Showcasing the Beauty of Macedonia through Organized Races

Who would have thought that during the pandemic there would be no great events in Macedonia? We introduce you to Dejan Krle, who is part of the organization of the "Vodno-Matka Trail Marathon 2021." This full-day event in nature will take place on March 27th and consists of two races. One is a mountain marathon of 42 kilometers, and the other is a trail race of 26 kilometers through the slopes of Vodno and the Matka Canyon.

What we, as a team working in tourism, find particularly delightful is the fact that both races pass through beautiful regions of the country, where, in addition to the competition, participants will be able to enjoy what nature has to offer.

Dejan says that the races pass through the most beautiful areas of Vodno, a mountain that offers stunning spots for observing the Skopje Valley and the surrounding mountains, such as Skopska Crna Gora, Zheden, Karadzhica, Jakupica, Kitka, and in the distance, the picturesque Shar Mountain range.

In addition to Vodno, the race also passes by the Treska River and the Matka Canyon. The feeling is unique when running alongside natural architecture, complemented by mystical monasteries, churches, and monuments from the Byzantine period.

Each year, there are more than 300 participants from Macedonia, primarily nature enthusiasts. Around 24% are young people aged up to 29 years.

There are also many foreign tourists. Nearly 120 runners and another hundred of their companions are part of the event. Foreign participants often stay several days longer. They usually arrive two days before the event, stay overnight, and take part in tourist excursions to get to know the region where they will compete up close.

Dejan also sent us a list filled with positive reviews from foreign participants, many of whom come from neighboring countries, and they say they will return to the race again.

Mountain running is the fastest-growing outdoor sport globally. In 2019, thousands of races were organized worldwide, taking place in national parks, protected areas, and nature reserves.

Among other things, these events significantly contribute to increasing the economic benefit from off-season adventure tourism in mountainous regions and places with significant cultural heritage.

Mountain races encourage young people to develop a healthy and active lifestyle, while promoting a variety of opportunities for different sports activities and visits to places of interest around the city of Skopje and the Matka Canyon. The long-term vision of TREKS in the next 5-10 years is to reach its full potential and offer 5 events with 15 mountain races of different lengths, ranging from 20 km, 40 km, 60 km, 80 km, 100 km, and 170 km for more than 3000 participants, as well as to become part of the prestigious Ultra-Trail® World Tour events.

Dejan says that all the races, including Vodno-Matka, are created to meet the needs of nature lovers.