Competition regulations

As at 26 August 2026

1. The event will be held in accordance with the regulations of the Swiss Athletics Federation (Swiss Athletics) and in accordance with the categories and distances specified in the event notice.
The courses (marathon, half-marathon and 10KM) of the SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne are measured in accordance with AIMS/IAAF regulations.

2. Anyone who has reached the minimum age specified in the race announcement is eligible to take part.

3. The organiser may specify a cut-off time for each distance in the race announcement. Runners who cross the finish line after this time will not be classified.
At the SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne, the end of the official race is determined by the ‘sweeper van’, which is timed to arrive at the finish line at the cut-off time. Runners who are overtaken by the ‘sweeper van’ must hand in their race number and are no longer part of the official competition. No refreshment or other services are available behind the ‘sweeper van’.

4. Timing is carried out using a chip integrated into the race number.

5. The race number must be fully visible at all times and worn on the front of the body, on the outermost layer of clothing. To ensure accurate timekeeping, the race number must not be folded or creased. Similarly, it must not be covered by a jacket, a running belt, a water bottle or any other object. If the race number is not worn correctly, there is a risk that the finishing time and split times will not be recorded, resulting in no valid classification. Any loss of the race number must be reported to the event staff as soon as possible.

6. The race number is assigned to each participant personally by the organiser. It must not be reproduced, duplicated or altered.
The race number is, in principle, non-transferable. Transfer to another person is permitted exclusively via the transfer procedure offered by the organiser. Any other form of transfer, handover, sale or acquisition of a race number is prohibited.

Participants are obliged to use and store their race number in such a way as to prevent unauthorised use by third parties. In particular, it is prohibited to make one’s own race number, or a copy or image thereof, available to another person for unauthorised participation, or to support such use, or to fail to prevent it despite being aware of it.
Participation with a race number that has not been duly allocated, is unofficial, has been tampered with, has been copied, or without a race number at all is not permitted.
In the event of a breach of the rules in this section, both the person taking part in the competition with an unauthorised race number or without a race number, and the person whose race number was used, shall be deemed to be at fault.

Offending persons will be excluded from the competition or subsequently disqualified. They shall have no entitlement to classification, timekeeping, awards or any other benefits associated with participation.
In addition, each person found to be in breach will be charged an amount equal to the entry fee they paid, plus an administration fee of CHF 200.–. Persons found to be at fault will also be excluded from participating in all events organised by the SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne association for a period of three years from the date of the offence.

7. Ranking within age groups during a competition is based on net times (the actual time taken from the start line to the finish line). In the overall and performance rankings, the first ten runners to cross the finish line are ranked. Once the start procedure has been completed, no net times will be recorded; running times will be calculated from the moment the starting gun is fired. At the Lucerne Cross, timing and classification are based on gross times (measured from the starting gun).

8. It is the responsibility of participants to be at the start at their allocated times.
Valid only for the SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne: Runners may switch to a later start slot, but may not start in a slot earlier than the one allocated to them. Participants who start in a start slot earlier than the one allocated to them may be disqualified.
Any participant who climbs over a barrier, gains access to a start area in any other unauthorised manner, or otherwise attempts to circumvent the start slot allocation may be disqualified.
The organiser reserves the right, for safety or organisational reasons, to refuse to allow certain individuals to start late.

9. The start will be signalled by an acoustic signal. All participants must be standing behind the starting line at the start.

10. The instructions of the course marshals must be strictly followed. Private escorts for runners, particularly in vehicles of any kind, especially bicycles and inline skates, are not permitted. There is a general ban on vehicles along the entire race route. Dogs, pushchairs, etc. are not permitted! Shortcuts and unauthorised aids are prohibited. For safety reasons, participation in a wheelchair is not permitted.
Exception: At the SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne, participation is only permitted as part of a ‘Roll&Run Duo’ with a personal accompanying runner.

11. Participants must remain within the boundaries of the race course at all times. The race course is typically marked by barriers, cones, cordons and/or other markings. This does not apply to ‘Individual Runs’ such as RUN365 or the Swiss Verticalrun Pilatus.

12. Runners who do not complete the entire race course will be disqualified. Participants with missing or irregular split times at the official timing points will be investigated and, where appropriate, disqualified.

13. The organiser may sanction breaches of these regulations with disqualification, exclusion or a ban from future events, taking into account the nature and severity of the breach as well as any repeat offences. This is without prejudice to the sanctions expressly provided for in these regulations for individual breaches. The organiser’s decision is final.