With a brand new single loop course which should be faster, safer and more runner friendly, and a strong group of elite athletes on the start line the organizers expect to improve upon the successful performances of last year's debut. "We will definitely be looking for event record performances from the men and the women if the weather cooperates", stated Jana Moberly, the elite athlete coordinator for the RunCzech races. The race will mark the RunCzech Running League's first non-Prague event of the 2014 season. Even though the half marathon in Karlovy Vary is smaller in scale its quality remains just as high as at the IAAF Gold label races in the Czech capital and Silver label events in the regions.

The men's field for the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon will be led by the defending champion Daniel Wanjiru. The Austrian based Kenyan had a huge breakthrough in the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon (IAAF Gold Label race) this year when he successfully slipped under one hour with a 59:59 finish and made the podium in third place. Daniel will be joined by his team mate from the run2gether association, Thomas Lokomwa, who has a personal half marathon best of 1:01:39. They will be challenged by Salah Eddine Bounasr of Morocco (1:01:34), Behailu Mamo (1:00:53) and Fikadu Seboka (1:01:42) of Ethiopia, and a runner who should be a crowd favourite for the many Russian tourists in this town, Gregoriy Andreev (1:03:55). The Czech contingent will be led by Ondrej Fejar (1:07:41).

The women will also be represented by a defending champion, Mame Feyisa of Ethiopia, a 1:10:08 performer, and the strongest European in the field, Christelle Daunay of France who has run 1:08:34 for the distance. Peninah Jerop Arusei of Kenya should also be a strong contender, and the Czech women will be led by three popular runners Petra Pastorová, Ivana Sekyrová, and the multiple Czech Champion, Petra Kamínková.

With 3,000 runners in the half marathon and thousands of tourists and local residents enjoying the evenings festivities, plus another 1,200 participants in the three kilometre dm Family Run, the 2nd Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon promises to bring a fast and festive celebration for the city.