After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, the 13th edition of the French Riviera Marathon Nice-Cannes celebrated its return on Sunday 28th November between Nice and Cannes with nearly 9,500 participants at the start of one of the most beautiful courses in the world.
"It is a great pleasure to return to this competition, a wonderful sporting and human gathering, after its cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. I warmly congratulate all the participants, together with Pascal Thiriot, President of Azur Sport Organisation, the towns along the route, the 1,500 volunteers and all those who have contributed, alongside the Department, to the success of this international sporting event. The Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes is an event that brings together values that are important to me, at the crossing of our policies: the taste for effort, the sense of sharing and solidarity, health through sport, and the international promotion of our region. Without forgetting the ecology and the protection of the environment by increasing the number of actions to reduce its environmental impact, in line with the GREEN Deal policy. The Department is proud to be the title partner for several years," said Charles Ange Ginésy, President of the French Riviera Department.
The Kenyan Enock ONCHARI won the marathon race in 2h11’21''
They had been waiting for weeks and months for this: to line up on the starting line of the French Riviera Marathon Nice-Cannes. They were 9,356 participants to take the start this morning on the famous Promenade des Anglais and to cross the finish line on the equally famous Croisette in front of one of its famous 5-star hotel: the Martinez Hotel.
Of course, we will remember the victory this morning of the Kenyan ONCHARI and the first woman and first regional, Claire AMANN (2h56’24’’) licensed in the Nissa Triathlon Team. Indeed, it was at the KM 34 that OCHARI made his attack and took the lead of the race to never let it go until the finish line, ahead of his compatriots Dominic NGENO in 2h13'17'' and Gérald VINCENT in 2h17'59''.
But today, more than ever, this 13th edition of the French Riviera Marathon Nice-Cannes highlighted the personal victories of those thousands men and women, those heroes of a day, also qualified as anonymous, who succeeded in surpassing themselves and going beyond their own limits.
"It feels so good to see all our runners who have come from so far away to support us," concludes Pascal Thiriot, the Event Director, still full of emotion after this beautiful edition.
At the finish line, many of them were already saying that they had saved the date of the 30th October 2022 in their diaries, ready to set off on a new adventure.
Key numbers
- 9,356 participants
- 5,169 marathon runners
- 1,241 20 KM runners
- 1,072 2x21 KM runners
- 1,074 relay marathon runners
- 24% international participants, so 45 nationalities represented
- 24% women on marathon distance
- 22% participants are coming from the French Riviera department
