Half marathonRegistration Open

Ascona-Locarno Run

October 11, 2026 · 9:10 AMLocarno, Ticino, Switzerland

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Race snapshot

Race Day

61°F

Feels mild

Total elevation gain

131ft

Relatively flat course · Net elevation change +0 ft

Participants

3,400

Medium-sized race

Crowd Rating

6/ 10

Good crowd energy

Sources for this edition

Date, Start time, Entry · Checked Sep 24, 2026

Entry

Registration Open

21 km Half Marathon

CHF 60

Individual half marathon entry, current Standard tier (1 August – 9 October 2026). Early bird was CHF 50 (13 March – 31 July 2026); rises to CHF 70 for late/on-site registration (10 October – race day).

Official Website

Key Dates

1. Registration Opens
  Mar 13, 2026
  Online registration for the 2026 edition opened via Datasport at 06:00.
2. Standard Pricing Tier Begins
  Aug 1, 2026
  Half marathon Standard tier begins (CHF 60), running through 9 October 2026.
3. 5 km Sunset Run
  Oct 10, 2026
  Saturday evening: Kids Run at 15:15, then the 5 km Sunset Run at 18:15, both starting/finishing at Piazza Grande, Locarno.
4. Race Day
  Oct 11, 2026
  Sunday: 21 km Half Marathon starts 09:10, 10 km Walking & Nordic Walking starts 09:30, 10 km Run starts 12:10, all at Piazza Grande, Locarno.

Found in

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The Lowdown

The Ascona-Locarno Run is an annual multi-distance running weekend held each October on the shores of Lake Maggiore in Ticino, Switzerland, organized by Ass. Ascona-Locarno Run since 2014. The 11th edition runs October 10-11, 2026, with a Kids Run and 5 km Sunset Run on Saturday evening and the 10 km Walking & Nordic Walking, 10 km Run, and 21 km Half Marathon on Sunday morning, all starting and finishing at Piazza Grande in Locarno. The half marathon course, certified and internationally homologated by Swiss Athletics, heads out from Piazza Grande past the Castello Visconteo and over the Maggia river bridge to Piazza di Ascona and the Moscia area, then returns along the Ascona lakefront past the Golf Patriziale and the Porto Comunale, back through the Maggia river banks and the Muralto lakefront. Registration includes a technical t-shirt, finisher medal, pasta party, and free admission to the Lido lakeside baths. The 2025 "Golden Edition" (10th) drew a record of roughly 3,400 registrants across all distances, with the 21 km field hosting that year's Swiss Half Marathon Championships. For 2026, organizers announced that, due to rising costs, free train travel is no longer included with race registration.

Previous edition results — 2025

Oct 11, 2025: Record 10th edition draws roughly 3,400 registrants
The 2025 "Golden Edition" (10th) of the Ascona-Locarno Run set a participation record of about 3,400 registrants across all distances, with the 21 km Half Marathon field topping 1,350 runners as that year's Swiss Half Marathon Championships.
Mar 18, 2026: Free train ticket dropped from 2026 registration fee
Organizers published an official notice that, due to rising costs, they can no longer include a complimentary train ticket with race registration as they had in past editions.

Minimum Age: 16 years
Entry Methods: Online registration via Datasport (onreg.datasport.com)
Late/on-site registration at the race village, 10 October 13:00–19:00 and 11 October 07:00–11:40, subject to bib availability
Eligibility: The 21 km Half Marathon is open to everyone regardless of nationality or athletics club affiliation.
Required Documents: Photo ID likely requested at bib pickup, as is standard for Swiss road races; not explicitly stated on the organizer's site.
Cancellation & Refund Policy: No explicit cancellation/refund policy found on the organizer's site after checking the registration and event pages; likely governed by Datasport's standard registration terms. Needs a direct browser fetch of the Datasport registration flow to confirm.

Book Stay

01: Full weekend program: Kids Run and 5 km Sunset Run on Saturday; 10 km Walking & Nordic Walking, 10 km Run, and 21 km Half Marathon on Sunday.
02: Organizer: Ass. Ascona-Locarno Run, based in Minusio, Switzerland.
03: Run & Sleep partnership: registered runners receive a Datasport discount code for stays at six partner hotels in Locarno/Ascona (15–20% off, valid October 2026).
04: For 2026, organizers announced free train travel is no longer included with registration, citing rising costs.
05: 2025 (10th edition, "Golden Edition") set a participation record of roughly 3,400 registrants and hosted that year's Swiss Half Marathon Championships in the 21 km field.

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