The third edition of Novi Trail gathered 130 competitors in Novi Vinodolski
Novi Vinodolski was once again, on Saturday, May 30, 2026, a center of running, recreation, and programs focused on an active lifestyle. The third edition of the Novi Trail race was held as part of the FIT4NOVI event, and according to the organizers, it gathered a total of 130 competitors from Croatia and the region. The start and finish were located on Korzo hrvatskih branitelja, in the very center of the town, which directly connected the sports part of the program with the urban space and the audience. This year, the race again had two main competitive routes, a shorter one of 5 kilometers and a more demanding one of 11.5 kilometers, while children's races of 100 and 200 meters were organized for the youngest participants.
According to the announcement by the Town of Novi Vinodolski and the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski, Novi Trail 2026 was conceived as a sports and recreational event that connects a competitive challenge, the natural surroundings of the Novi Vinodolski hinterland, and the broader program of the FIT4NOVI event. The official information published before the race stated that the gathering of participants began at 9 a.m., the start of the main races was scheduled for 10 a.m., and the children's races for 12:30 p.m. on Korzo hrvatskih branitelja. Run Croatia listed routes of 5 kilometers, 11.5 kilometers, and children's races for the event, with the start and finish in the center of Novi Vinodolski. Such a format enabled the program to develop as an all-day gathering of runners, families, recreational athletes, and visitors who followed the events in the town center.
The routes connected the town, forest, vineyards, and the Novi Vinodolski hinterland
The main races led participants through diverse parts of Novi Vinodolski and its hinterland. According to the organizers' report, competitors passed through lush forest nature, vineyards, town streets, and gravel roads, so the race combined several different types of surfaces and landscapes. It is precisely this change of rhythm that is one of the features of trail races, because runners do not depend only on speed on the flat sections of the course, but also on managing climbs, descents, and natural transitions. The shorter 5-kilometer route was more accessible to recreational athletes and participants who wanted a shorter challenge, while the 11.5-kilometer route required more endurance and better preparation.
For Novi Vinodolski, such an event also has broader tourism significance because it presents the area beyond the usual image of a coastal town. According to the route descriptions from the organizational announcements, by moving through the Novi Vinodolski hinterland, runners had the opportunity to get to know a landscape that combines the sea, stone, greenery, and rural parts of Vinodol. In its announcements, the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski emphasized that the event was held as part of the FIT4NOVI program, an event that promotes sport, movement, health, and time spent outdoors. For those who followed the program as visitors, and not only as race participants, the event was also an opportunity for a longer stay in the town, so in that context the accommodation offers in Novi Vinodolski are also useful.
Danijel Bečkei and Antonela Hrvatin were the fastest over 5 kilometers
On the shorter 5-kilometer course, the fastest in the men's competition was Danijel Bečkei, who, according to the organizers' results, finished the race in 20 minutes and 17 seconds. Second place was won by Ivan Trgovac, while Hrvoje Šporčić reached the finish line third. In the women's competition on the same route, Antonela Hrvatin won with a time of 31 minutes and 49 seconds. She was followed by Ivana Ban and Ivana Frančula Modrčin, forming the ranking of the most successful female runners on the shorter route.
The results over 5 kilometers show that the shorter race had both a competitive and recreational character. For more experienced runners, such a route was an opportunity for a fast performance and a fight for placement, while for some participants it represented a more accessible entry into the trail format. According to the official announcements, both main races had timekeeping, bib numbers, finisher medals, and refreshments secured, which is an organizational standard that gives recreational participants a clear structure and enables competitors to have a comparable ranking. The race in the town center, with the finish on Korzo hrvatskih branitelja, further emphasized the final impression of entering the finish area in front of the audience.
Ivan Marojević and Martina Kocjan Turčić celebrated on the more demanding route
On the longer 11.5-kilometer course, victory in the men's competition was achieved by Ivan Marojević, who, according to the organizers' report, crossed the finish line with a time of 51 minutes and 41 seconds. Davor Petrinović took second place, and Rudi Kancijanić third. In the women's competition on the same route, the fastest was Martina Kocjan Turčić, who finished the race in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 51 seconds. Second place went to Suzana Meštrović, and third to Anna Lena Bonkowski.
The 11.5-kilometer route was the more demanding part of the program because, in addition to its length, it also included varied terrain through the hinterland. Such courses require good distribution of strength, especially on sections where climbs, descents, and surfaces of different firmness alternate. In competitive terms, the longer race carried the greatest sporting challenge of the third edition of Novi Trail. In tourism terms, precisely this route most directly showed the potential of Novi Vinodolski as an area for active holidays outside the main summer season.
The children's races brought a family atmosphere to the town center
A special atmosphere was brought to the program by the children's races of 100 and 200 meters, held along Korzo hrvatskih branitelja and Trg Vinodolskog zakona. According to the organizers, children from kindergarten to primary-school age took part in them, and the program was designed so that the youngest participants could feel the competitive spirit without the pressure carried by the main races. The children's part of the program is important for events of this kind because it expands a sporting event from a narrow competitive format to families and the local community. In this way, Novi Trail was not only a race for registered runners, but also a public event that attracted the audience to the town center.
According to the official announcements by the Tourist Board, participation in the children's races was free, while the entry fee for the main races was 25 euros. Run Croatia stated that registered runners, depending on the registration and payment deadline, were provided with a starter pack, bib number, timekeeping, finisher medal, and lunch, and early registrants also received the official race shirt. Such organizational elements contribute to the participants' experience because they make the race predictable, clear, and suitable for different levels of sporting experience. At the same time, they show that the event was prepared as a combination of a sporting competition and a recreational gathering.
Awards for the best and support from local partners
The most successful competitors on both main routes won awards which, according to the organizers' report and Run Croatia information, were provided by numerous partners and sponsors. In the 11.5-kilometer race, the first-placed competitors in the men's and women's competitions won tickets for Plitvice Lakes National Park, provided by the travel agency Adria Mare Travel Agency, as well as bottles of Old Pilot's Gin. The second-placed competitors were awarded dinner for two people at the Navigare restaurant in Klenovica and tasting menus from Vinska kuća Pavlomir. The third-placed competitors won packages of domestic products from the agricultural cooperative API Kvarner.
The awards for the 5-kilometer race were also connected with local and regional partners. The winners received tickets for Plitvice Lakes National Park and bottles of Old Pilot's Gin, the second-placed competitors received unique paintings from the Drveni Val souvenir shop and tasting menus from Vinska kuća Pavlomir, while the third-placed competitors received packages of domestic products from the agricultural cooperative API Kvarner. In the event announcement, the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski stated that the value of the event had been recognized by partners and sponsors, including Adria Mare Travel Agency, Vinska kuća Pavlomir, PZ API Kvarner, konoba Navigare, Drveni Val, and Namman MUAY. Such an award structure additionally connects the sporting event with local producers, hospitality providers, and content providers.
FIT4NOVI connected sport, gastronomy, and the evening program
After crossing the finish line, runners were welcomed with refreshments including homemade goulash, while DJ Boris was in charge of the musical atmosphere during the afternoon. The program continued in the evening with a concert by the singer Zsa Zsa, giving the sporting day an entertaining finale as well. According to the official information of the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski, the Zsa Zsa concert was part of the Saturday program of the finale of the FIT4NOVI event. The same program also announced gastronomic content under the slogan “The Power of a Bite”, in which Novi Vinodolski hospitality providers participated with special menus for athletes, recreational visitors, and guests.
The finale of the FIT4NOVI program was not limited only to the trail race. In its official announcement, the Tourist Board stated that during the final days, other sports and recreational activities were also held, including handball, chess, cycling, table tennis, and futsal programs, outdoor training sessions, programs for children and elderly people, and activities connected with healthy nutrition. In that context, Novi Trail was one of the central events, but also part of a broader concept through which Novi Vinodolski presents itself in May as a town of active stays. For visitors who want to connect recreation, town events, and a stay by the sea, accommodation near the program venue is also relevant.
The organizers announce the continued development of active tourism
The organizers of the race were the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski and Run Croatia, with the support of the Town of Novi Vinodolski and the Cultural Center of the Town of Novi Vinodolski. According to the organizers' announcements before the event was held, the goal of the event was to combine sport, movement, nature, and entertainment, and the third edition that was held showed that the race format can develop as a recognizable spring event. The inclusion of children's races, local partners, hospitality providers, and an evening concert contributed to Novi Trail not remaining only a competition, but becoming an all-day town program. Such an approach is especially important for destinations that want to extend the season and attract visitors through sports, recreational, and outdoor content.
Novi Trail 2026 concluded its third edition with 130 competitors, two main routes, children's races, and a program that connected sporting performance, socializing, and the promotion of the Novi Vinodolski hinterland. According to the available information from the organizers, the race once again highlighted the diversity of the terrain around Novi Vinodolski, from town streets to vineyards and forest roads. For competitors, this meant a measurable sporting challenge, and for the town, additional confirmation that sports and recreational events can have an important role in public life and the tourism offer. In line with the concept of the FIT4NOVI event, the conclusion of the program remained focused on movement, staying outdoors, and the inclusion of different generations.
Sources:
- Original material submitted to the editorial office – race results, number of competitors, information about children's races, awards, and the post-race program.
- Town of Novi Vinodolski – announcement of the third edition of Novi Trail, schedule, start and finish location, and basic program information (link)
- Run Croatia – official page of the Novi Trail 2026 race, information about the date, routes, entry fee, participant packages, and awards (link)
- Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski – announcement of the Novi Trail program, partners and sponsors, and event organizers (link)
- Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski – official announcement of the finale of the FIT4NOVI program and accompanying sports, gastronomic, and musical content (link)