Sightseeing and sunbathing are being swapped for start lines, according to new data from sports travel insurance provider SportsCover Direct, which reveals a 55% year-on-year rise in travellers taking out specialist cover for endurance and challenge-based sporting events(1).
Analysing its own policy data, SportsCover Direct found that ultramarathon travel is the activity that has seen the single biggest jump, up 77% year-on-year, as growing numbers of amateur athletes travel abroad to compete rather than simply spectate.
Challenge based sporting trips are also being recognised on a wider scale, with TripAdvisor naming ‘sweat jetting’ one of its top travel trends of the year, noting that major marathons are now driving significant visitor surges in host cities, with Chicago Marathon bringing a 300% rise in visitors, followed by Boston (+228%) and Berlin (+222%)(2).
Go big, but not all the way – why half-distance is having a moment
The data also points to a more ‘accessible’ approach to endurance sports, with half marathons (+34%) outgrowing full marathons (+21%), and half ironmans (+29%) growing faster than full Ironmans (+19%), suggesting that athletes want the challenge of racing abroad without committing to the full distance.
Elsewhere, ski racing has emerged as a surprise entry in second place, up 44% year-on-year, with events like Sweden’s Vasaloppet drawing a growing number of global entrants, showing there’s also an appetite for winter endurance travel.
SportsCover Direct’s data is backed up by the wider industry, with Google searches for ‘ultra race’ having risen 234% year-on-year, while searches for ‘European marathons’ are up 34% over the same period(3). Strava also recorded a 9% rise in members completing marathons and ultramarathons, with 40% of its users logging a run while abroad(4), and entries to this year’s TCS London Marathon ballot from 18-29 year-olds rose 105% year-on-year, evidence that the appetite for endurance travel spans generations as well as distances(6).
The endurance sports events driving the growth of racecations
SportsCover Direct’s internal data has revealed the ten fastest growing endurance events sports enthusiasts are travelling abroad to compete in, with the list published as tens of thousands of amateur runners prepare to line up at the Amsterdam Marathon startline later this month (18th October).
Case study: Izzy Weatherall, ultramarathon swimmer
Among those travelling to test their limits is Izzy Weatherall(5), an ultramarathon swimmer of over ten years, who recently swam the 20 Bridges route, a 28 mile circumnavigation of Manhattan Island, as part of open water swimming’s ‘Triple Crown’ challenge.
Having already completed the English Channel and Loch Ness, Izzy took her ultramarathon swimming journey international for her Triple Crown attempt, drawn by New York’s favourable tides and the chance to combine a bucket list trip with a bucket list challenge.
Izzy comments: “I’d run out of swims in the UK, and 20 Bridges was part of the iconic Triple Crown, so it felt like a natural next step to take my journey international. As an endurance athlete, we always look for the most awesome places to do a challenge. If I visit somewhere, I’ll always be drawn to the challenges I could do there, it’s just part of the sport! I’ve always wanted to visit New York, and so why not combine a once in a lifetime trip with a once in a lifetime swim?
“These challenges help not only your body, but also train your mind to accept what you can control and let go of what you can’t so you’re training both at the same time, which I think is amazing. Ultramarathon events give you such a unique feeling at the end, one where you’ve put absolutely everything into training, the challenge and the mental battle, and then you finally get to experience what you’ve been building up to in your life for so long.”
How to prepare for competing in an endurance event abroad
The trend shows no sign of slowing this autumn, with global competitors expected at some of Europe’s biggest endurance events over the coming months. The Berlin Marathon remains one of the most popular overseas marathon for runners chasing a fast, flat course, while IRONMAN Barcelona-Calella and the Spartan Race European Championship in Estérel Saint-Raphaël both take place the same weekend in October, offering further evidence of the growth SportsCover Direct is seeing in both triathlon and obstacle race training.
Amsterdam (18 October), Frankfurt (25 October) and Valencia round out a busy autumn calendar for marathon travellers, while the UK-founded Ultra X Madeira (31 October-1 November) offers a multi-stage ultramarathon for those chasing an even bigger challenge.
Chris Trotman, Head of Underwriting and Sales at SportsCover Direct comments(6):
“Our internal data reveals a clear shift in the type of trip people are booking, with more travellers building entire holidays around endurance sporting events, whether that’s a marathon, a triathlon or an ultra. It’s brilliant to see amateur athletes pushing themselves in this way, and it shows just how much endurance sport has moved from a niche pursuit to a mainstream travel motivation.
“It’s important to remember that competing abroad brings a different set of risks to a normal holiday, from the physical demands of the event itself to travelling with specialist equipment and kit. Race and competition cover is often excluded from standard travel insurance, so it’s essential that travellers check their holiday insurance covers their specific event and sport, understand what is and isn’t included as standard, and build in enough time either side of racing to manage the unexpected. Taking time to ensure the right preparation in advance will mean that the only thing you need to focus on is the finish line.”
For more information on securing the right sports travel insurance for your trip, visit https://www.sportscoverdirect.com/sports-travel-insurance/
