The event included the debut of the Jaguar Challenge, cash prizes, new routes and a special category for residents of the region.
The 17th edition of the Iguazu Falls Half Marathon – one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in the world – concluded this Sunday (17) in the Iguazu National Park of Foz do Iguaçu, with the traditional 21-kilometer race and the unprecedented Jaguar Challenge.
During the two days, more than 5,000 people ran on this Natural Heritage site of Humanity, coming from 608 cities and 11 countries. The early morning rain did not discourage the more than 2000 runners who competed in the 21-kilometer race. The athletes toured a circuit in the middle of the Atlantic Forest, with a privileged view of the Iguazu Falls along the route.
In the men’s 21 km category, the champion was the Kenyan Alfred Kiplingat Negeno, who completed the race in one hour and six minutes. In the women’s category, the winner was Viola Jelagat Kosgei, also Kenyan, with a time of one hour, 17 minutes and 26 seconds. This edition also marked the debut of the Jaguar Challenge, a new modality created by the organization that brought together the athletes who participated in the two races of the program: the 10.5 kilometers held on Saturday (16) and the 21 kilometers held on Sunday (17).
The Jaguar Challenge added the times of both races to determine the winners of this special category. Thus, in the men’s group, the winner was Ryan Machado Maccari, who also won the 10.5 km race, with a cumulative time of one hour and 59 minutes. In the women’s group, the champion was Daniele Cristine Slivinski, with a total time of two hours and 19 minutes. He had already obtained second place in the 10.5 km race and added another trophy to his collection.
In the 21 km race, the resident runners of the Backyard category also qualified. The winner of this category was, once again, Ryan Machado Maccari, who completed the 21 km in one hour and twenty minutes.
In the women’s category, Mirna Carmina Neuberger finished the race in one hour and twenty-six minutes. In this category, the three best times get a membership to the Club Backyard, a benefit for residents of neighboring municipalities that guarantees a year of free admission to the Iguazú National Park.
In the 21-kilometer race, trophies were also awarded to other categories: people with disabilities (people with visual disabilities and wheelchair users) and athletes by age groups.
During the two days of the event, the 17ª Half Marathon of Falls gathered more than 5000 participants and boosted tourism and the economy of Foz do Iguaçu, with the presence of athletes, companions and visitors from different regions of Brazil and abroad.
Carbon neutral event: With the aim of reducing the environmental impact, the 17ª Falls Half Marathon will be a carbon neutral event, through the acquisition of carbon credits validated by the UN. All greenhouse gas emissions generated by the event and the transport of the runners in Foz do Iguaçu to the park will be neutralized.
The 17ª Half Marathon of Falls is organized by Urbia+Cataratas, the Iguaçu National Park and ICMBio, with the sponsorship of Powerade, Raia, Cellshop Duty Free, Fundo Iguaçu, the Municipal Secretariat of Tourism of Foz do Iguaçu, Hoahi, Lafrutta, Clight and Nissei Paraguay.
RPC is a media partner of the event, which also has the support of Helisul Experience, Limber Software, Polina Alimentos, Indigo, Polpanorte, Loumar, CEP Compression, AquaFoz and Shopping Catuaí Palladium.