Marathon Zeeuws-Vlaanderen

20 & 21 april 2024

Logus de Hoop Zeelandic Flanders marathon (marathon zeeuws-vlaanderen)

Enjoy the scenic nature and welcoming atmosphere of this safe marathon located along the border of the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium).

The marathon has been cancelled due of the corona virus and government measures. New date is saturday April 23th 2022, the same track: Hulst > Terneuzen.

Date Saturday 23 April 2022 
Route The course runs from Hulst to Terneuzen and showcases the beauty of Zeelandic Flanders
Start time 11:00 AM on the Grote Markt square in Hulst
Finish time 4:30 PM at the latest on the Markt square in Terneuzen

 

Distance

We are committed to providing a course that has been accurately measured and covers the full 42.195 km, as this is the official marathon distance. Please note, however, that this course has not been certified by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation (Atletiekunie).

General Terms and Conditions

Please visit the website to access the general terms and conditions. Cancellation You will not be able to cancel your entry in this event once you have signed up for the marathon. This is mainly due to the fact that your bib, race information pamphlet, reminder, and transport (if required) will automatically be ordered as soon as you sign up for this race.

Directions

Terneuzen and Hulst are well signposted throughout Zeelandic Flanders. You may occasionally see signs for ‘Terneuzen (Tol)’ in other parts of Zeeland as you will be required to go through the Westerscheldtunnel, which is a toll tunnel. If you are travelling from somewhere outside Zeeland, follow the signs for Goes, Middelburg, or Vlissingen and then for Terneuzen (Tol). If Belgium is your departure point, follow the signs for Antwerp and then take the E34 towards Bruges. You can then take the Stekene/Hulst exit or to continue along the E34 towards Zelzate for the Terneuzen exit. Alternatively, you can head towards Ghent and then take the Zelzate/Terneuzen exit.

Transport by bus

We will be running from one city to the other, which may create logistic issues for several, or many, of the participants, as it will be tricky getting from one city to the other before or after the race, if the only available option is walking. Fortunately, buses have been hired to take participants to Hulst in the morning before the race starts. This means participants will be able to drive to Terneuzen, where the race finishes, and park there. Buses will then depart from Terneuzen at 9:30 AM and arrive in Hulst at 10:00 AM. The buses will conveniently stop at a point just 300 metres from the start line of the race. You will need to arrange this bus service in advance, meaning you will need to specify that you wish to use this service when you sign up for the race. We charge six euros for this service. If you did not arrange for this service in advance and you wish to use it on the day of the race, you will only be able to do so if you pay on the spot and there are enough seats available on the bus. We hire buses, based on the number of requests we get for this service upon registration. No buses will travel back to Hulst after the race.

Age categories 

We use the following age categories for this race:

men women
seniors (up to 40 years) (HSen) seniors (up to 40 years) (Dsen)
40 - 49 years (H40) 40 - 49 years (D40)
50 - 59 years (H50) 50 years and above (D50)
60 years and above (H60)  

Registration deadline

The online registration deadline is 31 March 2022. You may still be able to register on Saturday 23 April if the entry limit of 750 participants has not yet been reached.

Various running distances

This marathon event also offers a relay category, which allows up to four people to join forces and take turns running so that, as a team, they cover the same distance as an individual marathon runner. The event organizer determines the distance of each relay leg and pinpoints the locations where the three relay exchanges will occur. Unfortunately, slots are only available for 175 teams, as we do not have the organizational capacity for larger numbers. This event also incorporates a 5K and 10K race in Terneuzen that both follow the same route as the final leg of the marathon course. The children will be able to join in the fun as well, as we have organized a short children run for them in both Terneuzen and Hulst. All of the race start times have been included in the event schedule.

Showers

There are showers at sportcentre ‘Vliegende Vaart’ for participants wanting to use this facility after the race. Athletes can take a bus to the sportcentre, because this centre is at 2,5K from the finish area.

Race photo

Participants will be able to view their race time and a short video of their finish by visiting the website, going to the race results, and clicking on their name. Additional photos will be published on the website shortly after the race.

Charity

The Zeelandic Flanders Marathon organizers support three charities each year:

Memorabilia

All participants will receive a finisher’s t-shirt, which is a proper running shirt. Please remember to specify your size when you sign up. You will be able to collect your t-shirt in the tent in the finish area. All participants will also receive a beautiful medal when they cross the finish line to serve as a reminder of what they have accomplished.

Hotels

There are plenty of options for accommodation in Zeelandic Flanders. The area itself is quite small, so you will never be far from the start or finish line of the race. You can easily find and book a hotel or another form of accommodation in Zeelandic Flanders on the website www.vvvzeeland.nl.

Registration

Registration starts on 1 November 2021. You can sign up for the marathon, via the website, up to 1 April 2022.

Registration fees

Early registration ensures a cheaper entry fee:
You pay € 30,00 up to 1 February 2022
You pay € 37,50 if you register between 1 February and 1 April 2022
You pay € 45,00 if you register at the start of the race on 23 April 2022

Clothing and bags

A bag tag will be attached to your bib. Please attach this tag to your bag and then place the bag in a container bearing the same number as your tag. The containers are located in the start area on the market square in Hulst. They will be transported to the finish area once the race has started. You will be required to show your bib when collecting your bag in the tent in the finish area.

Getting changed

You can change into your running gear at café ‘Du Commerce’ on the market square in Terneuzen. Please see: Clothing and bags.

Age restrictions

All participants must be at least 16 years of age on the day of the marathon.

Massage

There are few things more enjoyable than having a professional massage after strenuous exercise. Participants will be given the opportunity to have a post-run massage in sportcentre 'Vliegende Vaart’, located 2,5K from the finish line. The same building where the showers are. Please see: Showers.

Medical advice

Running a marathon takes quite a toll on the body, which is why it is important to properly prepare for such an event. Implementing a good training programme is an essential component of running a marathon and seeking medical advice is recommended as well.

The race course

The marathon runs from Hulst to Terneuzen but is not a city marathon. Rather, this particular route has been chosen for the picturesque landscape that stretches between these two cities. From the start you cross the city walls of Hulst to reach the forests of Clinge and Sint Jansteen. Participants will run through the countryside, past charming villages and hamlets. Participants will follow a dike – in the last part of the marathon – that runs parallel to the Westerschelde and offers great views of the ships arriving into and departing from Antwerp. The course comprises mainly asphalt roads, but also passes through large nature reserves, made up of dirt roads that are still relatively easy to run on. Feel free to view or download the entire race course (2019) by visiting our website.

Records

The record set for this marathon is 2:25:14 for men and 2:57:46 for women. Participants who manage to set a new record will receive a bonus of € 250. This applies to both men and women.

Parking

There are plenty of parking spots available in both Terneuzen and Hulst. Please visit the website to see where these parking spots are located. Bear in mind that the majority are paid parking spots.

Prizes

This marathon does not award cash prizes unless a participant sets a new record. Winners of each age category will receive a non-cash prize, courtesy of our sponsors.

Schedule

Hulst

9:00 AM onwards: Registration for Kids Run and on the day registration for marathon (market square, Hulst)
10:30 AM: Kids Run starts
10:40 AM: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes for girls and boys
11:00 AM: Marathon starts
11:20 AM: First relay marathon group starts
11:40 AM: Second relay marathon group starts

Terneuzen

9:30 AM: Buses depart for the start area in Hulst
10:00 AM: Registration for Kids Run and on the day registration for shorter runs (5K and 10K) on the Markt
11:30 AM: Kids Run starts
11:40 AM: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes for girls and boys
12:00 AM: All 5K and 10K races start together
1:00 PM: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes for 5K and 10K participants
2.30 PM: First marathon runner expected to arrive at the Markt. Runners will continue to trickle in from this point onwards and join one another for informal drinks at cafés close to the finish.
3:00 PM: Prizes awarded for various categories – will continue for most of the afternoon
4:30 PM: Marathon event finishes

Bib

Each participant will receive a race pack containing an information pamphlet, a bib, and safety pins. The bib will have a timing chip fixed to it so that the participant’s exact race time can be recorded. We kindly request that you fill in your medical information on the back of your bib. The bib number should be pinned to your chest and should not be folded, in order to avoid damaging the chip. If you have not received your bib by Tuesday 19 April, please send an e-mail to penningmeester@marathonzvl.nl. You will then be able to collect your bib from the designated ‘on the day registration’ room, located near the start area.

Bag drop

A bag tag will be attached to your bib. Please attach this tag to your bag and then place the bag in a container bearing the same number as your tag. The containers are located in the start area on the market square in Hulst. They will be transported to the finish area once the race has started. You will be required to show your bib when collecting your bag in the tent.

Time limit

We have imposed a five-and-a-half-hour time limit for this marathon, meaning participants should complete this marathon by 4:30 PM at the latest. Participants finishing later than this will not be included in the race results.

Chip timing

Each bib will have a timing chip fixed to it to record the participant’s race time. We measure both clock time and net time. Clock time records the amount of time that passes from when the starting gun sounds to when the runner crosses the finishing line. Net time, on the other hand, records the actual time from the moment the runner crosses the start line to the moment they cross the finish line. We award prizes on the basis of clock time.

Toilets

Toilets are located at both the start and finish line, and some will be available at drink stations along the way.

Results

You will be able to see the race results on the website shortly after the marathon finishes.

Aid stations

Drink stations will be set up at about 5-km intervals to provide water, energy drinks, oranges, and bananas. A few stations along the second half of the course will even serve runners coke to help them refuel. Of course, water sponges will be handed out at the stations as well.

Following the athletes

This is a closed race course so no chase vehicles (cars, motorcycles, or mopeds) will be permitted apart from vehicles authorized by the event organizer. All other vehicles will be barred from the course and will be forcibly removed if they try to enter the race course. Spectators may follow athletes by bicycle but should be aware that cycling may not be permitted or possible in all areas. Traffic controllers will inform spectators as to where they may and may not cycle. Spectators may not follow runners during the first four and last four kilometres of the race and may not hinder the runners in any way when following them by bike.

Marathon administration office

Hulst has a marathon administration office located in the ‘Het Bonte Hert’ restaurant, which is close to the start line. This office will open at 9:00 AM. Marathon runners should drop by the office if they require 'on the day' registration or if they need to collect their bibs that were not sent to them by post. You can also consult this office if you require more information about the race. Terneuzen also has a marathon administration office in the ‘Du Commerce’ café, close to the finish line. You will not be able to sign up for the marathon via the Terneuzen office but will be able to sign up for other races via this office.The Terneuzen office opens at 10:00 AM.

Terms and conditions of this race

Many of the items in these terms and conditions have been mentioned in other sections of this document. We would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the most important points:

* Runners declare they have read and agree to the terms and conditions of this race.

* Runners are obliged to follow the instructions given by the event organizer, the police, and traffic marshals. Runners participate in the Zeelandic Flanders Marathon at their own risk and take responsibility for doing so.

* Runners must be in their start place at least five minutes before the race starts, regardless of the race they are participating in. Runners are required to follow instructions given by the event organizer and race officials.

* The event organizer is not liable for any illness or injury incurred as a consequence of participating in this event, whether as a runner or a support crew member. The event organizer can equally not be held responsible for any belongings that go missing, regardless of whether they belong to runners or support crew members.

* Runners must not deviate from the race course delineated by the event organizer. Runners must pin their bib number to their chest so that they are easily recognizable as event participants.

* The entire Zeelandic Flanders Marathon, or a part of it, may be broadcast on television, either live or as an abridged version. Runners consent to being filmed at the event and to these images potentially being broadcast on television. Runners also agree to having their image or name used in print, photos, video, and film for the purposes of promoting the Zeelandic Flanders Marathon. They will not be reimbursed for permitting their image or name to be used in this way.

* The event organizer cannot be held responsible if the event has to be cancelled or delayed on the race day due to force majeure. The event organizer will also not be held liable for any personal costs incurred in such a situation. A new marathon date will not be set if the event was cancelled due to force majeure; rather the marathon event will be held the following year.

* The Zeelandic Flanders Marathon Foundation is not liable in any way for missing clothes or belongings. Participants therefore store their bag at the storage station at their own risk.

* Runners may defer their bib number and entry to the following year. To do so, they need to send a deferral request to the e-mail address penningmeester@marathonzvl.nl. Participants should include their full name, address, and date of birth when requesting an entry deferral for the following year. They will be able to defer their entry free of charge if their request is received by 1 March. If they request an entry deferral after 1 March, they will be charged €10. They will not be able to defer their entry after 1 April.

* Participants also have the option of transferring their bib number to another runner. To do so, they need to send a transferral request to the following e-mail address: penningmeester@marathonzvl.nl. Participants should include the following details in their email request: their full name, address, and date of birth as well as the full details of the runner they wish to transfer their bib number to. The other runner’s details can be found on the registration page. Runners will be charged €7.50 for transferring their bib number to another runner. Please specify your full name as well as the name of the other runner when transferring this amount to the relevant bank account. Participants will not be able to defer or transfer their place after 1 April.