We are excited to introduce the new team responsible for organizing 2025 Waterland Marathon! After many years of dedication, part of the previous team has decided to step down. We sincerely thank them for their hard work and commitment, and we’re eager to build on their fantastic legacy. 💪🚣
Our new team consists of enthusiastic and experienced volunteers who are ready to make this edition a great success. With fresh ideas and plenty of energy, we aim to ensure that the 51th edition runs smoothly and becomes an unforgettable experience for all participants.
Do you have any questions before or during the race? We are here to help! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us or speak to us directly during the event.
We look forward to seeing you shine on the water. Let’s make it an unforgettable day together! 🌊✨
The Amsterdam Waterland Marathon returns for its 51st edition on April 12, 2025, kicking off the new race season. Registration is now open, with a cap of 197 participants.
From this edition onward, only prize money will be awarded, with no start bonuses for top athletes.
Pre-race athletes dinner
As always, participants are invited to join the pre-race athletes dinner on the Friday evening before race day—a chance to connect and prepare for the start of the season.
We’re looking for sponsors
Organized by volunteers as a non-profit event, the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon depends on sponsorships to cover essential expenses, such as the rescue team and prize money. Sponsors interested in supporting this long-standing community event are encouraged to get in touch.
50th edition aftermovie
Get an impression of what it’s like to compete in the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon:
With immense gratitude, the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon organization announces the departure of race director and sponsor Edwin de Nijs and his wife, Puck Ijskes. We are also saying farewell to Rens Janssen, our dedicated spokesperson who handled all your questions and emails. Losing these three fantastic volunteers is a significant blow!
Thanks to Edwin, Puck, and Rens, our race has grown from a modest event with just 20 paddlers into a renowned competition featuring some of the best athletes and world champions. We’ve grown so much that we now need to limit the number of participants who can register.
Organizing the 50th edition, alongside so many kayaking friends from around the globe, was a milestone and an ideal opportunity to explore new possibilities.
A new race committee will be formed, and a new race director will be appointed. We’ll introduce ourselves soon.
As the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. We look forward to welcoming back many of our kayaking friends from previous years on April 12, 2025. Race entry is already open!
The 50th edition of the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon presented some of the harshest conditions in the past decade for all athletes. The weather played a significant role, with gale-force winds of 5 Beaufort, hailstorms, and heavy rain showers proving to be formidable challenges for all paddlers.
Despite the adverse conditions, James Russell emerged victorious in the final sprint, outpacing his competitors Jose Leonel Ramalho and Jeremy Candy. Russell’s dedication to early-season sprint training paid off handsomely. The race initially saw a tightly contested lead group comprising eight paddlers, including Quentin Urban, Jeremy Candy, Miguel Llorens, and Philip Knudsen. The presence of so many top athletes at our start line is a rare sight in recent years.
The race began at a blistering pace, only relenting slightly after the first portage. The headwinds posed difficulties even for the world elite paddlers. The second portage, an iconic feature of the race, proved more challenging than ever, with some marsh sections nearly indistinguishable from the canals due to continuous rain in preceding weeks.
Following the second portage, the tempo decreased significantly. In the wide and deep North Holland canal, the lead group engaged in a tactical game, with no one seizing a clear advantage until the final sprint.
In the senior women’s category, Zsofi-Czellai Voros took an early lead, paddling alongside the master men’s chasing group. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t match her pace, allowing Voros to maintain her lead comfortably until the end. Pernille Hostrup secured second place, followed by Tania Alvarez Yates in third.
Joep van Bakel clinched victory in the masters men’s category, staying ahead of the competition and securing a medal for the Netherlands. Torben Thomsen finished second, with Matthew Enoch John taking third place.
The junior men’s race witnessed an exceptionally fast pace, with Candela Leonardo and Joseph Enoch Michael finishing just behind the fastest masters men. Their times would have placed them in the top 20 of the senior men’s category. Alexander Worgan claimed third place, showcasing promising talent for the future of marathon paddling.
In the junior women’s race, Moa Nilsson Maria Nike, Kamila Sklenarova, and Beatrice Candela comprised the top three finishers.
Elias Geike won the boys’ race, and Lucie-Marie Horch emerged victorious in the women’s race for the short course event.
The 50th edition of the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon will be remembered for its challenging conditions and resilient athletes. Organizers hope for a sunnier, warmer, and windless 51st edition.
Please read this information for the 50th edition of the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon:
The race office will be open from 09.00 until 11.00. Make sure to pick up your number.
11.00 the numbers that have not been piked up will be distributed among those on the waiting list!
Entry fee is EUR 10. We also ask for a EUR 10 deposit for your number. Please bring it back to get your refund. Cash payments are easier and therefore preferred.
Team leaders meeting will be at 11.45.
There will be two starts for the long distance. Men junior and senior will start at 13.20. All other race categories will start at 13.00.
Short distance race will start at 13.10.
Paddle to the start of the long distance race is about 2.5 km from the Viking canoe club.
Boat transport to the start of the short distance will depart 12.00. Make sure to put your put your boat on the big trailer in front of the boathouse.
We will stop time registration at 16.15. Make sure to finish before then 😉
Prize ceremony will be around 16.45.
Competition is at your own risk. We expect cold water temperatures and high winds, dress appropiately!
The races for this year will be the 23 kilometer race with two portages for all seniors and juniors (men and women) and the 14 kilometer – one portage – race for juniors younger than 16 years old and recreational paddlers. (see race classes)
A total of 2.000 euro in price money will be divided and a start fee for the first five top 10 World Championship paddlers to register is available.
For this anniversary edition we will host a special program after the race, the Red Light district tour will be uplifted with a special surprise for this 50th anniversary edition.
Every year we have many spectators and photographers making the most beautiful pictures. In this message we try to collect as many as possible for you to find.
The first collection of the 49th edition is by Guda Oly with over a 100 pictures of almost all paddlers making it to the finish line. Find yourself and download your picture.
The Amsterdam Waterland kayak and canoe Marathon celebrated its 49th edition this year, with the event attracting top paddlers from around the world. The senior men’s race was particularly exciting, with the breakaway happening after only 1 km right after the start, and the top racers maintaining a fast pace throughout the 24 km course.
In the endsprint, South African Hamish Lovemore emerged as the winner. As he announced before the race, if he would win it had to become a endsprint. They completed the race in an impressive time of 1 hour, 37 minutes, and 45.90 seconds, staying above theset track record. Lovemore led a close pack that included British James Russel, French Jeremy Candy, and Quentin Urban. Ultimately, Russel and Candy finished second and third, respectively, with Urban taking fourth place.
The senior women’s race saw Hungarian Panna Krisztina Sinko take first place with a time of 1 hour, 53 minutes, and 34 seconds. Basque paddler Irati Osa Irureta took second place with a time of 1 hour, 53 minutes, and 47 seconds, while Hungarian Zsófia Czéliai-Vörös finished third with a time of 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 1 seconds even after a unfortunate second portage where she fell in the water after trying to board the boat too swift.
In the masters men’s race, Torben Thomsen of the Aarhus Å Kajakklub came in first, completing the course in a time of 1 hour, 49 minutes, and 25 seconds. Dries Corrijn of KCCG took second place, with a time of 1 hour, 49 minutes, and 27 seconds, while Klaus Gieres finished third with a time of 1 hour, 49 minutes, and 35 seconds.
The junior men’s race saw Ben Higgins from the Salmon Leap canoe club take first place with a time of 1 hour 48 minutes and 2 seconds. In the junior women’s race, Italian paddler Beatrice Candela five minutes ahead of Hjördis Sommer and Nina Callebaut.
Overall, the Amsterdam Waterland kayak and canoe Marathon was a thrilling event, with top paddlers from around the world showcasing their skills and pushing themselves to their limits. Being challenged by the sudden change of weather, with a sunny morning but cold and rainy afternoon we can only have respect for all paddlers that made the finish line. Congratulations to all the winners and participants.
The 49th Amsterdam Waterland Marathon is gearing up to be a thrilling event, with a strong field of competitors set to take on the challenge. Athletes from around the world have been preparing for this event, and expectations are high for some fast times.
In the senior men category, there are a number of top contenders, including Jeremy Candy, Quentin Urban, and Hamish Lovemore. Jeremy Candy has tipped Hamish as the top favorite as he witnessed great strength in their training of last week.
Adding to the excitement, the weather conditions are predicted to be record-breaking, with low winds and moderate temperatures. This could potentially lead to some incredibly fast times, so the top athletes will be pushing themselves to the limit in order to beat the track record of 1:38:11.17 set Mads Brandt Pedersen.
In the senior women’s category, the favorite is undoubtedly Zsófia Czéliai-Vörös, the winner of the last edition of the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon. However, she will face strong competition from Anne-Sofie Winther, Lisa Gras, and Cathrine Rask, all of whom have been training hard in preparation for the race and have a high reputation.
As the athletes prepare to take on the challenge of the Amsterdam Waterland Marathon, the excitement is in the air. With a strong field of competitors and record-breaking weather conditions, this promises to be an unforgettable event for both athletes and spectators alike.
Are you keen to see the race? A live report will be given on this Youtube channel.
Race report and results will be posted online as soon as possible.