Introduction

With some 13,000 runners of 120 different nationalities hailing from 46 countries, cheered on by spectators from the Grand Duchy and neighbouring countries, the ING Night Marathon Luxembourg is a major international event on the capital's sports calendar.

Some 450 municipal staff on duty

To organise this major sporting event and ensure that it comes off as smoothly as possible, the City has mobilised more than 450 municipal staff – from departments as widely diverse as the Services Circulation, Eaux, Hygiène, Maintenance, Parcs, Parking, Sports, Transports en commun and Voirie (Traffic, Water, Sanitation, Maintenance, Parks, Parking, Sports, Public Transport, and Roads departments) – to provide the organisational and logistical support that organising an event of this size requires.

Associations that wish to put on an event, operate a stall or provide volunteers along the marathon route, should get in touch with the City of Luxembourg's Service Intégration et besoins spécifiques (Integration and Special Needs Department): Tel. 4796-4150;integratioun@vdl.lu

496 runners flying City of Luxembourg colours

After years of diminished participation due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Luxembourg City's municipal staff will once again be strongly represented at the 2023 marathon. In all, 496 runners (compared to 83 in 2022) will set off on 20 May wearing T-shirts in the City's colours:

  • 16 individual runners (2 women and 14 men), and seven 4-person teams (8 women and 20 men) have signed up for the marathon;
  • 88 runners (23 women and 65 men) have signed up for the half-marathon;
  • 290 children are registered for the mini-marathon (25 children – 4.2 km) and the mini-mini-marathon (265 children – 1 km) respectively. Children from Luxembourg City's municipal foyers scolaires will be trained for several weeks at the Josy Barthel Stadium by sports instructors from the "Sports pour tous" (Sports for All) programme. During the race, these children will be accompanied by 74 educators, as well as instructors from the Service Sports (Sports Department).

Measures to protect the environment

As in past years, the City of Luxembourg has worked closely with the organisers to ensure that the marathon is held in an environmentally friendly manner.

Accordingly, a number of measures have been taken to reduce the environmental impact of this major sporting event, including the use of reusable and returnable cups at vendors' stalls and, for some drinks, reusable and returnable bottles; an enhanced waste-sorting system; distribution of tap water; meals made from locally produced organic products, served at the "Luxexpo/The Box" site; the use of hybrid buses and electric cars along the race route; distribution of reusable bags to runners; and the use of green electricity along the race route.

Public health guidelines

While many social distancing restrictions have been eased due to the improved public health situation, the threat of coronavirus has not disappeared and the City of Luxembourg asks everyone to always behave responsibly and make their own assessment of the risks inherent to certain situations, as well as to continue to observe the relevant preventive measure to minimise all risk of spreading the virus.

CGDIS safety measures

Precautionary measures

As in previous years, the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (Corps grand-ducal d'incendie et de secours – CGDIS) has prepared a temporary emergency and response plan to ensure that this year's ING Night Marathon Luxembourg runs as smoothly as possible.

Additionally, several temporary fire response stations will be set up at various points along the race route so that CGDIS teams can respond quickly to incidents anywhere in the city, should the need arise.

At the same time, the CGDIS will continue to leverage its operational capabilities nationwide to ensure public safety at all times.

Emergency medical services

The CGDIS will be deploying 200 volunteer and professional firefighters to provide emergency services during the marathon and operational coverage for Luxembourg City and surrounding districts.

To provide adequate coverage for the event – which is expected to attract more than 100,000 spectators, runners and visitors in and around Luxexpo/The Box – the CGDIS has made special arrangements, which include a brigade-level command structure and:

  • An advance medical post, with sufficient staff cover
  • 10 ambulances
  • 14 foot-patrol units
  • 5 motorcycle units
  • 7 bicycle units
  • vans to provide operational coverage in the city's various districts.
  • The number of SAMU medical emergency personnel will be increased to ensure sufficient aid services Luxembourg City and its surrounding area.