Name: Lauf zwischen den Meeren 2026
Start: 2026-05-30T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-30T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Start Husum Schiffbrücke — Ziel Damp

Lauf zwischen den Meeren

About Lauf zwischen den Meeren

On a Saturday in late May, one of Germany's largest relay races starts: From Husum Harbour on the North Sea to Damp on the Baltic Sea, around 800 teams send their runners across ten stages covering a total of 92.2 kilometres to the finish line. A Schleswig-Holstein sporting institution that gets 8,000 athletes and helpers moving every year, crossing the federal state from west to east.

Dates 30 May — 30 May 2026

Venue Husum (01054)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Lauf zwischen den Meeren — edition 2026

Tickets →

The 19th edition of the Lauf zwischen den Meeren takes place on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Starting early in the morning at Husum Harbour (Schiffbrücke), finishing in Damp. Around 800 teams will run the 92.2 kilometres over ten stages — registration opened on June 13, 2025, at 3 PM via davengo.com.

As in previous years, the race starts early on Saturday morning at Husum Harbour with a mass start for the first stage. The fastest teams reach Damp around 2:15 PM, with the main field arriving in the afternoon and early evening. Zippel's Läuferwelt is responsible for the organisation together with the main sponsor VR Bank.

Highlights Lauf zwischen den Meeren 2026

Mass start at Husum Harbour, 10 relay stages across Schleswig-Holstein, finish marquee with live programme in Damp.

Programme Lauf zwischen den Meeren 2026

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Early morning — Setup of start area Husum Harbour (Schiffbrücke), briefing of teams
Morning — Mass start of the first stage in Husum
During the day — Relay handovers at the 10 changeover zones along the route (Friedrichstadt, Schleswig, Schlei region)
From 2:15 PM — First teams reach the finish in Damp
Afternoon/Evening — Main field arrives at the finish, catering and live programme in the marquee
Evening — Awards ceremony in Damp

Current route map, GPX tracks, and live tracking at lauf-zwischen-den-meeren.de.

Prices Lauf zwischen den Meeren 2026

Team entry fees via the davengo.com registration platform. Registration opened on June 13, 2025, at 3 PM.

Practical information

Practical information — Lauf zwischen den Meeren

Getting There

Start in Husum: Train from Hamburg via NOB to Husum, Schiffbrücke five minutes from the station. Finish in Damp: Bus or car from Eckernförde — Damp is about 30 kilometres northeast. Shuttle buses between start and finish are organised by the event provider.

Registration

Via davengo.com — registration for the 2026 race opened on June 13, 2025, at 3 PM. Current information on the official festival website.

Logistics

Changeover zones are signposted. Detailed route information, GPX tracks, and changeover point lists at lauf-zwischen-den-meeren.de.

From Sea to Sea in One Day

The Lauf zwischen den Meeren is one of the most famous popular sports events in Schleswig-Holstein. Over 92.2 kilometres, it connects the North Sea (start at Husum Harbour) with the Baltic Sea (finish in Damp) — a route across the federal state, passing Friedrichstadt, Schleswig, the Schlei fjord, and many small villages in North Frisia and Schleswig-Flensburg.

Relay Format: Ten Stages, One Team

The race is held as a relay race. A team consists of five to ten runners, and the course is divided into ten stages of 8.2 to 11.5 kilometres each. Each stage is run by a team member, who hands over to the next at the changeover point — until the team reaches Damp. The fastest teams complete the race in about 5 hours and 10 minutes, most take seven to nine hours.

Participants and Logistics

Around 800 teams register every year — that's between 4,000 and 8,000 active runners plus several hundred volunteers at the changeover stations. The race attracts a mixed crowd: running clubs, associations, corporate teams, amateur athletes. Registration opens in June of the preceding year via davengo.com — places usually sell out within a few hours.

Across Schleswig-Holstein

The course leads through the two districts of Nordfriesland and Schleswig-Flensburg in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein — through marshland, geestland, and along the Schlei. The starting municipality of Husum (Storm's town, crab capital) and the finishing municipality of Damp (seaside resort, spa town) are barely 90 kilometres apart as the crow flies. The organiser is Zippel's Läuferwelt, with VR Bank as the main sponsor.

Volksfest Atmosphere Along the Route

A mobile Volksfest (popular festival) develops at the ten changeover points and along the route: Residents set up refreshment stands, music accompanies the runners, and in Damp, the finish line is celebrated with a large marquee, live music, and catering. The fastest teams arrive around 2:15 PM.