A record 2,954 runners from 78 countries will take part in this year’s Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail, which runs from Oct. 16 to 18 in central Türkiye’s Nevşehir province, organisers said on Oct. 13.
Registration for the 13th edition has closed with entries just short of the 3,000-person limit. Organisers said the cap was set with the region’s tourism conditions and the event’s own capacity in mind. Nearly 40% of the participants are coming from abroad.
Four distances through the valleys
Runners can choose between four courses of 14, 38, 63 and 119 kilometres, all routed through Cappadocia’s valleys, giving competitors a view of the region’s rock formations and historic landscape from the trail rather than from a tour bus or a hot-air balloon.
The event has grown sharply since its first edition, which drew 180 runners.
Race director Aydın Ayhan Güney said participation had reached a record level, reflecting the race’s growing international profile. He said preparations had been completed and the organising team was ready, and noted that the event had received a United Nations award this year.
Sport as a tourism draw
Organisers present the race as a way to promote Cappadocia internationally by combining its natural scenery with its history and cultural heritage.
The race arrives at a busy moment for the region. Daily Sabah, citing Anadolu Agency, reported on Oct. 8 that East Asian visitors had lifted autumn activity in Cappadocia, with Chinese tourists arriving during their country’s Oct. 1-7 "Golden Week" holiday. Mehmet Dinler, who runs an accommodation and balloon business, said hotel and balloon tour occupancy was close to 100% and named Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong as leading markets.
For travellers planning a visit during race weekend, the large field means some trails and valley paths are likely to be busy with runners and support crews, and accommodation in towns around the course may be in higher demand than usual.
Sources
- Cappadocia trail race draws nearly 3,000 from 78 countries (Hürriyet Daily News)
- ‘Golden Week’ brings surge of East Asian tourists to Cappadocia (Daily Sabah)
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
