After a 12-year break, the Desafio da Ponte, also known as the Bridge Race, is coming back. Yes, that’s right: the famous street race on the Rio-Niterói Bridge! And the new date has already been set! So get your sneakers and your running clothes ready and come and find out more about this event!
Corrida da Ponte is one of the city’s most emblematic events
Can you imagine crossing the Rio-Niterói bridge on foot and still be able to enjoy the breathtaking views along the way, such as Guanabara Bay, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer? Then get ready, because the Bridge Race is back!
One of the city’s most emblematic events, the Desafio da Ponte had its first edition in 1981, bringing together 3,000 runners at the time. Since then, it has had other sporadic editions over the years. The last one was in 2013, with 8,000 runners crossing the Rio-Niterói bridge, the largest in the southern hemisphere.
For this return, the expectation is the same as for the last edition, with 8 ,000 runners taking on the total 21 km course, crossing the 13 km of the Rio-Niterói Bridge.
The start takes place at 06:30 in Niterói, on the Niemeyer Way, and the finish will be at Praça Mauá, in Rio de Janeiro.
New date set and marathon promises historic edition
After a long hiatus and much anticipation, the Corrida da Ponte has been rescheduled. The marathon will take place on August 3rd, organized by Dream Factory and Spiridon. Both are also responsible for the Rio Marathon, which will also take place this year in June.
To register for the Desafio da Ponte, you need to prove a time equal to or less than 2h30min in 21 km races or 5h in marathons (42 km) held from January 2024 onwards. This criterion applies to all registered participants, regardless of gender.
What’s more, this year’s Corrida da Ponte promises to be a historic edition! That’s because the mega-operation also features concerts, exclusive areas and recovery points for participants. So, are you going to take on the Bridge Challenge?