Like most major marathons around the world, we uses a seeding system to stagger the start. The fastest runners start in the front and the slower runners at the back. The start lasts for three hours, where each start group starts every few minutes. Which group a runner is placed in is determined by earlier qualifying time explained below.
Below list contains all races approved for seeding arranged by Göteborgsvarvet, which are valid for Göteborgsvarvet 2023. Runners who successfully completed one of these races automatically qualify for a start group based on the result, no other registration is needed.
If you have two or more registered results from races approved for qualifying, it is always the best time that counts. You can never be placed in a start group further back.
Without qualifying results?
If you do not have previous results you will be placed in a start group between 16 - 25 based on the time of registration. Your final start group for Göteborgsvarvet 2023 will be announced two weeks before the race. Start certificate with this information will be sent by e-mail and will also be available on My pages.
You may apply for a separate seeding when successfully completed an external race between 30 April 2021 - 30 April 2023 which meet following criteria:
Send us a copy of your result to info@goteborgsvarvet.se latest 30 April 2023.
Virtual races that are not arranged by Göteborgsvarvet will not be considered for qualifying purposes.
*A sanctioned half marathon / marathon is a race approved by the Swedish Athletics Association (or another nation's association) a quality mark which, among other things, means that approved timekeeping has been used, that the track was checked and had medical care and water stations along the course.
Competitors who have achieved one of the below result limits at a sanctioned race during the period 1 January 2022 – 7 May 2023 can apply to be seeded to the Elite start group. Send a certificate of your result to elite@goteborgsvarvet.se latest May 7, 2023.
Result limits:
Men: Marathon 2:39:00, half marathon 1:12:00 or 10 000 meters 32:00:00.
Women: Marathon 3:06:00, half marathon 1:25:30 or 10 000 meters 37:00:00.
The marathon/half-marathon must be on a controlled road course, while the time of 10,000 m, in addition to a controlled road course, can also be done in an arena.
No previous result yet, and would like to take the chance to advance to a better start group? During spring 2023 Varvetmilen is arranged in several different locations during several dates. Varvetmilen gives a great chance to make a good result on 10k, all races are fast and flat. Regardless of where in the Sweden you choose to run Varvetmilen, the result is approved for seeding for Göteborgsvarvet 2023. Citys for Varvetmilen 2023 are Göteborg, Danderyd, Jönköping, Malmö, Trollhättan. You can also run Digitala Varvetmilen.
The finish close at 07.00 pm. A rope is drawn on Hisingen, Frihamnen at 05.40 pm after 13.3 km and at Nordstan at 06.05 pm after 15 km. Runners who does not reach Frihamnen in time will be transported back to the finish area. The start is going on between 01-04 pm, the maximum time to finish the race depend on which start group you belong. An approximate average pace of 7.31 min / km is required if you are placed in the last start group to manage the limit after 13.3 kilometers.
A runner who starts in an earlier start group than what has been assigned to them for Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon 2023 will be disqualified. Since 2018, all runners have their first name printed on their race bibs. A runner with another runner’s race bib is an issue of disqualification.
If you want to run with a friend, it is always allowed to move to a start group further back. You can do this without contacting us and it will affect your results. Note that this only applies when moving to a start group further back, moving to an earlier start group will lead to disqualification.