22nd Bocholt City Run on 6 May 2023

The Bocholt City Run will be held for the 22nd time and, as every year, the organisers hope for the best weather on 6 May. Runners and spectators are enthusiastic every year and together they create a unique atmosphere. For Bocholt, the City Run is a very special flagship event.

Starting signal at 5 p.m.

So, for the 22nd time, the Bocholt City Run will start on 6 May at 5 p.m. in front of the historic town hall. Around 4,900 runners are expected, as well as many spectators. 2023 will feature two 2.5 km schoolchildren's races at 5.00 p.m. for the girls and 5.30 p.m. for the boys. Immediately afterwards, the 5 km schoolchildren's race will start at 6.00 pm. At 7.00 p.m. the 5 km Everyman's Run, while the 10 km People's and Road Race is eagerly awaited at 8.00 p.m.

Course unchanged / New organiser team / Organiser association remains unchanged

Those who have taken part in the Bocholt City Run more often will be familiar with the course, as it has not changed over the years. The Stadt-Sport-Verband, the City of Bocholt - Department of Youth, Family, School and Sport, the Stadtmarketing Gesellschaft and the SF 97/30 Lowick as the organisers of the City Run will once again ensure professional conditions. With one change: after 23 years, the helm has been handed over from Ullrich Kuhlmann and Maria Rickert (both Stadt-Sport-Verband) to Andreas Stockhausen and a six-man organising team from the Lowick running department. "We are very pleased to be able to take on more responsibility for one of the biggest sporting events in Bocholt," says Andreas Stockhausen, pleased about this change. The circuit will be marked out with the help of the youth fire brigade, THW youth, water sports club, DLRG, SV Biemenhorst, pupils from Berufskolleg West, the police and many helpers from SF 97/30 Lowick. Drinks will be served at the finish by the St. Norbert scouts, and medical care will be provided by the Malteser relief service. The issue of safety is an important aspect that is taken particularly seriously. In coordination between the organisers and the Bocholt security authorities, appropriate and adequate measures will be taken for the city centre.

Issue of starting documents

A team of employees of the SF 97/30 Lowick as well as the Stadt-Sport-Verband and some trainees of the city of Bocholt will staff the registration office. Due to the construction work at the town hall, the starting documents will be handed out at the Mariengymnasium, Schleusenwall 1, in the break hall. They can be collected there on Friday, 5 May from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. and on Saturday, 6 May from 3.00 p.m. onwards. The start number contains the first name of the runner. It also contains the contact loops necessary for timekeeping.

Organisational information

There are some regulations that must be observed. For example, it is not allowed to run with "music in the ear" - those who do not observe this rule will be disqualified. Parents are not allowed to accompany their children. For this purpose, there will be escorts from the schools who will wear an appropriate start number for visibility. The start area may only be entered from behind, i.e. from St. George's Square (next to the steeple of St. George's Church). The actual start/finish area between the former Stadtsparkasse building and St. George's Church is reserved exclusively for runners. The parking spaces behind the former Stadtsparkasse will be used exclusively for serving drinks, so that a good finish can be guaranteed.

Closures / Parking

The first start is at 5.00 p.m. so that the weekly market can take place normally until 1.00 p.m. beforehand. Königstraße in the direction of the market will be closed from Saturday noon, but the use of the multi-storey car park "Am Nähkasten" will be possible without any problems (last exit, however, at 16.00 hrs!). The erection of barriers in the pedestrian zone (Markt, Osterstraße and Neustraße) will start at around 4 p.m. - this will cause obstructions in the city centre. In addition to Berliner Platz, parking is also available in the Shopping Arkaden multi-storey car park. Parking is possible there until 24.00 hrs. The car park of the old fire station (An der Bleiche) is also available.

Award Ceremonies /Moderation

The award ceremonies for the top three finishers will take place on the stage in the start-finish area at the market square after each race. Certificates for each participant will be available on the internet from Sunday, 7 May at www.bocholter-citylauf.de. Andi Menz will present the City Run at the start and finish. He will be supported musically by DJ Sascha Griesenbrock. For the last time, Jörg Honsel will host the event on St. Georg-Platz, musically accompanied by DJ Alex Wiltink. In the Provinzialkurve on Neustraße, Matthias Sprick and Stefan Lindemann will heat up participants and the audience. On Ravardistraße, presenter Boris Fastring and DJ Michael Kirsebauer will ensure a good atmosphere, and on Gasthausplatz, where there will be a hands-on programme and a drinks and snacks stand in the Flender area, presenter Stefan Nissing will be a guest and will also provide music.

Supporting programme / Service

In the Liebfrauenviertel there will be a drinks and snack stand. Musical support will be provided by the band "Mama Mucke", organised by Dochdu Kult & Ko e.V. "In addition, there will again be a colourful programme for children, organised by LEG. Every year, such a major sporting event needs the necessary support for the participants and spectators," says Ludger Dieckhues from Bocholt's city marketing department. The samba band "La Banda Furiosa" with its 20 drummers will be a real incentive for spectators and runners at the Sonilift bend at Lucy-Vollbrecht-Büschlepp-Platz, where runners will pass twice per lap. On the Südwall, the "Trashdrum Trupp" will perform, while on the Markt, the cheerleaders from TUB Bocholt will warm up the spectators before the 5 km and 10 km races. On the market square, Liebfrauenplatz and Gasthausplatz as well as on Neustraße there will be a drinks trolley, a small snack bar (not on Neustraße), tables, benches and bar tables with umbrellas and good music. Stadtbus Bocholt GmbH will also be offering an extra service: luggage storage from 4pm to 10.30pm in front of the registration office at Mariengymnasium.

All information about the Citylauf 2023 is available at www.bocholter-citylauf.de.