About the race

European records

Women: 65:15 min, Sifan Hassan (NED), Copenhagen 2018
Men: 59:13 min, Julien Wanders (SUI), Ras Al Khaimah 2019

World records

Men: 57:31, Jacob Kiplimo (UGA), Lisboa 2021
Women: 1:02:52 min, Letesenbet Gidey (ETH), Valencia, 2021

Danish records

Men: 1:01,55, Carsten Jørgensen (DEN), 1998
Women: 1:09,48, Dorte Rasmussen (DEN), 1991

Entry

Online entry at cphhalf.com. Entry opens December 1.

About the race and the World Athletics Road Race Gold Label

CPH Half builds on the 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships staged in Copenhagen.

As the first road race throughout the Nordic countries, in January 2016, the Copenhagen Half Marathon obtained the IAAF Road Race Silver Label as the sixth half marathon worldwide. Already before the first post World Championships-race edition in 2015 had been held, the race was awarded the IAAF Road Race Bronze Label, and in 2017 it was awarded with the Gold Label, which is considered the most prestigious quality designation. Since 2020, the race is a World Athletics Road Race Elite Label event.

The criteria that must be fulfilled in order to become a World Athletics Gold Label road race event cover areas such as elite field composition, fencing, safety, race timing, communication and broadcasting, etc.

The elite race

The CPH Half attracts a strong international elite field. Seeing lots of fast times since the beginning in 2015, the CPH Half has claimed itself as one of the world’s fastest half marathons, and in 2019 a new world record was set at the CPH Half by Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya) clocking 58:01.

The course

Covering most areas of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, the course showcases the very best of the Danish capital. The course is extremely fast, at the same time highly spectator-friendly featuring lots of entertainment, power zones and city highlights.

The course has been measured and certified by the Danish Athletic Federation and AIMS, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.

The course is completely traffic-free and extensively fenced. Vehicular traffic can, however only in certain time periods, cross the course through six gateways throughout the city. Pedestrians and bicyclists are allowed to cross the course when there are no runners present.

The course is available on map.cphhalf.dk/en. or offline here

Demographics

• 35-40% foreign participants
• More than 120 nationalities
• Gender distribution: 62% men, 38% women
• Largest age group 25-29 yrs followed by the year groups from 30 – 49
• Average age is 38 years.

Top 10 country distribution in 2023

1. Denmark
2. Norway
3. Sweden
4. Great Britain
5. Germany
6. Spain
7. France
8. USA
9. Spain
10. Netherlands

CPH Half Expo

Leading up to the race, a three-day expo is held in Sparta Hallen on Østerbro in Copenhagen. Outside of the expo the participants can collect their race packet containing their a Nike T-shirt and a baggage bag. Inside the participants can collect their bib numer that will be printed on site,

Number of visitors: 35,000.

Environment and Social Responsibility

The Copenhagen Half Marathon organization donates excess food to fødevareBanken, a national food bank which collects and distributes excess food to marginalised citizens, and collects running clothes in order to donate it to the Danish Red Cross.

Live Coverage

The race is transmitted live on TV, in the CPH Half app and on big screens in the start and finish area.

A live transmission recap will be available on cphhalf.com