Sfakia Sky Marathon

This is a special race, unique for the Greek and international trail running scene. As its name implies, initially, it consists of a continuous uphill which starts from sea level and specifically from Loutro Sfakion, and passes through the highest peaks of the White Mountains Pachnes (2.454 m) after 20 kilometers and 2.600 meters of positive altitude! and also from the peak named ‘Mavros Gourgouthas’ (2.435m). From there, athletes have the opportunity to admire more than 55 peaks above 2.000 altitude, a unique phenomenon for the Greek mountains! Then the route moves to the heart of «Madara» – a name used by the locals for the White Mountains – and reaches the most isolated plateau of the island, at the location Katsiveli at 2.000 meters in the mitata (small houses made of stone) of which the breeders are making cheese still today. From there, the athletes will return and finish in Anopoli Sfakion, traveling a total of 44 kilometers with 3.050 meters of positive and 2.480 meters of negative altitude difference. Athletes participating in the race will have the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful places in the White Mountains, to experience the unique mountainous desert landscape and from the top to admire the unobstructed view of the Libyan Sea to the south and the “sea of peaks” to the north. The gathering of the athletes will take place in the port of Chora Sfakion. There they will receive their numbers from the secretariat of the race and will board with the ferryboat that will transport them to the picturesque port of Loutro Sfakion in 15 minutes, where the race will start from the ferryboat!