts
- ▸ The runners cross the Grand Canal on a 166-metre floating bridge built for the race.
- ▸ About 24,000 runners from 124 countries entered the 40th edition in 2026, across the marathon, half marathon and 10 km.
- ▸ The 2026 races were sold out at all three distances.
- ▸ Kenya has won the Venicemarathon 32 times, 16 in the women's race and 16 in the men's.
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