Heat battle with a heart-stopping finale: The hella hamburg half marathon 2025

With record participation, the fastest field ever, and thrilling duels along Hamburg's most beautiful course, the event delivered goosebumps in bright sunshine. Find out how the race went, what Richard Ringer's highlight of the year was, and how a debutant almost turned the women's race into a record-breaking run.

Words: Lukas Motschmann
Photos: Florian Kurrasch

Everything was set for a great day of running: 18,000 registered runners, a new record number of participants, almost 50 percent more than last year - the hella hamburg half marathon 2025 transformed the Hanseatic city into a single, vibrant running track. The starting gun traditionally fired on the Reeperbahn, but it quickly became clear: This would be no ordinary race. The 21.1 kilometers through the harbor, Speicherstadt, the Alster riverbanks, and the city center not only offered one of the most beautiful half marathon courses in Germany - they also became a stage for personal bests, emotionally charged finishes, and nearly broken records.

In the high-caliber men's field, several favorites were at the starting line: Samwel Mailu, two-time winner in Hamburg; Edward Cheserek, multiple US college champion with Kenyan roots; and German hopeful Richard Ringer, the 2022 European Marathon Champion. Indeed, the race initially developed into a tactical battle, more reminiscent of a cycling race: a large leading group, occasional increases in pace, then a wait-and-see approach. "There was a bit of a game of cat and mouse at the front," Richard Ringer later said. The decision was only made in the final kilometers, when Mailu and Cheserek pulled away.

Mailu, familiar with the course, leveraged his experience in the undulating final kilometers – and won in 1:01:03 hours, just 11 seconds over the course record from 2015. A hint of history hung in the air. "That was my first race in Germany," said Cheserek, who finished second in 1:01:11. "The atmosphere was fantastic, with so many fans along the course – it was really fun and gives me motivation for the Sydney Marathon."

Ringer finished the race as the fastest German, finishing in sixth place in 1:02:30 - exactly the time he had previously announced. "The conditions were perfect!" said the Rehlinger native. For him, the race was a test for the World Champs in Tokyo. "As a preparation race, it could have been even warmer - I'm hoping for really hot temperatures for Tokyo. I've developed a strategy that takes that into account." He'll now continue with shorter intervals, supplemented by intensive alternative training. The goal: a top-8 finish in Tokyo. Ringer also announced another, very personal highlight: "My wife and I are expecting our first child in the winter - maybe the endorphins will help with that last few percent in training."

In the women's race, 22-year-old Joan Jepleting from Kenya made a small splash. She completed her very first half marathon and won in 1:10:12 hours, just seven seconds over the course record set by Israeli Lonah Salpeter. "I wasn't expecting to win at all," said Jepleting. "But at kilometer ten, suddenly there was no one around me anymore. The atmosphere was so thrilling - it carried me all the way to the finish." With a lead of 27 seconds over second-placed Rancy Kogo, she impressively demonstrated that she is a force to be reckoned with on international podiums in the future. "I'll save the marathon for later - I'm still young." The fastest German was Lisa Huwatscheck (Hannover 96) in 1:16:14, followed by Melina Kürschner (LT Haspa Marathon Hamburg) from Hamburg in 1:19:11.

The atmosphere along the course was, as usual, fantastic music, applause, signs, children with buckets of water. With a pleasant 22 degrees Celsius and a light breeze, it was ideal for spectators - but not quite ideal for athletes with record-breaking ambitions. The final climb to the finish line near the exhibition halls cost many runners seconds and nerves. Despite multiple shower opportunities and medical care, several resuscitations were required among the starting field over the course of the morning - a serious reminder of the physical limits of sports in the heat. Thanks to short distances to paramedics and the crash first aid course offered by the organizer, all incidents were handled without incident. According to the organizer, all affected participants are now well again.

Conclusion: Hamburg shows how running is lived.

The 2025 hella hamburg half marathon was more than a race - it was a declaration of love for the sport of running. Between personal bests, tears, loud beats, and quiet moments of exhaustion, it became clear once again: This city can run. And it makes it accessible to everyone - whether world-class or recreational, whether debut or record-breaking.