Today, 4th November, around 17.00 h, in the center of Sofia at 7 Sveta Nedelya Square in front of the Head Office of UniCredit Bulbank, we will welcome the participants in the second edition of the charity ultramarathon “1000 Balkan Charity Challenge”. Organizers on the Bulgarian side are Bulgarian Charity Aid Foundation, UniCredit Bulbank and Begach Running Club.

The ultramarathoners started in the morning of 1st November from Bucharest and passed the road along the Danube on bicycles, crossed the new bridge in the town of Vidin and last night reached Vratsa.

Along the road, the marathoners plant trees which are “living fossils” – ginkgo biloba or metasequoias. The places chosen for such planting are public areas near the beginning or the end of the route for the day. After their arrival in Sofia this evening, they will plant a metasequoia tree in the yard of Ivan Denkoglu 127th Secondary School on 43 Parchevich Str. Further information about the environmental cause of the ultramarathon is available on the website.

On 5th November, 8.00 h. starts the second phase of the charity ultramarathon. Then the runner group will start from downtown Sofia, 7 Sveta Nedelya Square in front of the head office of UniCredit Bulbank towards Botevgrad in order to pass all the way through the towns of Pleven and Ruse to Bucharest.

The biggest Balkan challenge, “1000 Balkan Charity Challenge”, is a unique event for our region and takes place for the second year. In the course of 11 days the participants will pass 1,050 km from Bucharest to Sofia and back in two disciplines – cycling and running. The marathon route includes the two bridges connecting Bulgaria and Romania (Ruse-Giurgiu and Vidin-Kalafat) The complete daily section is 8 hours and 30 minutes - 160 km on average for the cycling part and 59 km for the run.

The event is not a competition. The major goal of 1000 Balkan Charity Challenge is fund-raising for the support of charity causes - 6 in Bulgaria and 12 in Romania. They have been carefully selected by the organizers and include critical social issues and fields, such as care for disabled children and elderly people, elderly people living alone, eduction, talent development, support for the poor. Donations for the different causes are raised through a dedicated online platform: www.1000balkan.com .

Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation is the Bulgarian partner of the initiative. In Romania the partner is the charity organization "HOSPICE CasaSperantei". Co-organizers and general sponsors are UniCredit Bulbank and UniCredit Tiriac Bank.

THE ROUTE

The start is on 1 November 2013 (Friday) at 07.00 h in Bucharest (Sector 1, Bd. Expozitiei No.1F - in front of the head office of UniCredit Tiriac Bank, opposite EXPO center).

3.11 – Entering Bulgaria around 07.30 h the participants will pass the bridge above Vidin. Around 16.30-17.00 h. we expect that they will reach the center of the town of Vratsa.

4.11 - Start from Vratsa at 07.00 h. The group will go along the gorge of Iskar River through the town of Svoge. On 4th November the group will arrive in the center of Sofia at 7 Sveta Nedelya Sq. in front of the head office of UniCredit Bulbank at about 17.00 h.

5.11 - Around 08.00 h. the group of runners will start from the center of Sofia at 7 Sveta Nedelya Sq. in front of the head office of UniCredit Bulbank for the town of Botevgrad

6.11 - Botevgrad – Zlatna Panega. Start at 07.00-07.30 h and arrival at around 16.30-17.00 h

7.11 - Zlatna Panega – Pleven. Start at 07.00-07.30 h and arrival at around 16.30-17.00 h

8.11 - Pleven – Levski. Start at 07.00-07.30 h and arrival at around 16.30-17.00 h

9.11 - village of Ovcha Mogila – village of Volovo. Start at 07.00-07.30 h and arrival at around 16.30-17.00 h

10.11 – Starting from the town of Ruse at about 07-07.30 h. Around 15.00 h. we expect that the participants will pass the Danube bridge. Arrival in Giurgiu around 16.30-17.00 h.

11.11 - Giurgiu – Bucharest. Starting at 07-07.30 h. The final is on 11th November 2013 (Monday) around 17:30 h. in Bucharest, in front of the head office of UniCredit Tiriac Bank, opposite EXPO center.

Here you can see the route of the marathon: http://1000balkan.com/blog/bg/traseu/

More information for the media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity and Communications

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone number: 02/9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone number: 02/9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova: Phone number: 02/9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch