Seychelles looks forward to 2022

It starts in the middle of Victoria, the smallest capital in the world. With temperatures of around 30ºC and 90% humidity there is only one way to run it: slowly.

A Korean national started this marathon. The avid marathon runner, businessman and honorary consul Dong Chang Jeong came up with the idea. The race director Giovanna Rosseau, who before then had hosted triathlon competitions, put his idea into practice.

Giovanna, a squash champion, had the new Seychelles marathon certified by AIMS and grew it to over 1500 participants but maintained a family atmosphere. In 2013 more than 50 German runners took part.

Regardless of whether you run a marathon, half marathon, 10km or 5km – or even walk the latter the route is exotic. After a little sightseeing through the city, with its single traffic light, you are immediately surrounded by nature. You run beside the ocean, in a loop, with fantastic views of the sea or of the flora and fauna of the Vallée de Mai National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After the race visitors like to admire the giant tortoises or cruise to the neighbouring island of La Digue which is well known as the “wedding island”.

This exotic marathon has kept going year after year but this year the corona pandemic forced the 14th edition, scheduled for 28 February 2021, to be cancelled. “We won’t let ourselves get down,” says Rosseau, who is already looking forward to the next edition on 27 February 2022.