The registration period for the Roparun has closed, and the organizers are preparing for a special edition. A total of 203 teams will be competing this year, including a record 22 new teams. This 35th edition of the Roparun once again underscores the enormous commitment and growth of the event.
Over the next few months, the organization will be reflecting on 35 years of the Roparun and the impact it has had on palliative care for people with cancer. Through stories, retrospectives, and encounters, the organization will demonstrate how the Roparun has grown over three and a half decades into a nationally supported organization, made possible by thousands of people.
That commitment is already palpable. Thousands of participants, volunteers, sponsors, and associations have been actively fundraising for months and preparing for their participation. Neighborhood committees, restaurants, and business associations along the route are also busy preparing to give the Roparunners a warm and unforgettable welcome as they pass through their town.
The Roparun finish line returns to the iconic Coolsingel in Rotterdam. There, sport, emotion, and community converge as teams cross the finish line together amid tens of thousands of spectators after days of running, cycling, and coaching.
Lesly Wolters, director of Roparun: “The fact that 22 new teams are participating this year, bringing our total to 203 teams, is incredibly special. It shows how many people are committed to our mission. For months now, we’ve seen initiatives springing up all over the country, preparations getting underway, and communities organizing. That collective effort, from participants to volunteers and from entrepreneurs to local residents, that’s the power of the Roparun.” Last week, during the kickoff of the Roparun season, Wolters expressed his ambition to raise five million euros this year. “We have a goal. Our reputation across the country has grown enormously in recent years. We’re aiming for the best Roparun ever!”
With the 35th edition in sight, the Roparun promises to be an impressive event not only for sporting reasons, but especially for society, supported by all
The Netherlands and with an impact that reaches beyond the finish line.
Roparun has been committed to palliative care for people with cancer for 35 years. The foundation supports hospices, all Dutch ambulances, hairpieces, and vacations for people with cancer and their loved ones. More than 150 organizations receive support from the Roparun Foundation each year. The proceeds are raised during the annual Roparun over Pentecost weekend, when thousands of participants walk and cycle from France and the Netherlands to Rotterdam. In 2025, the Roparun raised more than €4.7 million.
The 35th edition of the Roparun will take place from 23 to 25 May 2026.
More information can be found at www.roparun.nl .
Photo: Roparun – Marco de Swart