The sixth VPBank Hanoi International Marathon 2025 will be held on October 24-26. Photo courtesy of VPBank

HÀ NỘI — Lace up for a weekend to remember as the VPBank Hanoi International Marathon 2025 races back into the capital, taking runners through some of the city’s most vibrant corners.

The three-day event begins on October 24 around Hoàn Kiếm Lake and nearby pedestrian streets, welcoming more than 11,000 athletes to check in and join a series of cultural, musical and sporting activities.

An Expo area will feature kiosks and booths where runners and visitors can explore products and services from brands specialising in running.

The opening ceremony promises to be a highlight, combining with the VPBank Prime Night to showcase top Vietnamese artists including Hà Nhi, Vũ Thảo My, Rhyder and Juky San, delivering an electrifying performance of sound, light and emotion.

VPBank Prime Night will open the tournament in style.

In its sixth edition, the tournament, recognised as an annual official international sporting event of Hà Nội, will see runners, including foreigners from 25 countries and regions, test their ability in the 42km, 21km, 10km and 5km races under the cool and fresh weather of autumn, the most beautiful season of the year.

All four categories are measured and certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.

Athletes will start from the Hoàn Kiếm Lake area, passing through moss-covered street corners and admiring famous landmarks such as West Lake, Quan Chưởng Gate and the Hà Nội Flag Tower before reaching the modern symbolic works of a dynamic, vibrant and peaceful city.

City landmarks are part of the marathon.

Runners in the full marathon category can take it all in as they pass by some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including four lakes (Gươm, West Lake, Trúc Bạch and Thiền Quang), three symbolic bridges (Long Biên, Nhật Tân and Đông Trù), President Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum, Ba Đình Square and Thăng Long Royal Citadel, which embody thousands of years of Hà Nội’s history and culture.

To provide the best experience for athletes, the organisers apply real-time timing and results technology, the most advanced in its operations, along with an automatic photo capture system that recognises athletes’ faces and BIB codes.

All results and personal images are synchronised online, allowing runners to easily look up, save and share memorable moments from their journey.

Under its corporate social responsibility commitment, the VPBank Hanoi International Marathon aims to spread a message of 'Planting trees - Preserving water - Creating livelihoods.'

For every athlete who completes their race and whose BIB is collected at the 'Tree of Prosperity' board, VNĐ30,000 (US$1.13) will be contributed, equivalent to a bamboo tree planted for a flood prevention project in Nghệ An Province.

“We want the VPBank Hanoi International Marathon to become a symbol of a journey towards sustainable prosperity, a journey that starts from physical and mental health and community connection,” said Nguyễn Thùy Dương, head of VPBank’s Marketing and Communications Centre.

The race gathers more than 11000 runners in its sixth edition.

“We aim to make running more than just a sport, to turn it into an aspirational brand that embodies deeper values. It represents the harmony between our corporate philosophy of being ‘customer-centric’ and the running spirit of being ‘athlete-centric.’

“This vision is brought to life through professional, dedicated organisation, a strong focus on participant experience, advanced technological solutions and partnerships with top-tier service providers.”

In addition to the Hanoian event, VPBank VnExpress Marathon HCMC Midnight and VPBank Đất Sen Hồng Music Marathon, VPBank has also twice brought the legend G-DRAGON, a global icon of creativity and cultural influence, to Việt Nam, creating an unprecedented milestone for a Vietnamese brand. VNS