The registration data for the 10th anniversary PENNY Santa Claus Run show a surprising trend: this year, women took over the field. 59% of the record field of 4,500 people in Sunday's sold-out race are women, so for the first time, Santa's red coat is mostly hidden under the runners.
If you're walking around Fővám Square on Sunday, don't be surprised if the shouts of "Ho-ho-ho" are heard in a higher tone than usual. According to statistics, the combination of running shoes and red costumes was an undisputed success among women this year, with a spectacular majority of women competing against men at the most cheerful running event in the capital.
– It seems that the Santa Claus profession is undergoing a serious transformation, and perhaps it is no coincidence that this trend reversal is happening right at the most cheerful running race of the year. All joking aside: it is gratifying to see that women are present with such enthusiasm. We have seen their rise in leisure sports for years, but the current rate, almost 60 percent, surprised even us. – he said Arpad Kocsis, the Budapest Sports Office its managing director.
From the youngest elves to the 87-year-old Santa
In addition to the gender ratio, the age composition also holds interesting facts. The Santa Run is a true generational melting pot:
- Family holiday: More than a quarter of the participants (27.5%) are under 18 years old, and in fact, 15 percent of the field is made up of children under 10 years old, so the youngest ones are not only waiting for Santa Claus, but they also become him themselves.
- Senior record holders: Running is ageless, which is proven by the fact that the oldest male Santa Claus in the field, Ferenc Richter from Budapest, is putting on his running shoes at the age of 87. Among the women, 77-year-old Tiborné Németh represents the most experienced age group, proving that grandmothers can also be super-fit Santas.
Japanese Santas on the asphalt of Pest
The fame of the Budapest Santa Run also extends beyond the borders. Although the majority (53%) are from Budapest, runners come from 460 settlements in the country. Moreover, the international contingent is also large: 320 foreign runners from 50 countries will participate. They are mainly members of foreign communities living in Budapest: traditionally the local Japanese community is the most active with 50 people, but 45 Korean Santas will also join the procession.
