K-Palfinger Kran has supported this year’s edition of the Homo si teć festival due to its humanitarian message and promotion of a healthy lifestyle. It is a pleasure to be part of this traditional humanitarian race and the accompanying events, now held for the 26th consecutive year. The company is promoting the festival among its employees and their family members, many of whom will take part in one of the races.
This upcoming weekend marks the grand finale of the 26th edition of the Festival of Sports and Recreation “Homo si teć – Rijeka Run 2025.” On this occasion, a press conference was held at Rijeka City Hall, where organizers and sponsor representatives presented all the details of this year’s event.
The largest street sporting event in Croatia features six different races this year, all taking place on Sunday, when part of the city center will be closed to traffic. In addition to promoting sport, Homo si teć sends a powerful message of unity rooted in solidarity, health, and inclusiveness.
Athletes, recreational runners, children, school pupils, students, people with disabilities, the blind and visually impaired – everyone can find their ideal route and distance. Race organizers are inviting all citizens to lace up their running shoes this Sunday, warm up in the heart of Rijeka, and run their own stage of this iconic city race.
The final event of this year’s Homo si teć festival was officially announced by Rijeka’s mayor Marko Filipović, Vladimir Cvjetan from the Rijeka Sports Association, Jelena Grubelić Kušeta from the Rijeka Tourist Board, Tea Čorak from the association Terra, Nina Goleš from Erste Bank’s Entrepreneurial Center, Alma Antičević, regional manager at dm, Mirta Rustja from PK-Palfinger Kran, Matko Verbič, head of corporate sales at A1, and festival spokesperson Bruno Župan.
Seven races
Mayor Marko Filipović thanked the organizers for bringing the people of Rijeka together year after year for the country’s largest street race.
“Our Homo si teć will take over Korzo, and this weekend, Rijeka will be the running capital of Croatia. Alongside our title as the ‘City that Flows,’ we’ll also be the ‘City that Runs.’
With favorable weather on our side, I invite everyone to join us on Sunday at Korzo. A wave of runners will fill the city center, once again inspiring fans of a healthy and active lifestyle – and all those who love Rijeka and carry it in their hearts,” said the mayor.
The competitive portion of the program is expected to attract around 2,000 runners from 29 countries across Europe and beyond. The races will begin on Sunday at 10:45 AM, featuring the 21st Rijeka Half Marathon, the 3×7 km relay, a 10 km race, and the Erste Petica 5K.
Homo si teć – Rijeka Run 2025 has offered a rich and dynamic program this year. In the weekends leading up to the finale, events such as the “539 Skok” stair run on the Trsat Steps and the “Molo Longo Run” have already taken place. And this Sunday, alongside the main competitive races, recreational runners will also take to the track.
Tourism advantage
The day will begin with the traditional Homo si teć citizens’ charity run, followed by the youngest participants — preschoolers and kindergarteners — who will take part in the “dm mići trk” race. All participants in this children’s race will receive gift packages from the title sponsor.
After the kids’ race, the “Mirta Milinković Memorial” race will take place, dedicated to persons with disabilities and visually impaired individuals.
Speakers at the press conference expressed their enthusiasm for the continued organization of these races, which year after year promote and remind us of the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle. Jelena Grubelić Kušeta also highlighted the event’s strong tourism potential:
“This event helps reduce seasonality in our destination, further reinforcing Rijeka’s position as a year-round tourist city.
Rijeka is a city of sports and recreation, and it is hoped that the successful organization of this race will inspire others to launch similar events — helping to further position Rijeka on the map of major sports and tourism happenings in Croatia, Europe, and beyond.
Humanitarian dimension
Funds raised through the sale of event T-shirts will be donated to the Terra Association to support their project “Slon telefon”, a free and anonymous support line for anyone in need of someone to talk to.
“Slon telefon was launched out of a desire to help address the growing challenges of mental health. It offers immediate, accessible, and cost-free support, with the option for ongoing assistance,”
explained Tea Čorak from the Terra Association.
“This is especially important because crisis counseling services are often hard to access — due to high costs and long waiting lists — even though timely intervention can prevent the most serious outcomes.”