This year we are set to become the most attended event in our history
4 April 2025In the presence of the Mayor of Riga, organisers and partners of the Rimi Riga Marathon, the largest national sports event in the Baltic States – the Rimi Riga Marathon – unveiled the medal designed by the artist Ivars Heinrihsons and the 35th anniversary shirt designed by the artist Helēna Heinrihsone, as well as presented the new features of the 35th anniversary season – the scale of the event, the distances of the new marathon and “Anniversary’s five”, free public transport for participants, and also partner activities – on 3 April at the mall “Spice”.
The organisers estimate that the Rimi Riga Marathon will see at least a 25% increase in participants compared to 2024, with at least 40 000 runners from more than 100 countries set to run in Riga on 17-18 May.
This year is a special one for Riga and Latvia with the 35th anniversary of major events - in early spring we celebrated 35 years since the Popular Front took power in the Riga City Council, in May we will celebrate 35 years since the restoration of Latvia's independence, and the Riga Marathon is also in this series of symbols of the Awakening.
With just over 40 days to go, it is already clear that this year Riga will see the biggest, most geographically diverse, most internationally attended and most economically influential marathon ever held in Riga. This is the best gift for ourselves and the city on the 35th anniversary of the marathon! But an additional gift from the city and an innovation of the marathon this year will be free public transport for every marathon participant - by showing your bib number you will be able to use trams, trolleybuses or buses for free during the marathon weekend."
Vilnis Ķirsis
Mayor of Riga
Vilnis Ķirsis. Foto: Guntis Bērziņš
Already in 2024, the Rimi Riga Marathon attracted more than 10 000 foreign participants from 104 countries to Riga, generating EUR 10.5 million in economic activity and EUR 1.5 million in tax revenue from foreign money alone. Every euro co-financed by the Riga City Council in the Rimi Riga Marathon brought back EUR 130 to the economy of Riga and the Baltic Sea Region. This year, Riga City Council decided to increase the co-financing of the Rimi Riga Marathon to EUR 191 000, hoping for an even greater return from the event in the future.
Free public transport for the participants
In support of sustainability, Riga City Council and the marathon organisers have agreed that for the first time in the history of the marathon, any participant will be able to take public transport in Riga to the start and after the start during the marathon weekend for free by showing their Rimi Riga Marathon number. Already now 28% of marathon participants arrive at the start by public transport and 46% walk to the start.
Finishers of all distances will receive medals of Ivars Heinrihsons
Finishers of all distances in the Rimi Riga Marathon, from the very youngest on Kids’ Day to the marathon distance, will receive medals designed by the Latvian artist Ivars Heinrihsons. The medal depicts the signs of his artistic identity – horses.
In the medal, a running horse is featured. The horse is born to run, and it exists in each of us. In the marathon, I see these parallels. The horse means more than just running to me; it represents an escape from daily life and running towards something unknown.
Ivars Heinrihsons
The designer of the Rimi Riga Marathon 2025 medal
Helēna Heinrihsone's specially designed T-shirt for the Rimi Riga Marathon. Photo: Guntis Bērziņš
This year’s shirt design is by the artist Helēna Heinrihsone. For the 35th birthday of the Rimi Riga Marathon this year, the artist was commissioned to create two shirt designs, one for the official Nike running shirt, and the other for a special birthday shirt design. Official Nike running shirts are currently available at Sportland of the mall “Spice”, but the special celebration shirts are available upon registration for the marathon.
I want each petal of the rose in the large oil paintings to tremble and move slightly. The Rimi Riga Marathon office inspired me to make the roses and flowers run, to strive forward!
Helēna Heinrihsone
Shirt design artist
Jeļena Prokopčuka will represent Latvia in the marathon for the last time
This year, Latvia’s elite marathoners will be joined by the most awarded-winning Latvian marathoner of all time, “My First Marathon” coach Jelena Prokopčuka. Until now, Prokopčuka has won medals at the Rimi Riga Marathon in the 5km and half marathon distances, so her decision to compete in the marathon distance at the Rimi Riga Marathon is a very significant event.
Anita Siliņa, the 2024 Latvian marathon champion, who is also a coach of the “My First Marathon” programme, is also planning to compete for the title this year.
Both coaches of the “My First Marathon” programme are confident that the participants are well prepared for their first big test at the Rimi Riga Marathon, and there is still time to improve both their physical and emotional fitness to step onto the starting line on May 18 with confidence.
Rimi Team Cup will bring together Latvia's sportiest companies
Inga Bite. Foto: Guntis Bērziņš
As in previous years, also this year the Rimi Team Cup will bring together Latvia’s most active corporate teams, hoping to attract around 500 Latvian teams.
The Rimi Team Cup will bring together corporate teams to compete for prizes and the most active team titles in three categories – 15 to 29 participants, 30 to 49 participants and over 50 participants. In the team competition, the winners will be determined by their individual results in the age groups, and the best teams will be awarded.
We are proud to be the most represented team in the Rimi Team Cup every year and we are not shy to set an example for other Latvian companies - it is a great way to unite the work team, as well as to maintain the sporting spirit in the company!
Inga Bite
PR Manager at Rimi
Birthday Alley of the Rimi Riga Marathon in collaboration with Spice
Iveta Priedīte. Foto: Guntis Bērziņš
Rimi Riga Marathon partner Spice will provide a much-needed emotional boost for runners in a special Birthday Alley of the Rimi Riga Marathon.
We have found out that the positive emotions provided by the national dancers and choirs after the marathon are the most memorable for the participants of the Rimi Riga Marathon, therefore, on 18 May we will arrange a special Spice Alley dedicated to the birthday of the Rimi Riga Marathon at the Freedom Monument, where the national dancers and choirs will accompany the runners. To celebrate this event, the 5-kilometre distance will also be transformed into a festive five, or almost 6 kilometres long distance, so that runners of the most popular distance can also experience this special thrill.
Iveta Priedīte
Head of Spice and Spice Home
Energy on the track and at the finish
Ilvija Boreiko. Foto: Guntis Bērziņš
This year, Elektrum hopes to further increase the energy level of runners by being present at the Rimi Riga Marathon both on the track and at the finish line.
We know how important the support of fans is for the runners, so fans will be able to write their words of support on special signs, and we will have a very energetic finish line, literally in the last few hundred metres on the 11 November Embankment! We are sure that this support will be especially important to help you achieve your best results or just finish with a smile!
Ilvija Boreiko
Brand representative of Elektrum or Development Director of JSC “Latvenergo”
Weekend Running Celebration
On Saturday, May 17, the marathon weekend will kick off with the Kids’ Day” and “DPD Mile”, which as usual will also be the Latvian championships in the mile distance, and kids’ distances, where young runners up to 12 years of age will be able to compete on the 11 November Embankment. On the Embankment, children will have the opportunity to participate in the Happy Babies course, 200-meter and 400-meter distances, the 60-meter “Toyota WESS Grand Sprint”, as well as a number of other sporting activities.
On Sunday, May 18, participants in the longest races—the marathon and half-marathon—as well as runners in the most popular distances, the 10 km and 6 km, will line up at the starting line. New this year will be the classic 42 km course, which will be a single lap, and the “Anniversary’s Five”, which has been transformed into a 5.8 km distance. Due to the high number of participants, the “Anniversary’s Five” and the DPD Mile will start in two waves.
The 5,000 participants of the Latvian School Cup will also take to the start line to compete for the title of the fastest school in the DPD mile and the 6 km distance. For a symbolic entry fee (EUR 2) participants with functional and movement disabilities and their assistants will also have the opportunity to take part in the most inclusive programme in the event’s history – in cooperation with the pharmacy “Mēness aptieka” and the Latvian Paralympic Committee, the organisers will offer this opportunity to 1 000 participants in the “Inclusive Marathon” programme.
