Marató per Equips 2027: date, course and race formats

Plan your race pace

The Marató per Equips and the Els 7k del Riu race have a date for their next edition: April 18, 2027, in Cornellà de Llobregat. The event combines a relay marathon, a team half marathon and an individual race of about 7 kilometers, although the start times, final course, fees and registration opening have not yet been confirmed in the available information for 2027.

The event’s distinguishing feature is its blend of competition and community gathering. The marathon is completed by several runners sharing the relay legs, while the shorter race can be run individually. Details published for 2026 offer a reference for how the event has been organized, but should not be treated as confirmed for 2027 until the new edition’s rules and schedule are released.

A confirmed date for a return to Cornellà

The 2027 edition is scheduled for April 18 and will be held in Cornellà de Llobregat, in Barcelona province. That is the key information for people considering taking part, although the information provided does not yet state a start time or the exact start and finish locations. The date places the race in spring, but is not enough to predict course conditions or the weather on race day.

In the previous edition described by the organizers, activities were spread across Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, April 25, 2026, featured adapted activities, a river clean-up and run, zumba and children’s races; the main events took place on Sunday, April 26. That program is a precedent, not the official 2027 schedule: the next edition has a different date, and its timings need to be checked once the event schedule is published.

The change of date is another reason not to reuse administrative deadlines from previous seasons. References to registration cutoffs, team data submissions or bib pickup in past rules applied to those editions. For 2027, the reliable information currently goes no further than the date and location, so detailed planning will have to wait for the updated rules.

Three different ways to take part

The event offers distances and formats suited to different goals. The longest covers the 42.195 kilometers of a marathon as a relay; the team half marathon totals 21.097 kilometers, and the Els 7k del Riu offers an individual race of around 7 kilometers. In 2026, the event also included a community walk and a walk with companion animals, alongside children’s and adapted activities. The presence of each format in 2027 has not yet been confirmed.

The relay system changes the experience of a conventional marathon. Under the 2026 rules, the 42 kilometers were shared among six teammates, with each participant covering just over 7 kilometers; the half marathon was designed for three runners. Teams could choose their running order. The total distance is shared, but the pace and strategy depend on group coordination, not on a single runner.

That team element helps explain why the race attracts both groups aiming to compete and groups prioritizing a morning together. The previous edition had separate classifications for mixed, women’s, company and other general or local teams, with specific rules for team composition. It has not been confirmed whether those criteria will remain in place in 2027; the new edition’s rules will set out the minimum number of participants and valid categories.

What is known and what remains unconfirmed

The date and location have been confirmed in the information provided, but no 2027 entry fee, registration link or platform, participant limits or registration status has been given. The start time for each format, closing date and process for changing team details are also unknown. There are no 2027 prices that can be quoted with confidence.

As historical context, 2026 entry fees were listed as 90 euros for a first-time marathon team, 80 euros for teams that had competed in 2025 under the organizer’s stated conditions, 50 euros for the team half marathon and 10 euros for the 7-kilometer race. The children’s race and walk had different fees. Those amounts applied to the 2026 edition and cannot be used to calculate or infer the 2027 price, which could change along with the included services.

The same caution applies to entry caps and deadlines. The 2026 rules listed participant limits for some events and specific closing dates, but carrying them over to the next edition could be misleading. Before registering, check the new rules, what the entry includes and whether the organizers allow changes of participant or refunds. The previous edition’s rules stated that entry fees were nonrefundable; the policy for 2027 still needs to be confirmed.

A mixed-surface course with a community-race feel

Descriptions from a previous edition depict a flat course with varied surfaces, including asphalt or concrete as well as dirt and gravel. One course account estimated that about 65% ran on dirt or gravel paths, with the rest on paved surfaces. It also described two laps of roughly 3.5 kilometers for the individual race, with changing surfaces and a few narrow sections. This is useful context for understanding the race’s character, not a confirmed 2027 course map.

On that route, most of the course allowed runners to maintain a steady pace, but some sections called for looking ahead and adjusting their stride. Large rocks, uneven ground, steps and sharp turns were mentioned, along with narrow spots where participants could meet. Those features are a reason to stay alert in this kind of race, especially when the surface changes quickly between compact paths and asphalt.

The nearby gardens and paths around the Llobregat gave the race a different feel from an entirely urban event. It is not a conventional road marathon: its described appeal lies in the contrast between paths, tracks and paved sections, along with the relay format. However, the route may change from one edition to another, so it would be unwise to assume that the obstacles, surface mix or number of laps will stay the same in 2027.

How the team relay works

Under the 2026 rules, each marathon team had six runners and covered the distance in relay legs. The half marathon was organized for three teammates. One chip was used by each team to record its legs; the runner carried it during their section and handed it to the next teammate after crossing the timing point near the finish. Passing the device correctly was essential to recording the laps, and losing it or failing to register a lap could lead to disqualification under those rules.

The organizers also set exceptions for teams dealing with a dropout: the 2026 rules allowed certain minimum team sizes, with additional conditions for prize eligibility and mixed categories. Those details show why knowing the total distance is not enough; before putting a team together, runners should check how many participants must be registered, what happens in the event of an injury and how category composition is verified. The 2027 rules will need to clarify those details.

The format adds a straightforward but important tactical element. The order of runners, differences in pace and the time required to pass the chip can all affect the team result. For teams focused on finishing, coordination and consistency matter more than an aggressive strategy; for competitive groups, each relay leg is one part of a shared race. These are not six unrelated individual entries: the result is built as a team.

Race services and atmosphere

The 2026 edition offered services at the athletics track, including a bag drop, changing rooms and showers, as well as an aid station. The course information for that year mentioned water around kilometer 3.5 and liquid and solid refreshments at the finish. A broader program was also announced, with children’s activities, adapted events and a community walk. The availability of these services in 2027 has not been confirmed.

The event’s charitable element has also been highlighted in its history. According to information for the previous edition, proceeds from the team marathon went to the Fundació Catalana d’ELA Miquel Valls, while the walk supported the organization Pamango for Life. That describes the announced beneficiaries for 2026; details of the organizations supported in the next edition will have to wait for the organizers’ announcement.

The day, then, is not limited to the start and finish of a race. In its previous format, the schedule included activities for different ages and abilities and gave teams space to spend time together away from the course. That combination helps define the event: a community race with competition, shared activity and a charitable dimension. Which parts will return, and at what times, remains an open question for 2027.

Preparing for a course that may change

With the 2027 route still unpublished, the soundest approach is to treat previous course descriptions as general guidance, not as a definitive map. Runners entering the 7-kilometer race can include surface changes and turns in training without assuming there will be exactly two laps or the same technical sections. In the team format, teammates may also want to agree on how they will communicate the running order and handover.

Previous editions point to a mostly flat course with localized uneven sections. On dirt, gravel or stones, footing may feel less stable than on asphalt; easing off slightly on a narrow or obstacle-filled section can help maintain control. Paying attention to the surface matters as much as pace, particularly if the route retains out-and-back sections or places where runners meet.

It is also worth considering the start time once the official schedule is available. An account of a previous edition warned that the sun could become more noticeable for the later relay legs as the morning progressed. There is no confirmed 2027 start time, so that pattern cannot be applied precisely. Clothing and hydration should be adapted to the actual conditions and the organizers’ guidance, without assuming that aid stations from previous seasons are guaranteed.

Getting there and what to check before traveling

The stated host town is Cornellà de Llobregat, but the exact 2027 start and finish locations have not been provided. In the 2026 edition, the Sunday start was on carrer del Rugby, beside the athletics tracks, and bib pickup was associated with the Splau shopping center. These are historical references that may help identify the event area, not confirmation of the 2027 locations.

A guide to the previous edition listed public transport options in Cornellà, including the Cornellà-Riera FGC station, Cornellà Centre metro station and Cornellà train station. The walking distances it described depended on that edition’s start location and may not apply if the venue changes. Before traveling, the most reliable approach is to check the official map, access instructions and any traffic restrictions announced for race day.

People traveling from outside the town should also wait for the schedule before finalizing transport or accommodation. The start time affects the window for picking up a bib, leaving belongings and reaching the warm-up area; relay teams also need time to organize and locate the changeover area. The official 2027 schedule will be key to planning logistics.

The rules will define participation conditions

The 2026 rules included requirements such as wearing the bib visibly, submitting team members’ details and following the shared-chip procedure. They also addressed guardian consent for underage participants, possible suspension in severe weather and liability for personal belongings. Those provisions should not automatically be presented as current: each edition may update its rules.

Registering as a team usually requires more coordination than entering individually. In the previous edition, the team representative had to collect runner details and submit them by the organizer’s deadline. If a similar system remains in place, it will be important to check names, the selected category and relay instructions in good time. The 2026 deadline does not apply to the 2027 event, whose documentation has not yet been provided.

It is also sensible to review the rules on changes and cancellations before paying. The rules for an earlier edition said entry fees would not be refunded, but an updated policy for 2027 is not available. The same applies to transferring a bib to another person: do not buy or sell an entry assuming that a name change is allowed. The race’s official information should explain what options are available.

A race where the distance is shared

The Cornellà event has a recognizable format: it combines a marathon and half marathon relay with a popular race of around 7 kilometers. The April 18, 2027 date places it on the calendar, but important details for prospective participants remain outstanding: fees, start times, exact location, course and rules. Treating those details carefully prevents information from previous years being mistaken for promises about the next edition.

The event’s character seems to come less from chasing an individual time than from bringing runners with different goals together on one course. The dirt and gravel paths described in past editions, occasional technical sections and shared timing chip give the day its own texture. If that format continues, the effort will have both an individual and a collective measure: completing each leg and sustaining the work of the whole team.

Once the 2027 event notice is released, the route and rules will show how much of the previous experience remains and what has changed. Until then, the confirmed information is specific: Cornellà de Llobregat, an April date and an event associated with several distances and formats. Everything else — from entry fees to finish-line services — must wait for the official announcement, which will turn the calendar listing into a complete plan for runners and teams.