Rules and Regulations of the 17th PKO Poznań Half Marathon 2025

Download: regulations (PDF)

I. Purpose

  1. Popularisation and promotion of running as the simplest form of recreation.
  2. Promotion of the City of Poznań in Poland and around the world.

II. Organiser

The City of Poznań
Poznań Sports and Recreation Centres
34 Spychalskiego Street
61-553 Poznań, Poland
Tax Identification Number (NIP): 209-00-01-440, National Official Business Register (REGON): 630603890
landline +48 61 835 79 00
e-mail: info@halfmarathon.poznan.pl
https://halfmarathon.poznan.pl
The run shall be held under the patronage of the Mayor of the City of Poznań.

III. Half Marathon Office

  1. The Half Marathon Office is located in the registered office of Poznań Sports and Recreation Centres, i.e.:
    34 Spychalskiego Street, 61-553 Poznań, Poland, in the rooms: 201, 202, 203, 204.
    The Half Marathon Office is Open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00p.m.
    telephone +48 61 835 79 17, e-mail: info@halfmarathon.poznan.pl.
  1. Between 17-19 April 2026, the Half Marathon Office shall change its registered office to: Poznań International Fair Ltd., 14 Głogowska Street, 60-734 Poznań, Poland, Hall no. 3.

IV. Date and Venue

  1. The run shall take place on 19th April 2026 in Poznań.
  2. Start: at 9:00a.m. at Grunwaldzka Street (at the Poznań International Fair Ltd.)
  3. Finish: Poznań International Fair Ltd. (St. Mark’s Square).

V. Start zones

  1. The competitors shall line up at the start in the designated and appropriately marked start zones in the following order:
    • elite runners,
    • the other runners – in the zones according to the information on the bib number,
    • competitors in direct drive wheelchairs (active).
  2. The start zones are assigned to the participants on the basis of the finish times declared by them during the registration for the Half Marathon.
  3. The different colour stripes on the participants’ bib numbers indicate start zones to which the runners are assigned to:
    • zone – direct drive wheelchairs – active – white strip (start together with runners from the last start zone),
    • AA zone – yellow strip – elite of the run,
    • A zone – red strip – competitors with time below 1:30,
    • B zone – green strip – time between 1:30 – 1:39,
    • C zone – blue strip – time between 1:40 – 1:49,
    • D zone – violet strip – time between 1:50 – 1:59,
    • E zone – brown strip – time between 2:00 – 2:14,
    • F zone – orange strip – time between 2:15 – 3:00.
  4. The participant may change his/her chosen start zone by 2nd April 2026 at the latest upon by logging in to his/her individual runner profile available through the website at halfmarathon.poznan.pl and clicking ‘Log in’.
  5. The Organiser envisages a rolling start.

VI. Route

  1. The route length: 21.097 km.
  2. The route covers 1 loop.
  3. The route is certified by AIMS, World Athletics, Polish Association of Athletics (PZLA).
  4. Each kilometre of the route is marked with the vertical signs.
  5. The route of the Half Marathon shall be closed to traffic until 01:30p.m.

VII. Time limit

  1. The competitors are required to complete the run within a time limit of 3 hours.
  2. The runners who do not finish the run until within the time limit specified in VII.1 are obliged to discontinue running and get off from the run route or reach the finish by riding the minibus marked with the ‘Finish of Half Marathon’ sign.
  3. The participants who stay on the run route upon an expiry of the time limit specified in these regulations does so at their own risk, responsibility and liability. In this case are applicable the provisions of the Road Traffic Law Act and the Civil Code.

VIII. Time measurement

  1. The official time in the general and age classification is real time (net time – counted from the moment the runner crosses the start line). The first 100 runners crossing the finish line are the exception from this rule – their official time is gross time – counted from the starter’s shot. If there is no 8 men and 8 women in the first 100 finishing runners, the number or runners whose official time is net time is increased appropriately until such a number of men and women crosses the finish line.
  2. Each run participant shall receive information both about his/her gross, and net times in his/her final results.
  3. Time measurement shall be carried out with the use of chips located in the bib numbers.
  4. The time control points are located along the route at: start line, 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, 20 km, finish line. No readout from a chip at any of the control points may result in a disqualification.
  5. The personnel at the control points note down the bib numbers of the runners who take a short cut along the route. The runners taking the short cut or change the route shall be disqualified.

IX. Nutrition, sanitary and medical points

  1. There shall be points offering beverages along the route of the run with water and isotonic drinks available.
  2. Upon finishing the run, after the finish line the participants shall receive:
    • in the finish zone – bananas and beverages,
    • upon leaving the finish zone – beer.
  1. It is not recommended to the runners to drink and eat along the route of the run beyond the points designated by the Organiser.
  2. The Organiser fails to accept private nutritional supplements belonging to the participants excluding the runners reported as the run elite.
  3. The medical points and the cabin toilets (toilets) shall be located In the vicinity of each nutrition point.
  4. The Organiser shall ensure medical care at the run start, along the run route and at the run finish.

X. Participation

  1. The right to start in the 18th Poznań Half Marathon is granted only to the persons who at the latest on 19th April 2026 turn 18 years old.
  2. Only runners and wheelchair users with direct drive wheelchairs, i.e., active wheelchairs (wheelchair types approved by the Organiser for the participation – downloadable), are allowed to participate in the 18th Poznań Half Marathon. For safety reasons, the Organiser does not allow people using wheelchair types other than those listed above, people on skates, roller skates, skateboards, bicycles and other mechanical devices to participate in the run. Due to the nature of the Half Marathon the people with sticks (trekking and Nordic Walking) are forbidden to start.
  3. The Organiser fails to give its consent to run the Half Marathon with a bib number assigned to another person. The competitor who runs with the bib number and chip assigned to the other person shall be disqualified.
  4. During the run, all competitors must have their bib numbers from the 18th Half Marathon pinned.
  5. The bib number must be fastened at the front to sports shirt/top on the chest by means of safety pins. Under the penalty of disqualification, it is unacceptable to cover the bib number in part or in whole, to modify and place the bib number on the back. Competitors who start without a visible bib number on the front are at risk of disqualification.
  6. The rules of the PZLA (‘Rules of Athletics Competitions’ Polish edition on the basis of World Athletics), World Athletics, AIMS guidelines and these Regulations are applicable to the Participants of the Half Marathon.
  7. By registering for the Half Marathon, the competitor automatically declares that he/she has read the Rules and Regulations and undertakes to observe it.
  8. The competitors are obliged to comply with the sanitary regulations in force on the date of the start specified by the sanitary services and the Organiser.

XI. Verification of participants and collection of start packages

  1. The verification of competitors and the issuance of start packages shall take place in the Half Marathon Office in the area of the International Fair Ltd., at 14 Głogowska Street only on:
    17/04/2026 (Friday) within 10:00a.m. – 08:00p.m.,
    18/04/2026 (Saturday) within 10:00a.m. – 08:00p.m.
  1. Verification of the competitors and collection of the start packages shall take place in the Half Marathon Office on the basis of presentation of an identity document or the start card. The participant shall receive the start card via text message in the form of a link sent to the mobile phone number provided in the run registration form. A competitor who shall collect his/her start package on the basis of an identity document only, should know his/her bib number before approaching the collection desk.
  2. The start card shall also be available for download from the individual competitor’s profile on 16 April 2026 (access halfmarathon.poznan.pl – ‘Log in’ tab).
  3. A text message with the link shall be sent on 16th April 2026.
  4. If a participant cannot personally collect the start package, he/she must give the start card (link to the text message) to the person who shall receive the package for him/her.
  5. The start packages can be collected at the latest on 18/04/2026.
    On the date when the Half Marathon is held, i.e. 19th April 2026, the Half Marathon Office shall be closed, and a collection of the start packages shall be impossible.
  1. The Organiser shall not send start packages by post or courier. Neither start packages not collected in the Half Marathon Office shall be sent or issued at a later date.
  2. The start package shall include:
    • an envelope, a bib number with a glued-on timing chip and a tear-off tag for your cloakroom bag, 4 safety pins, a bag/pouch for your belongings for the deposit, promotional materials from sponsors.

XII. Classifications

  1. General classification – women and men.
  2. General classification – disabled wheelchair users on the wheelchairs featuring a direct drive – active wheelchairs.
  3. Age classification – women and men: 18-29, 30-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69,
    70-74, 75-79, 80 and older people.
  4. The best citizen of Poznań – woman and man.
  5. The oldest participant of the Marathon – woman and man.

XIII. Applications/Fees

  1. The applications are accepted via the on-line form published on the following website at: halfmarathon.poznan.pl, or personally in the Organiser Office or the Half Marathon Office.
  2. The time limit for the on-line applications is 16th April 2026 or once the limit of paid-up applications is reached.
  3. On 17th and 18th April 2026 (if the limit of paid-up registrations is not exhausted beforehand) the applications and the registration fees shall be accepted only in person the Half Marathon Office (Poznań International Fair, hall no. 3), within its opening hours, i.e., from 10:00a.m. until 08:00p.m.
  4. The limit of the paid applications is of 14 000 people.
  5. An application is considered effective when the Organiser gets correctly filled application form and the registration fee (fee for start package) is credited to its bank account).
  6. The Organiser establishes the amounts of the registration fees as specified below.
  7. A technical T-shirt at a price of PLN 70 can be purchased by signing up for the run until 17th March 2026.
Time limit for applicationsStart packageStart package + T-shirt
Until 31 December 2025Fee PLN 180Fee PLN 250
From 1 January 2026 until 31 January 2026Fee PLN 210Fee PLN 280
From 1 February 2026 until                  31 March 2026Fee PLN 250Fee PLN 320

(purchase of a T-shirt possible until 17th March 2026)

From 1 April 2026 until 16 April 2026Fee PLN 270No possibility of purchasing a T-shirt on-line.

 

Between 17 and 18 April 2026Fee PLN 320No possibility of purchasing a T-shirt on-line

* In the variant with a T-shirt, the price is increased by the value of the T-shirt, i.e. PLN 70 or its multiple. After 17th March 2026, the purchase of a T-shirt shall only be possible at the Half Marathon Office while stocks last.

Technical T-shirts purchased shall be available for collection at the Half Marathon Office along with the start package.

The detailed sizes of the T-shirts are shown in the table annexed to the registration form. T-shirts are issued on the basis of the size specified in the registration form, without the possibility of changing the declared size. Changing the size of a purchased T-shirt is only possible at the registration stage – at the latest by 17th March 2026. For T-shirts purchased but not collected on 17th and 18th April, the Organiser asks for e-mail contact at: info@halfmarathon.poznan.pl after 19th April 2026.

  1. A competitor has the right to purchase a start package with any number of technical T-shirts. Ordering T-shirt(s) is possible by ticking an additional box when signing up only until, 17/03/2026.
  2. The Participant also has the opportunity to order additional services, the prices of which are as follows:
ServicePrice
1. Engraving a medalPLN 25
2. Personalisation of a previously purchased T-shirtPLN 25

(purchase possible until 17/03/2026)

  1. The registration fee is not determined by the date of registration for the run, but by the date on which the payment for the start package is credited to the bank account of the Organiser.
  2. Once paid, the registration fee is not subject to return and transfer to the events organised by the Organiser irrespective of the reason for the participant’s withdrawal from the run.
  3. Under the Article 38(1)(12) of the Consumer Rights Act (i.e. Journal of Laws of 2024 No. 1796), participants who are consumers within the meaning of the Article 221 of the Civil Code are not entitled to withdraw from the contract.
    The registration fee can be paid on-line (from the registration profile) via https://autopay.pl. Autopay S.A., with its registered office in Sopot, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 6, 81-718 Sopot, Tax Identification Number (NIP): 585-13-51-185, National Official Business Register (REGON): 191781561, a national payment institution supervised by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, entered in the Payment Services Register under No. IP17/2013. Autopay Terms and Conditions. The payment methods available to participants are: electronic bank transfers, payment cards, BLIK.
    The Organiser ensures that data related to the payment process, i.e., credit card numbers and details, and access codes to on-line bank accounts, shall not be stored by the Organiser. In order to secure confidential data, transactions made through an external on-line payment system shall be encrypted.
  4. The right to participate in the Half Marathon free of charge, provided that registration is completed by 18th April 2026 and places are available, is granted to:
    • competitors participating in the category of wheelchairs permitted by the Organiser, i.e. wheelchairs with direct drive,
    • participants who completed all 17 editions of the Poznań Half Marathon (in the traditional or virtual version),
    • participants who were on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in their age classifications in the 17th Poznań Half Marathon; there is a possibility to transfer the free start to the other person (in order to make this transfer you should contact the Half Marathon Office by e-mail),
    • participants who take part in the Half Marathon on the basis of the separate contracts and agreements concluded by the Poznań Sports and Recreation Centres (POSiR),
    • participants exempted from paying the registration fee by the Director of the Poznań Sports and Recreation Centres (individual cases) based on the written request of an interested party,
    • winners of the competitions organised by the Organiser, Partners and Sponsors, where award constituted an exemption from registration fee,
    • official pacemakers,
    • contract competitors,
    • honour guests who take part in the run invited by the Organiser.
  1. Persons with disabilities may be exempted from the entry fee upon their written request submitted to the Director of the Poznań Sports and Recreation Centres (POSiR) (by e-mail or letter), without the need to attach a disability certificate. If the exemption from the fee is granted, the above-mentioned certificate must be presented directly upon collection of the start package.
  2. The competitors over 60 years old have the right to a 50% discount (discounts do not add up).
  3. The runners who have the ‘Ogólnopolska Karta Dużej Rodziny’ card featuring a territorial code of the city of Poznań have the right to a 25% discount on the registration fee. The ‘Karta Dużej Rodziny’ card issued by the other cities do not authorise to get an aforesaid discount.
  4. Holders of the card from the OK Poznań programme are entitled to a 25% discount on the registration fee discounts do not add up).
  5. The bib number can be transferred to another participant, who is registered, but fails to have his/her bib number within the non-negotiable time limit by 2nd April 2026. In order to effect it, the latter must complete the form for the participation transfer, which can be found on the participant’s individual profile on the website: https://runner.halfmapoznan.pl/. The Organiser waives its responsibility and liability for the mistakes of the participants made during the transfer of their bib number to the other participant.
  6. The Organiser shall charge a handling fee of PLN 50 for transferring a bib number to another competitor. The person who has purchased the start package from the Organiser is obliged to pay the handling fee when transferring the start package to another competitor. The above-mentioned handling fee is non-refundable.
  7. The Organiser fails to provide agency services in the settlements between the participants.

XIV. Awards

  1. The winners in the general category of men and women (1st-3rd places) receive cups and financial awards in the following amounts:
    • 1st place – PLN 12 000,
    • 2nd place – PLN 8 000,
    • 3rd place – PLN 6 000,
    • 4th place – PLN 4 000,
    • 5th place – PLN 3 000,
    • 6th place – PLN 2 000.
  2. The winners in the individual age categories of men and women (graded according to net time), for the first, second, third place receive an exemption from the registration fee in the 19th Poznań Half Marathon 2027, which can be transferred to another person.
  3. The winners in the category of the best Poznań citizen – man and woman (1st place) shall receive cups after the race during the during the decoration ceremony.
  4. The winners in the category of the oldest participant – man and woman (1st place) shall receive cups after the race during the during the decoration ceremony.
  5. The bonus for breaking the record of the Poznań Half Marathon for the first woman (time below 01:07:54) and the first man (time below 00:59:32) is of PLN 10 000.
  6. The pecuniary awards in the general classification for female and male competitors with disabilities in direct drive wheelchairs (active wheelchairs, without freewheel, eway, etc. attachments):
    • 1st place: PLN 3 000,
    • 2nd place: PLN 2 500,
    • 3rd place: PLN 2 000.
  1. The awards in the general classification – women (1st – 6th place) and in the general classification – men (1st – 6th place) are granted to runners based on their order of crossing the finish line.
  2. All participants of the Half Marathon who complete the run within 3 hours are awarded a medal.
  3. The winners of pecuniary awards shall have income tax deducted pursuant to the applicable provisions of the law.
  4. The pecuniary awards are granted into the specified participants’ bank accounts only via bank transfer upon receiving the results of the antidoping tests. There is no possibility to pay the award in cash.
  5. The precondition for receiving the pecuniary award to the specified bank account is to complete and provide the Organiser with the necessary forms required by the tax office within a non-negotiable time limit of 30 days from the date of completion of the Half Marathon.

XV. Anti-doping control

  1. The Organiser reserves the right to conduct anti-doping tests (including EPO).
  2. In case where doping agents prohibited in accordance with the WADA list in the ‘A’ sample are found, the runner is informed about the possibilities and details of examination of the ‘B’ sample at his/her own expense. A positive result of the ‘B’ sample test automatically disqualifies that runner.
  3. In case where the competitor refuses to have the ‘B’ sample tested, the result of the ‘A’ sample shall be deemed relevant and shall result in the disqualification of the competitor.
  4. The Organiser does not conduct any appeal, explanatory or disciplinary proceedings based on the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Polish anti-doping provisions, World Athletics and PZLA regulations.

XVI.  Accommodation

The Organiser shall provide any accommodation.

XVII. Deposits, locker room, showers

  1. The deposits and locker rooms shall be located near the finish line of the Half Marathon in the area of the Poznań International Fair Ltd. (hall no. 3A).
  2. The competitors shall give their things to the deposit from 7:15 a.m. until 8:30a.m. All baggage given to the deposit must fit in one sack/bag labelled with a baggage tag featuring a participant’s bib number.
  3. The deposit shall not accept bicycles or other bulky items.
  4. There must be no glass or other items in the baggage left in the deposit that can be easily damaged. The Organiser is not responsible nor liable for such damage (cracking, breaking, crushing, etc.).
  5. It is forbidden to leave valuable items such as, for example watches, wallets with a valuable content, electronic equipment, etc. in the deposit. In the event that the above-mentioned items are left in deposit and are damaged or lost, the Organiser shall not be held liable.
  6. An issuance of the sacks/bags from the deposit shall take place on 19/04/2023 upon presenting the bib number until 2:00p.m.
  7. Losing the bib number by the competitor releases the Organiser from liability for picking up the sack by another person.
  8. The Organiser shall not be liable for the things not left in the locker room for deposit.
  9. All participants who take part in the Half Marathon shall be eligible to benefit from the free massages and showers until 2:00p.m. in the hall 3A in the area of the Poznań International Fair Ltd.

XVII. Result

  1. The unofficial results from the run shall be posted on the web site at halfmarathon.poznan.pl promptly after the run.
  2. The official results of the run shall be posted on the website at halfmarathon.poznan.pl upon obtaining the final report from results of the anti-doping tests.
  3. The details of the participants (forename, surname, year of birth, locality, country, club, age category, classified team, net time, gross time) of the 18th Poznań Half Marathon shall be placed in the run end results on website at: http://halfmarathon.poznan.pl/strefa-zawodnika/wyniki/, as long as the participant consents to this. In case of a failure to give a consent by the participant to publish the aforementioned details, only the bib number and the achieved run time result shall be posted in the official results.

XIX. Final provisions

  1. A runner completing the electronic application form confirms that he/she shall run on his/her own responsibility and shall bear the associated risk, acknowledging that the participation in the Half Marathon involves a physical effort and entails natural risk and threatens with the accidents, a possibility of the bodily injuries and physical injuries (including death), as well property damages and losses. Completing the registration form and paying the registration fee means that the competitor has assessed the nature, scope and degree of risk related to a participation in the half marathon and has voluntarily decided to take this risk, starting in the Half Marathon at his/her own responsibility.
  2. The Organiser recommends before and during preparations for the Half Marathon to have the appropriate medical examinations or medical consultations depending on the age and physical condition of the Participant.
  3. It is forbidden to bring items to the Half Marathon route that may be dangerous to the other runners. It is forbidden to bring intoxicants, doping, illegal substances and alcoholic beverages to the venue of the Half Marathon.
  4. Any complaints, comments and requests regarding the issues related to the participation in the Half Marathon and protests regarding the results of the half marathon can be submitted, in particular, by e-mail to the address of the Organiser: info@halfmarathon.poznan.pl or in the written form by registered mail to the address of the registered office of the Organiser (POSiR, ul. Spychalskiego 34, 61-553 Poznań), within the time limit of 3 days from the date of completion of the Half Marathon.
  5. The Organiser reserves the right to introduce the additional classifications and awards.
  6. The advertising materials can be placed on the start, route and finish of the Half Marathon upon an exclusive consent of the Organiser. The advertisement of the items different than those of the official Sponsors and Partners of the Half Marathon is forbidden.
  7. The Organiser reserves the right to cancel or change the date of the 18th Poznań Half Marathon in the event of force majeure events which may affect the course of the event. The Organiser reserves the right to cancel or change the date of the 1th Poznań Half Marathon in the event of force majeure events which may affect the course of the event. Force majeure in the meaning of these Rules and Regulations is any unpredictable situation or event of an exceptional nature, beyond the control of the Organiser, preventing the fulfilment of any of the obligations provided for in these Rules and Regulations, not resulting from the error or negligence of the Organiser and remaining insurmountable despite exercising due diligence, in particular: natural catastrophic events such as floods, hurricanes, windstorms of extraordinary strength, tornadoes, earthquakes, unusually intense and prolonged downpours or extraordinary and external events that could not have been prevented such as war, martial law restrictions, insurrection, revolution, riots, terrorist attack, epidemic threats, epidemic thread states, epidemics and epidemic states, as well as new legal acts or decisions of administrative authorities preventing the Organiser from fulfilling its obligations. Neither the Organiser nor the competitors shall be liable for a failure to perform or improper performance of the provisions of these Rules and Regulations caused by force majeure.