Mengniu Ma'anshan Caishiji Half Marathon 2026

The 2026 Mengniu Ma'anshan Caishiji Half Marathon brings a large field of road runners to the banks of the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. The event is scheduled for Sunday 1 November at 8:00 am China Standard Time, with both the start and finish at the north square of Caishiji Scenic Area. Its sole competitive distance is the men's and women's 21.0975 km half marathon.

Riverside course and atmosphere

The route is built around Ma'anshan's renovated Yangtze waterfront, with announced landmarks including Binjiang Cultural Park, Xiejiawa Ecological Park and Xiaojiuhua Temple. Caishiji itself is a celebrated riverside scenic area associated with the poet Li Bai, making this an unusually attractive destination for combining a race with local sightseeing. The 2026 theme, Leading the Way, Protecting the Yangtze, is reflected in environmental displays, a Yangtze protection exhibition and a riverside photo point celebrating the finless porpoise.

Competition and runner services

The 2026 field has increased from 9,000 to 12,000 places, with organisers reporting 30,311 registration applications before the ballot. Participants are assigned starting zones using qualifying results, rather than everyone joining one undifferentiated wave. Organisers have also announced more bananas at aid points, dedicated salt-tablet supplies, additional toilets, expanded pre-race collection space, a runner name wall, medical support in post-finish areas and extra official photographers with free photo downloads.

An optional hotel-and-transfer package is promoted, allowing eligible guests to collect race materials at participating accommodation and use dedicated race-day transport. Confirm the package conditions and hotel availability directly with the organiser rather than assuming transport is included with entry. The opening of the Nanjing-Ma'anshan intercity rail line provides another travel option, although race-morning connections should be checked against the eventual road-closure plan.

Registration and practical notes

The advertised entry fee was CNY 120. Applications closed at 3:00 pm on 16 July 2026, with ballot results released on 23 July, so this is not currently an open-entry event. Applicants can consult the official Caishiji Marathon WeChat account or their original registration platform for allocation, bib collection, health requirements, competition regulations and final race-day notices. Exact packet-collection hours and any subsequent changes should be checked against the latest instructions.