Riga – World Capital of Running 2023
Are you ready for your first World Road Running Championships in Riga, the Capital of Latvia?
Riga will host the world’s inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships, the largest sports event in the history of the Baltics, featuring the World Half-Marathon Championships, the World Five Kilometre, and the World Road Mile Championships.
For the first time, mass races will be held alongside the three elite championships to allow runners from all over the globe to take part in this unique celebration of running.
TWO WORLD-CLASS EVENTS
With two months to go the 2023 Rimi Riga Marathon on 6-7 May 2023 will serve as a dress rehearsal for the first World Athletics Road Running Championships, which will take place in Riga in 30 September – 1 October!
Rimi Riga Marathon
Date | Time | Event |
---|---|---|
Date May 5-6 | Time 10:00-20:00 | Event Rimi Riga Marathon EXPO |
Date May 6 | Time 10:00 | Event DPD mile |
Date May 6 | Time 11:00 | Event Kids' Day |
Date May 7 | Time 8:00 | Event 42 km & 21 km |
Date May 7 | Time 12:30 | Event 10 km |
Date May 7 | Time 14:30 | Event 5 km |
Race to Victory at the Rimi Riga Marathon!
World Athletics Road Running Championships
Date | Time | Event |
---|---|---|
Date Sep 30 | Time 10:00 | Event World Road Mile Championships |
Date Sep 30 | Time 13:10 | Event World 5 km Championships |
Date Oct 1 | Time 11:35 | Event World Half-Marathon Championships |

Direct flights to Riga
Riga, Latvia is located in Northern Europe and is part of the Baltic States – three countries of Europe, with a long history and diverse culture between regions. Riga is easily accessible by plane with direct flights from most major European cities.

Fast and flat courses
Racing the streets of Riga will be fast and memorable. The course serves Riga on a plate allowing you to see all the pretty sights of the city in one loop. We have planned the 2023 Rimi Riga Marathon as a dress rehearsal of the first World Road Running Championships.
Check out the courses of the Rimi Riga Marathon in detail here, and the courses of the World Road Running Championships here.
Take a look!
Course records
42 km | 21 km | |
---|---|---|
Men | 42 km 2:08:52 Andualem Belay Shiferaw, ETH, 2019 | 21 km 1:00:30 Abate Sikiyas Misganaw, ETH, 2022 |
Women | 42 km 2:26:18 Birke Debele Beyene, ETH, 2019 | 21 km 1:09:12 Beatrice Chepkemoi Mutai, KEN, 2022 |

Be charmed by local culture
While most of the cities have one or two postcard-perfect streets, Riga has a whole area lined with perfectly preserved architecture, ranging from Romanticism to Gothic and Baroque.
Hundreds of choir singers and dancers will line up along the course to entertain runners and fans in a way never seen before. Any race can provide music & bands, but only the World Championships in Riga can team up with the inimitable Latvian singers & dancers!

Family friendly
Don’t forget to bring your family and kids along for the world’s greatest Kids’ running festival in Riga! About 15 000 little ones from around the globe will earn their medals for timed 60 to 400 meter races to find out the World Queen and King of the Road titles in every possible age group.
Register today!
Register for the Rimi Riga Marathon on May 6-7 and the World Athletics Road Running Championships on September 30 – October 1, by the end of the year to get the best prices!