On 29 October 2024, a low-pressure storm caused flooding that ravaged the province of Valencia, leaving more than 200 people dead and many villages affected in a disaster zone.
The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, which took place on 1 December, launched the ‘Valencia runs 4 Valencia’ campaign to help the affected towns and people rebuild their infrastructure and their lives.
In total, the Valencia Marathon raised more than 1,000,000 euros through donations mainly received in one of three ways:
Organisers: SD Correcaminos
The race organisers themselves pledged to donate 3 euros for each of the 28,590 participants who reached the finish line. However, SD Correcaminos then made an extra effort to raise even more money, increasing this initial figure to 227,000 euros.
Runners and supporters
A bib number zero was created so that runners and supporters of the event could donate the amount they wished through the authorised platform.
In total, 205,000 euros were raised from individual donations, but also from transfers from running clubs around the world and even event tour operators.
The donations made through the platform included €15,062 donated by HOSBEC, which pooled the contributions from the hotel sector; €28,590 (one euro per finisher) donated by the race sponsor Patatas Meléndez; and €4,000 in prize money originally destined for the ‘Shopkeepers Also Run’ campaign carried out in conjunction with the Association of Historic Centre Shops, which decided to contribute this money to the ‘Valencia runs 4 Valencia’ fund; as well as €3,000 from the prize money for the Running Fallero competition, which the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation chose this year to donate to the six commissions on the Valencia Central Fallera Committee in the city’s worst affected districts.
New Balance
The third way was the donation from New Balance. The event’s sporting brand threw itself into helping those affected in the province of Valencia and pledged to donate a total amount of more than 600,000 euros.
All of this contribution from New Balance has been destined, through an agreement with the town council, to completely rebuild the synthetic surface and the facilities around the athletics track in Guadassuar. In addition, the Valencia Marathon sports brand also donated 40,000 euros to Bombers pel Món.
Destination of the donations
The focus of the donations is on the running schools and clubs, as well as the municipalities, affected by the flooding for the reconstruction of their sports facilities. Specifically, an agreement was signed with the Valencian Community Athletics Federation, through which more than 62,000 euros have been given to the federated athletics clubs in Algemesí, Torrent, Catarroja and L’Om de Picassent. Also more than 7000 euros has been donated to the clubs in Aldaia and Benetússer, which have athletics schools.
Similarly, more than 4,800 euros were given to CEIP Lluís Vives school in Massanassa (including a contribution from the Association of Historic Centre Shops) to purchase a completely set of new sports equipment for the school, which collapsed and whose pupils had to move to the former teacher training college in Valencia.
In addition, an agreement has been signed with Llombai Town Council for the repair of the changing rooms and the outside area around its athletics track for 60,000 euros and another agreement has also been signed with Requena providing 12,000 euros to repair its track. Finally, another significant sum is planned for the restoration of the track in Torrent, with the renovation of the synthetic track around the entire ring along with the long jump area and the high jump and pole-vaulting mats, for a value of more than 237,000 euros.
