The Race
This page covers the March Maratona Internacional do Paraná, which crosses the Guaratuba bridge. The July Maratona do Litoral in Matinhos is a different race with a different organiser and rules. Check the website and the month before you enter.
| Next Race Date | Sunday 28 March 2027 (provisional 05:30 start) |
|---|---|
| Course type | Road, crossing the Guaratuba bridge twice, with out-and-back legs on both shores (2026 line; the 2027 finish changes) |
| Registration | Paid online entry through Ticket Sports until 9 March 2027 or capacity; no ballot found |
| Ballot opens | No ballot |
| Total finishers | Not confirmed (inaugural edition, 2026) |
| Average race day temperature | March averages: 22 to 27°C |
| Cutoff time | 2027 not published; 2026 was 6 hours, with 21 km in 3 hours and 32 km in 4 hours 30 |
| Free race-day transport | None confirmed |
| Course certification | CBAt national permit (Ouro, 2026); no World Athletics label or certificate number found |
History
The Maratona Internacional do Paraná is young, and it was built around a bridge. The first edition took place over 2 and 3 May 2026 in Guaratuba and Matinhos, with the full marathon on Sunday 3 May. The new Guaratuba bridge opened formally on 1 May, with runners crossing during the opening weekend and general traffic allowed on 2 May. It is more than 1.2 km long.
The weekend offered four adult distances and a children's race, and the widely quoted figure of about 20,000 participants combines all of them. It does not mean 20,000 people ran a marathon. The 2026 regulation names CWB Brasil as the organiser, with Grupo RIC, and the 2027 registration credits Voa Esportes and Joy Eventos.
The Brazilian athletics federation (CBAt) reported national Ouro recognition for 2026. José Márcio Leão da Silva won the men's marathon and Franciane dos Santos Moura the women's in 2:44:16. The men's time is reported as 2:19:20 by CBAt and 2:19:30 on the World Athletics results page. Neither figure is an audited course record, and the course is changing for 2027.
The organiser's figure for the 2026 course is 232 m of climbing, concentrated in sharp rises over the bridge and its approaches.
The second edition has been confirmed for 26 to 28 March 2027, over Easter weekend. The organiser has announced a new seaside finish, a larger prize programme and multi-day challenges alongside the individual races.
The course
The marathon is run on roads in Guaratuba and Matinhos, with the new Guaratuba bridge as its defining feature. The registration lists the Centro de Eventos de Guaratuba, on Rua João Antônio Prosdócimo, as the event venue. The organiser has announced a new seaside finish for 2027 but has not yet said where it will be.
In 2026 the course started and finished at the events centre. It climbed a flyover in the first kilometre, crossed the bridge north into Matinhos with its crest at about km 4, ran through Caiobá and up the Matinhos coast on Avenida Atlântica and Avenida Beira Mar to a turn at about km 12.2, 10.1 km from the start in a straight line, and came back to recross the bridge at about km 20. It then climbed the flyover again at about km 23.4 and ran south on Avenida Atlântica and Avenida Visconde do Rio Branco to a second turn at about km 33.3 before returning along the same road to the finish.
On the chart the road is close to sea level, between 2 and 10 m, away from four ramps: 21 m over the flyover at km 0 to 0.5, 37 m (1.6%) to the bridge crest from km 1.7 to 4.1, 27 m (1.9%) up the bridge on the return from km 18.4 to 19.8, and 42 m (3.5%) up the flyover from km 22.2 to 23.4, which is the high point of the course at 49 m. The organiser's figure for the 2026 climbing is 232 m.
The 2027 map, the exact start gate and the finish approach have not been published. The 2026 line is a guide to the course, not a promise of the 2027 route.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 5: a flyover, then the bridge. The 2026 course left the events centre in Guaratuba and almost immediately climbed a flyover, with a high point about half a kilometre in. After dropping back to the road you run north towards the bay, and the bridge starts around km 3.6. The crest comes at about km 4, then the road drops to the Matinhos shore by km 4.4. The climb is short and steep for a road race, so run it by effort. The provisional 2027 start is 05:30, thirty minutes earlier than in 2026, so the first light arrives on or after the bridge.
Km 5 to 20: Caiobá, Matinhos and back. From the bridge the line runs through Caiobá at about km 5.5 and up the Matinhos waterfront, close to sea level, to a turn at about km 12.2 in northern Matinhos. You return the same way, passing Caiobá again at about km 19. The winners spoke of strong wind and said the course was demanding. Keep the wind in mind on this exposed coast. The halfway mark at 21.1 km falls just after you have recrossed the bridge.
Km 20 to 33: the Guaratuba shore. At about km 19 to 20 you climb the bridge again and descend to Guaratuba. The line then climbs the same flyover as near the start, at about km 23.4. After it, the course turns south along the coast to a turn at about km 33.3. This is the longest flat stretch of the race, and by now it is mid-morning on a warm March day.
Km 33 to 42.2: the way back. The return retraces the southern leg to the finish. In 2026 the organiser described the last section as flat. In 2027 the finish moves to a new seaside site, so the final kilometres and the last turn will probably differ from the 2026 line.
Time limits. In 2026 the time limit was six hours, with reference cuts at 21 km in 3 hours (about 8:34 per km) and 32 km in 4 hours 30 (about 8:26 per km). The overall limit works out at about 8:32 per km. The 2027 limits have not been published.
A short, steep flyover near the start, then the first crossing of the Guaratuba bridge, with its crest at about km 4.
A near-flat run through Caiobá and up the Matinhos coast to a turn at about km 12, then back over the bridge at about km 20.
Down from the bridge, over the flyover again at about km 23, then south along the coast to a turn at about km 33.
The return along the southern shore. The 2027 finish is moving to a seaside site.
Course Map
The course as recorded for 2026, from the Guaratuba events centre across the bay bridge into Matinhos and back, then south along the Guaratuba shore and home. The last section will change with the 2027 finish. Tap a marker for details, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
No official pace teams had been announced when this page was written. Check the organiser's channels nearer the race.
The organiser has announced a new seaside finish for 2027 and has not said where it is. The 2026 course, described here, started and finished at the Guaratuba events centre. Hotel, bag and spectator plans should wait for the final map.
Away from the bridge crossings and a flyover near the start, the 2026 course was close to sea level. The four ramps are short and steep, and the organiser's 2026 figure for climbing was 232 m. Run them by effort.
The festival runs from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 March, over Easter. Expect busy roads and restaurants and book accommodation early, with cancellation terms you can live with.
March is warm and wet on the Paraná coast. A 30-year climatology for Guaratuba gives a monthly mean low of 22°C and high of 27°C, with about 218 mm of rain, against 18 to 23°C and 121 mm for May, when the first edition was run. Those are monthly figures from a general source and not a forecast for race morning.
The provisional start is 05:30, so you will run the first hour in the dark or half-light and finish in a warm morning. A light singlet, a cap and sunscreen are sensible. Rain is common, so pack a very light shell that fits in a waist belt, and choose shoes that cope with wet bridge decking. The winners of the first edition talked of strong wind, so a layer you can drop in the baggage is more useful than a heavy one.
The 2026 rules banned running without a shirt. No clothing-donation scheme was found, so do not leave clothes on the course. Bag storage in 2026 was at the arena, and it is not clear where bags will go for a new finish.
Entry
Entry for 2027 is advertised as open through Ticket Sports, reached from the organiser's website. There is no ballot, and the individual marathon is sold separately from the multi-day challenges. The advertised closing time is 23:59 on 9 March 2027, or earlier if capacity is reached. The 2027 regulation could not be opened, so conditions below come from the registration page and the 2026 rules.
The marathon is priced in four bands: R$239.90 promotional, R$269.90 for the first lot, R$299.90 for the second and R$309.90 for the third. Lots are limited by number, so the cheapest band may be gone when you look. The reais price is the one that counts, since exchange rates move and card providers add charges.
Two challenges include the marathon. The Desafio da Ponte combines a 5 km, a half marathon and the marathon over three days, and the Desafio da Vitória combines 5 km, a half and 10 km. Both are R$499.90. You do not need either to enter the marathon alone.
Concessions are listed. Runners aged 60 or over and runners with disabilities pay half the first-lot price, with limits on numbers. Sesc commerce workers and their dependants have a separate 10% voucher route, and 2026 participants have a 10% discount checked against their Brazilian tax number. These are separate offers and may not stack. Foreign runners should ask how a number without that tax identifier is handled at checkout.
Holder changes can be requested through 6 March 2027. After that, a change is possible only at kit collection for R$50 by PIX, Brazil's instant payment system, which may be hard for a visitor to use. Group blocks of 10 to 100 places were offered for a payment date that has passed.
In 2026 the marathon required a minimum age of 20 at 31 December, and elite entrants needed recognised results of 2:24 for men and 2:52 for women. Neither is confirmed for 2027. The 2026 seven-day withdrawal clause should not be assumed to continue.
See Ticket Sports →Race Weekend
Bib collection
The 2027 registration says collection information is coming. The venue listed for the event is the Centro de Eventos de Guaratuba, on Rua João Antônio Prosdócimo, but that does not set the collection days.
In 2026 marathon runners collected their numbers at the events centre on Friday 1 May from 10:00 to 20:00 and on Saturday 2 May from 10:00 to 18:00. Thursday was for other categories, and an expo opened on the Sunday that did not replace a number desk before the early start. The rules also mentioned advance collection in Curitiba, at the ParkShoppingBarigüi. None of this is confirmed for March 2027.
You needed your registration protocol or official photo identification. Someone else could collect with a copy of your identification, but the older-runner concession required personal collection, and disability categories had their own checks. Carry your original passport and your confirmation as a precaution, since the organiser has not published a checklist for foreign runners.
The kit includes a shirt, a bib and a finisher medal, with separate medals for the challenges. Check your name, distance and size at the desk. The finisher medal is given after the race, not at collection.
Getting to the start
The published start for the 2027 marathon is 05:30 on Sunday 28 March, with the 10 km at 05:50, the half marathon at 06:00 and the 5 km on Friday at 07:00. These come from the organiser's schedule graphic, which says times may change. In 2026 the marathon started at 06:00. Corrals, gate times and the baggage deadline have not been published.
The sensible plan is to stay in Guaratuba, eat the evening before and confirm the access street once the final instructions appear. Arriving from Curitiba on race morning means a road trip of two to three hours before a very early start. Ordinary breakfast hours at two hotels, 06:30 at VillaReal Caieiras and 07:00 at Kaakupê, are after the start, so ask for a packed meal or an agreed early breakfast.
Public transport does not solve the morning. The local operator, OceânicaSul, publishes ordinary timetables, including Sundays and holidays, but no race service or pre-05:30 diversion was found. A prearranged ride must use a drop-off outside the closed streets, which means walking the last part.
In 2026 toilets and bags were at the arena, and the finish gave a medal, fruit, a snack and drinks. With the finish moving to a new seaside site, it is not clear whether bags will be moved or stay at the start. Pack only what you need and keep the claim token. Massage, showers and the exit route are not described.
Arrange a reunion point outside the athlete area. A seaside finish does not mean an easy walk to every coastal hotel, and no return bus is promised. Do not book a tight flight for Sunday.
Nutrition on course
The 2027 aid plan has not been published. The 2026 regulation set a drink station every 3 km, with water throughout and an isotonic drink at three fuller refreshment points whose distances were not stated. The finish gave water, a sports drink and a fruit and snack kit. The state water company said it would supply 72,000 cups across the festival.
Elite runners had personal-bottle points at km 6, 12, 18, 24, 29, 35 and 40, with bottles delivered at least an hour before the start. That is not a service for general runners. Carry your own gels, since none were promised. Three food points are not a full carbohydrate plan for a marathon. The 2026 rules gave no toilet grid along the course, so plan around the arena toilets.
Spectating
The simplest plan is the finish, once the organiser publishes the seaside chute and a public viewing area. No live-tracking service, finish enclosure or approved crossing point has been confirmed. Every adult race crosses the bridge, but that does not make the bridge deck a place for spectators.
From a 05:30 start, a four-hour runner finishes around 09:30 and a five-hour runner around 10:30, before allowing for wave delay. A finish-only plan is the lowest effort for families, because it avoids chasing a runner across the bay.
If you are staying in Matinhos, closures may make the bridge hard to cross. Choose the same side of the bay as your viewing point, and avoid a plan with repeated crossings. On the 2026 line the southern leg passes the same stretch twice, so one spot on the Guaratuba shore could give two sightings a few kilometres apart, once the map is out.
- Choose a public pavement outside athlete control and stay there.
- A four-hour runner finishes around 09:30 and a five-hour runner around 10:30, before allowing for wave delay.
Post-race food
The exact finish is not yet fixed, so these are Guaratuba options and not measured walks. The 2026 finish gave fruit and a snack, which will not be a full lunch.
Restaurante Avenida, at Avenida Visconde do Rio Branco 878, is listed by the municipal tourism office with weekend lunch from 11:00 to 16:00. O Siri Cascudo, at Avenida Curitiba 101, about 1.0 km from the 2026 finish, is listed with weekend hours of 11:15 to 15:00. Restaurante Convés, in the Hotel VillaReal Caieiras on Avenida Atlântica 400, welcomes non-guests and lists lunch from 12:00 to 15:00 and dinner from 19:00 to 23:00. It highlights seafood, including a prawn dish, but choose food you know after a marathon.
These hours leave a gap for early finishers. Easter weekend will be busy, so ring ahead to book or check capacity.
Where to Stay
Choose Guaratuba, and book a room you can cancel. The registration lists the events centre as the venue and the organiser has announced a new seaside finish, so nobody can yet rank hotels by minutes from the line.
Centro and the bay side
Good for companions and short outings. The municipal tourism office lists Praça Coronel Alexandre da Silva Mafra, about 0.7 km from the 2026 start, and the waterfront cultural area, with benches for brief stops. It will be busy over Easter, and a central address still needs a pre-dawn route to the start.
Praia Central
A sensible default if you want a beach stay. The tourism office describes an urban promenade with services and hotels. Hotel VillaReal Charme is on Avenida Curitiba, about 0.9 km from the events centre. A seaside finish makes coastal accommodation worth considering, but the chute is not pinned, so this stretch is not proven to be the closest.
The Brejatuba and Visconde do Rio Branco corridor
Hotel Santa Paula and Kaakupê Praia Hotel are on Avenida Visconde do Rio Branco, and Pousada Porto da Lua is on Rua Rodrigues Alves. It suits a family or a runner who wants familiar meals nearby. Some Kaakupê rooms are reached by stairs, which is a poor fit after a marathon.
Caieiras and Avenida Atlântica
Hotel VillaReal Caieiras, about 0.3 km from the events centre, has on-site meals and leisure facilities. A road beside the course is not automatically open for drop-off or crossing, so confirm the approach once closures are issued.
Caiobá and Matinhos
Across the bay. They suit companions or a longer holiday, not a 05:30 start with a closure-dependent bridge. Do not transfer the July Maratona do Litoral's hotels or transport to this race.
No race hotel list, room block or Easter surcharge was found.
Recommended hotels
Avenida Visconde do Rio Branco 650. A Guaratuba base on the main coastal avenue. Ask about early breakfast and a ride to the start.
Avenida Visconde do Rio Branco 1260. Beachfront. Some room types are reached by stairs, so ask for an accessible room. Ordinary breakfast is 07:00 to 09:30, after the start.
Avenida Curitiba 20. A central coastal base with a heated indoor pool and parking described by the owner. Ask about late checkout and an early breakfast.
Avenida Atlântica 400. On-site restaurant and leisure facilities. Ordinary breakfast starts at 06:30, so arrange an earlier meal. Road closures may affect vehicle access.
Rua Rodrigues Alves 98. A smaller property near the sea with breakfast and limited parking. Ask about accessible rooms and early breakfast.
Booking timeline
Entry is open, with a closing date of 9 March 2027 or earlier if capacity is reached. There is no ballot result to wait for. Confirm that your payment completed and that you are in the marathon, and not a challenge, before you book flights.
The festival runs over Easter weekend, 26 to 28 March. Book a flexible Guaratuba room first if the terms are acceptable, then reassess once the seaside finish, the start gate and the bag plan are published. Do not pay a premium for finish proximity without a pin.
Plan arrival for the collection timetable, which is not yet published. In 2026 the desks were open on Friday and Saturday. Flights into Curitiba need a separate road or coach leg, so allow for Easter traffic.
Before your hotel's cancellation deadline, recheck the rules, breakfast and the access plan. In race week, check the provisional 05:30 start and the forecast. Avoid a tight Sunday flight.
See & Do
Distances are from the 2026 start and finish at the events centre, in a straight line, kilometres first, where they could be measured.
Praia Central promenade
The municipal tourism office describes an urban waterfront with benches, kiosks and services. Take a short out-and-back from your hotel and skip the full length of the beach. March can be warm and wet, and a recovery visit need not involve swimming.
Praça Coronel Alexandre da Silva Mafra
A square in the centre, on Avenida 29 de Abril at Rua Monsenhor Lamartine, with benches and lighting. A good place for a short seated stop on the Monday. No Easter programme is confirmed.
Casarão do Porto and Casa da Cultura
On Rua Coronel Afonso Botelho de Souza, in the centre. The municipal inventory lists objects and images of Guaratuba and ordinary hours of 08:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends. Holiday hours need rechecking.
Praça dos Namorados
A public square on Rua Coronel Afonso Botelho de Souza with benches and a protective railing. Pair a short stop with a meal and skip the long walking circuit.
After the Race
The marathon falls on Easter Sunday, so the Monday after it is a holiday-week day with reduced opening hours. The bay is best kept to short outings, and Ilha do Mel and Curitiba are the longer options. Book boats and coaches early, because Easter traffic fills them.
A short stretch of the Praia Central promenade, a seat in the square and lunch near your hotel. Skip the Morro do Cristo, which is closed.
Keep your room for Monday night and leave on the Tuesday, away from the Sunday crush of runners and Easter traffic.
A rest night in Guaratuba, then a boat to a car-free island park with short flat walks, a lighthouse and a fort.
A rest night on the coast, then two nights in Curitiba with the botanical garden and the Oscar Niemeyer museum. A weekend train to Morretes is possible if you stay on.