Corri per Quarto – Francesco Palumbo Memorial

A race born from memory

The Corri per Quarto is the running event that closes the sporting year in the Municipality of Quarto, within the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania. For several editions, the event has also carried the name Francesco Palumbo Memorial, in honour of the local Municipal Police lieutenant, a great running enthusiast whose passing left a deep void in the local community and the Phlegraean running scene. The memorial was created to transform that memory into positive energy: a race built by the Palumbo family with simplicity and passion, which has quickly become a true collective ritual for the end of December.

Ten kilometres through the city streets

The course measures 10 kilometres (just over 10.2 km in the most recent edition) and winds entirely through city streets, with the start and finish at the Villa Comunale Papa Giovanni Paolo II. The route crosses Quarto's main arteries, including Corso Italia, Via Viticella, and the avenue leading to the Church of San Castrese: a mostly flat loop with a few inclines that make it technical and selective in the central section. It is an ideal distance both for fast athletes looking for a good end-of-season time and for those running for the sheer pleasure of participating.

A staple of the Campanian calendar

The race is now a classic in the regional running calendar: in recent editions, between 400 and 500 athletes have lined up at the start, representing dozens of sports clubs from all over Campania. The event is organised by the Quarto Run Francesco Palumbo association, chaired by Anna Palumbo, with her son Castrese Palumbo among the key organisers, and is supported by the Quarto Municipal Administration and the Metropolitan City of Naples. The event is traditionally part of the city's Christmas festivities.

Sport, inclusion, and solidarity

The Corri per Quarto is more than just a race: the organisers have always emphasised the values of sport, inclusion, health, and solidarity, as well as the goal of promoting Quarto and the Phlegraean Fields through a passion for running. A small army of volunteers, along with civil protection services, local associations, and the Municipal Police, contribute to the event's success by ensuring the course is safe. In past editions, the day has concluded with an awards ceremony and a buffet for athletes and their companions.

• Distance: 10 km road race, competitive
• Start and finish: Villa Comunale Papa Giovanni Paolo II, Quarto (NA)
• Period: Late December, between Christmas and New Year
• Participants: 400-500 athletes in recent editions
• Organisation: Quarto Run Francesco Palumbo Association

The most recent edition

The ninth edition, the fourth Francesco Palumbo Memorial, took place on Sunday, 28 December 2025, starting at 9:00 AM with around 450 athletes at the start line. The victory went to Said Boulfaf in 33'21", ahead of Francesco Di Puoti (33'43"), while Vincenza Della Rocca of Caracciolo Runners won the women's category in 41'25", followed by Annamaria Capasso (41'56"). The previous year, on 29 December 2024, the eighth edition gathered about 500 athletes representing 75 clubs.

Quarto and the Phlegraean Fields

Running in Quarto means traversing one of the most unique territories in Campania: the ancient Quartum of the Via Consolare Campana owes its name to its distance of four miles from Pozzuoli and lies in a volcanic basin of the Phlegraean Fields, just a few kilometres from the sea and the Solfatara. A ten-kilometre race thus becomes a way to discover a city that lives its daily life away from the postcards, with Mount Vesuvius on the horizon and the Phlegraean craters all around.

Looking ahead to the 2026 edition

An official date for December 2026 has not yet been released: however, the tradition of recent years places the race in the final days of the year, between 26 and 30 December. Those wishing to participate should follow the organising association's social media channels and Campanian running portals, where announcements usually appear in the first half of December along with the opening of registrations.