Dodentocht 2026: 9,275 Complete 100km Walk in Bornem

The 57th edition of the Dodentocht, one of Belgium’s most iconic endurance walking events, concluded Saturday evening with 9,275 of 12,769 starting participants reaching the finish line in Bornem within the 24-hour time limit. According to VRT NWS, 3,494 walkers gave up early or finished outside the time limit, bringing the completion rate to 72.6 percent.

A Night of Endurance

The event began Friday evening at 21:00 with 12,759 participants actually starting from the 13,000 registered — all tickets were sold out. The night passed without notable incidents, according to organization spokesperson Ilse Robyn. “The night passed without notable incidents. It was ideal weather for walking or running. Everything went smoothly,” Robyn told VRT NWS.

The first finishers crossed the line around 07:00 Saturday morning, having completed the route in approximately ten hours. The finish line officially opened at 07:00, with about 25 runners waiting before it opened. RTV reported that the first finishers maintained a pace of 10 kilometers per hour.

Remarkable Individual Achievements

Among the thousands of finishers were several standout performances. Reinout Goossens (15) from Laakdal became the youngest finisher ever, completing the 100 kilometers alongside his father Michaël. “I survived on character and painkillers,” Reinout told HLN. His father added: “I didn’t think he was going to make it, but I am very, very proud.”

Vanessa Van Hoeylandt (46) from Sint-Niklaas completed the full 100 kilometers in a wheelchair for the ninth time. “At some moments it was very hard. Certain sections were in the sand, so I sometimes got stuck,” she said. Jo Janssens (64) from Beveren-Waas celebrated his 100th 100-kilometer walk, telling reporters he walks about 3,600 kilometers per year.

Marco Weyn (65) from Sint-Niklaas crossed as the last finisher at approximately 21:35 Saturday, supported by his daughter-in-law and son. It was his 19th participation.

Event in Numbers

The 57th edition drew participants from 49 nationalities across 28 countries, according to HLN’s statistics article. Belgium supplied the largest group with 11,963 walkers, followed by the Netherlands (604) and Germany (282). Participants also came from as far as Australia, Belize, Ecuador, India, and the United States.

More than 1,300 volunteers worked throughout the weekend, and the Red Cross provided 1,450 medical treatments. Gino Ibie, general coordinator of the Red Cross, noted that each checkpoint had cooling baths and sufficient ice to help participants cope with the warm temperatures.

Consistent Completion Rates

The 72.6 percent finish rate is in line with recent editions. Last year, 9,276 of 12,643 starters completed the course (73.4 percent), according to Wikipedia’s historical overview. The event, first organized in 1970 with just 65 participants, has grown into an international phenomenon. Since 2018, registrations have been capped at 13,000 participants.

The Dodentocht is explicitly not a competition — the finish line does not open before 07:00, and no winner is declared. Completing the course is the goal in itself. The event is organized by vzw 100 km Dodentocht Kadee Bornem, with more information available on the official website.

Looking Ahead

With the 57th edition now complete, attention turns to next year’s event. The organization continues its sustainability efforts, having eliminated bottled water in favor of refillable stations and introduced electric vehicles across its fleet. As the event’s popularity shows no signs of waning — with all 13,000 tickets selling out again — the Dodentocht remains a defining fixture of Belgium’s summer calendar.