Only hours remain until the start of the Mattoni Running Festival in Karlovy Vary. The 12th edition of this popular event will take place on Saturday, May 17, featuring a full schedule of races — with the highlight being the evening half marathon. This flagship race will also launch this year’s EuroHeroes initiative, which supports European runners, and will bring together 3,300 participants from more than 60 countries around the world.
“The event is excellently organized and inspires everyone to get moving. That applies to all the races—even the dm family mile carries real meaning. It’s powerful to watch people cross the finish line together and receive their medals,” said Jana Mračková Vildumetzová, Governor of the Karlovy Vary Region, during a press conference at Hotel Thermal.
The Governor of the Karlovy Vary Region, Jana Mračková Vildumetzová, is an active participant in RunCzech races and has previously run as part of a relay team in the half marathon. “Now, with my son, I prefer to take part in the Family Run,” she shared, also highlighting the social aspect of the running festival in Karlovy Vary. “It’s wonderful that, as part of the accompanying program, children can try out various activities presented by local sports clubs.”
Players from two of the region’s top professional sports teams will also take part in the 12th edition of the Mattoni Half Marathon Karlovy Vary. Both the Czech volleyball vice-champions and ice hockey players from HC Energie will be represented in relay teams. “A whole squad of our junior and youth players will run the 10K, along with several relay teams, and Ondra Dorot from our men’s A-team will run the full half marathon,” said Václav Eismann, coach of HC Energie’s junior team.
The ČEZ Karlovarsko Volleyball Club will also have a strong presence in the main half marathon, represented by members of its support team. Among the passionate runners taking on the 21.0975 km course will be team doctor Oldřich Vastl and club manager Ondřej Hudeček. “I haven’t had time to properly train, so I’ll be running from almost zero. That means I’ll take it easy on Saturday—more of a sightseeing run, enjoying the beautiful views of the city,” smiled Hudeček. The team’s captain, Daniel Pfeffer, will run his first race in Karlovy Vary, leading a relay team made up of players and young coaches. “As the oldest on the team, I asked to run the first leg, which goes through some of the most scenic parts of the city center. I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere of the half marathon and especially the excitement of the start,” said Pfeffer.
The Mattoni Running Festival in Karlovy Vary will culminate with the international half marathon, starting at 6:00 PM. The day’s events begin at 2:00 PM with the Varyáda 10K, which includes the Run for the VŠFS Rector’s Cup. This will be followed by the popular dm family mile and dm bambini run.
At the press conference, Martin Dušek, Deputy Mayor of Karlovy Vary, stated: “The city of Karlovy Vary is pleased with the organization of the Mattoni Running Festival. We fully support the event and are working closely with the police and other relevant services to ensure everything runs smoothly.”
The total number of active participants in the Mattoni Running Festival 2025 is estimated at around 6,500 runners. Everyone can follow the race live with English commentary at runczech.com.
Mattoni Half Marathon Karlovy Vary 2024
dm family mile 2024
