PORTO, PORTUGAL – Speaking live from the stage at the 5th European Running Business Conference (ERBC 2026) in Porto-Gaia, Sasho Belovski, Managing Director at SuperHalfs, alongside co-presenter Carlo Capalbo and race commentators, officially announced the next evolution of the series: SuperHalfs EUROPA.
The announcement marks a major strategic expansion for mass-participation road racing. Rather than overcrowding existing fields, adding a seventh event to the original circuit, or swapping out foundational host cities, SuperHalfs is expanding its footprint by introducing a brand-new, six-race sister series—rebranding the iconic original lineup as SuperHalfs Originals while launching SuperHalfs EUROPA in 2027.
The Journey: From 2019 Concept to Minutes-Long Sell-Outs
During his presentation, When Success Can Hurt: What to Do About It, Belovski detailed the extraordinary growth curve of the SuperHalfs brand:
- Concept & Launch: Conceptually born in 2019, the circuit faced immediate disruption from global COVID-19 pandemic restrictions throughout 2020, 2021, and early 2022.
- The First Full Operational Season: 2023 marked the first unrestricted calendar year for the series. In just three full operational seasons since, over 6,000 “SuperRunners” have earned their SuperMedal by completing all six races in the original circuit.
- Explosive Market Demand: Events within the series, some of which historically took weeks or months to fill, now regularly sell out in minutes, triggering virtual queue bottlenecks and server overloads during registration launches.
- Organic Runner Culture: Belovski highlighted how runner enthusiasm spilled over into custom merchandise, with participants creating their own “SuperRunner” t-shirts before an official merchandise line was established.
“We should not be afraid to go for new things and to surprise the market,” stated Belovski. “Otherwise, we get stuck in sweet problems and a reactive approach. The future has no finish line.”
Two Distinct Circuits: Originals vs. EUROPA
Beginning in 2027, the SuperHalfs ecosystem will feature two distinct 6-race series, expanding the total European network to 12 world-class half marathons across 12 countries.
1. SuperHalfs Originals
The iconic six-race series that launched the global movement retains its complete roster:
- EDP Lisbon Half Marathon (Portugal) — March 7, 2027
- Generali Prague Half Marathon (Czech Republic) — April 3, 2027
- Generali Berlin Half Marathon (Germany) — April 4, 2027
- Copenhagen Half Marathon (Denmark) — September 19, 2027
- Cardiff Half Marathon (Wales) — October 3, 2027
- Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Wizz Air (Spain) — October 24, 2027
2. SuperHalfs EUROPA (Launching 2027)
The newly introduced series unites six historic European host cities:
- Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon (Italy) — February 21, 2027
- Warsaw Half Marathon (Poland) — March 14, 2027
- Belgrade Half Marathon (Serbia) — April 17, 2027
- Wiener Städtische Half Marathon / Vienna (Austria) — April 18, 2027
- Rimi Riga Half Marathon (Latvia) — May 16, 2027 (Host city of the inaugural 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships)
- adidas Stockholm Half Marathon (Sweden) — August 21, 2027
Passport Systems & Completion Rules
- Digital SuperPassport Integration: Progress across both SuperHalfs Originals and SuperHalfs EUROPA will be tracked within each runner’s digital SuperPassport.
- No Completion Deadline: Runners maintain total flexibility to complete the six events in either series in any sequence, over any timeframe.
- Dual Medals: Athletes can choose to focus exclusively on completing the Originals, conquer EUROPA, or pursue both to earn dual series honors.
Editorial Take: Solving the Accessibility Bottleneck
As mass participation reaches record levels across Europe and North America, race directors have struggled to balance field capacities with runner demand. By launching a parallel, high-quality circuit in major capitals like Vienna, Warsaw, and Stockholm, SuperHalfs creates thousands of additional entry spots without compromising the athlete experience or municipal infrastructure of its founding cities.
