Kustmaran & Kristianopel Runt

We greet all runners welcome to Coast Marathon, a marathon that winds along the scenic coastal road between Kristianopel and Torhamn. The competition is organized by Team Blekinge Löparförening and provides distances from 0.9 km to 42.2 km. You run at control measured routes on the flat and fast roads around the East Coast gem Kristianopel.

Kristianopel (old spelling Christianopel) is located in the east Blekinge, which was part of Denmark in beginning of the 17th century. The Danish king Christian IV had a fortress built south of it in 1603 and named it after his newborn son – Christian , or Kristian, with Danish spelling. The Germanised Greek suffix ‘-opel’ was given to give the town a cosmopolitan ring similar to Constantinople. Construction of the town was completed in 1606 and held approximately 700 inhabitants.

When the last “Dacke Maran” was organized in 1993 Blekinge suddenly lost its only marathon race. In early 1994, some people in the newly established Team Blekinge wanted to carry on the tradition. In early 1994, the team came up with the route and name “Kustmaran”. An early morning in July 1994, the 56 runners, ran the 1st Coastal Marathon. The winner was Mats Teneryd Eksjö who finished in 2:44:05. The first race was warm, with bright sunshine and 25 degrees celcius. The year after more than hundred runners came to start. In recent years, a half marathon has been added.