About the race

General information

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2018, 4th race edition
Date: Sunday 16 September
Race Start: 11:15 am
Labels: IAAF Road Race Gold & European Quality Road Race
Championships: 2018 National Half Marathon Championships

Organisers

Sparta Athletics and Running and the Danish Athletic Federation

Powered by

Nordea-fonden

Partners

Sport Event Denmark, the City of Copenhagen, the City of Frederiksberg and Wonderful Copenhagen

Start and finish

Copenhagen Half Marathon commences and finishes on Øster Allé, in the midst of the big city park Fælledparken in Copenhagen. The mixed gender elite race begins concurrently with the mass participation race at 11:15 am.

Number of participants

22,248 participated in 2018. Capacity limit is 25,000.

List of winners 2018

MEN TIME RANK WOMEN TIME
Daniel Kipchumba 
Kenya
 59:06 1
Sifan Hassan
Holland
 1:05:15
RACE RECORD
Abraham Kiptum
Kenya
 59:09 2
Ababel Yeshaneh Brihane

Etiopien

 1:05:46
Jemal Yimer Mekonnen
Etiopien		 59:14  3
Joan Chelimo Melly

Kenya

 1:06:15
Yomif Kejelcha 
Etiopien		 59:17  4
Zeineba Yimer

Etiopien

  1:06:21
Felix Bibitok
Kenya		 59:21  5
Ruth Chepngetich

Kenya

 1:07:02
Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo
Kenya		 59:28  6 Bekelech Gudeta Borecha
Etiopien		  1:07:03
Lelisa Desisa
Etiopien		 59:52  7 Hiwot Gebrekidan Gebremaryam
Etiopien		  1:07:36
Dominic Kiptarus
Kenya		 59:55  8 Meseret Belete
Etiopien		  1:07:51

World records

Men: 58:23 min, Zersenay Tadese (ERI), Lisbon 2010
Women: 1t:04:51 , Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN), Valencia 2017

Read more about records and rankings on IAAF.org

Current Danish National Records

Men: 1:01,55, Carsten Jørgensen (DEN), 1970
Women: 1:09,48, Dorte Rasmussen (DEN), 1960

Entry

Online entry at cphhalf.com starting December 1st.

About the race and the IAAF 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.

The criteria that must be fulfilled in order to become an IAAF 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. The CPH Half 2017 was only the second race in history to see three men below 59 minutes. The CPH Half 2018 had the world’s fastest ever top 10 male runner list. A mere 17 seconds from world records, the winner time of 58:40 is a number four over the world’s fastest times over the distance in history.

These world-lead times have underlined Copenhagen as the currently fastest half marathon course in the world.

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

  • 23,78% foreign participants
  • 115 nationalities
  • Gender distribution: 61% men, 39% women
  • Largest age group 25-29 yrs followed by the year groups from 30 – 49
  • Average age is 38 years.

Top 10 country distribution

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

Volunteers

1300 persons are volunteering and working during race week including course marshalls, tech crew, medical crew and much more.

CPH Half Expo

Leading up to the race, a three-day expo is held in Sparta Hallen on Østerbro in Copenhagen. Here the participants collect their race packet containing their bib number with integrated timing chip, a Nike T-shirt and a baggage bag.

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 by the national broadcasting company on dr.dk and DR TV and live streamed on cphhalf.com from 11:00 am and on big screens in the start and finish area.

A live transmission recap will be available on cphhalf.com