"It is an honour for us to organise three editions of this important walking event and a confirmation of the quality of the annual event and the local circuit," says Libor Varhaník, President of the Czech Athletic Federation. "We will do everything we can to repay the trust of European Athletics for the third time."

Poděbrady is one of the most important walking destinations on the world map. It is characterised by a long tradition dating back to the century before last, a superbly prepared one-kilometre circuit in the spa park, the participation of stars and top performances. At this year's 92nd edition of the Poděbrady Walking (without the ERWTCH), Antonella Palmisano and Perseus Karlström pushed the course records to 1:27:08 and 1:18:22 respectively. Overall, the meeting was (according to World Athletics methodology) the third best in the world in the 2024 season.

In 2021, the event had to be limited to purely foot races due to anti-footage measures. Last year, a fan zone was already set up in the spa park on T. G. Masaryk Square with a number of activities themed around walking. The day before, there were also accompanying races for the public, both walking and running. In the upcoming edition, the prepared circuit will also be used for the premiere of the one-mile and five-kilometre race.

Extraordinary history and present

Race walking has been associated with the spa town in Central Bohemia since the beginnings of the modern athletics movement. As early as 1894, the AC Královské Vinohrady club championships was held here, and since 1929 the 50kilometre race from Prague to Poděbrady has been held regularly. When walking races moved to circuits in the 1990s, one of them was created in the local park. The track and the whole organisation is tested every year at a prestigious international race held also as the national championships.

In 1997, the Race Walking World Cup was held in Poděbrady, followed twenty years later by the European Cup. The high credit of the event was confirmed when the continental competition was then allocated for the years 2021, 2023 and 2025. In addition, three years ago the Poděbrady event was the premiere under the new name of the European Race Walking Team Championships.