Corri per San Gennaro

A young classic of Vesuvius running

Corri per San Gennaro is a road race that brings the streets of San Gennaro Vesuviano, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, to life every March. Established in 2025 by the The Riders ASD sports club, the event has rapidly cemented its status as one of the most anticipated fixtures on the running calendar for the Vesuvius and Nola regions, drawing athletes and clubs from across the entire region.

The course: ten kilometers in the heart of town

The race covers a distance of 10 kilometers along a fully urban loop, with both the start and finish line located in Piazza Regina Margherita, the town's main square. The asphalt course is not officially certified and is described as slightly undulating but generally fast—a distance accessible to those with basic training while also suitable for runners chasing a personal best, as evidenced by the times recorded in the first editions.

On race day, the square serves as the event headquarters, hosting the meeting area, athlete services, and a gathering point for spectators who cheer on the runners along the town streets.

Sport, inclusion, and community

A hallmark of Corri per San Gennaro is its commitment to inclusion: the starting line also welcomes joëlettes, specialized racing wheelchairs pushed by volunteers, allowing people with disabilities to experience the race alongside all other competitors. This focus has given the event a distinct identity, blending competitive spirit with grassroots participation, as families and residents line the route to support the runners.

A town defined by its patron saint

The race's name pays homage to the patron saint who gives the municipality its name: San Gennaro Vesuviano grew around a 17th-century religious settlement and carries a deep connection to Naples' most beloved saint. Running "for San Gennaro" means traversing the identity of a town in the Campanian plains, located about twenty kilometers east of the regional capital and just a stone's throw from Nola, where agricultural and manufacturing traditions have coexisted for generations.

Rapid growth

The numbers reflect the event's trajectory: from nearly five hundred finishers in the inaugural 2025 edition to over a thousand participants in 2026, with dozens of clubs participating and a steadily rising technical level. The race is part of the OPES Italia calendar and is covered by major national running portals, a testament to the organizational credibility built in such a short time.

Why participate

Those arriving in San Gennaro Vesuviano on race day will find a morning of outdoor sport in an authentically local setting: the early morning start, the official send-off by local authorities, and the enthusiastic crowd cheering for both the front-runners and the back-of-the-pack. It is a highly recommended event for both runners seeking a fast 10km and those looking to discover a community in the province of Naples that has embraced running as a way to come together.