Genoa hosts inaugural Rea Palus Race, Italy’s premier obstacle‑course event

On 21 June 2026 the historic Porto Antico in Genoa became the venue for the first Rea Palus Race in the city, marking the debut of Italy’s most prestigious obstacle‑course race (OCR) on Ligurian soil. The municipal‑backed event attracted around 1 300 participants, including roughly 1 000 athletes in the elite and open main races and more than 350 youths in junior competitions.

The race offered two distances – a 10‑kilometre course with 25 obstacles and a 5‑kilometre course with 20 challenges – designed to test climbing, jumping and crawling skills. City official Lorenzo Garzarelli highlighted the race’s unique blend of urban and natural terrain, noting that the event underscores Genoa’s growing role in hosting high‑profile sporting events. Registration fees ranged from €64 to €99 depending on category, and top finishers earned an invitation to the next edition in Portovenere on 18 October.

The Rea Palus Race is part of the national OCR series, a discipline that evolved from military training and is now slated for inclusion as a five‑event modern pentathlon discipline in future Olympic programmes.