25.08.2025
Victory, Grit, and Glory: Spartan European Championship 2025 Concludes in Lahti
The 2025 Spartan European Championship has officially concluded after an unforgettable weekend of intense competition, community, and celebration in the heart of Finland’s green capital, Lahti.
Over 3500 participants from 42 countries competed in the iconic Lahti Sports Center and surrounding terrain, tackling world-class obstacles and natural challenges across Sprint 5k, Super 10k, Beast 21k, and Kids races. Finnish were the most represented country with 40% of participants. Next were the USA and Mid-European countries, Italy, Germany and Austria.
Thousands of spectators gathered to witness Europe’s top obstacle course athletes battle for glory in one of the most sustainable and scenic championship venues in Spartan history.
“Lahti has been a phenomenal host for the 2025 Spartan European Championships!,’ says Matthew Brooke, SVP Spartan Global Operations.
“The energy from the athletes and the local community has been electric, and the unique Finnish landscape of lakes and hills delivered one of the most memorable courses in Spartan history. We see immense potential here, and we are fully committed to strengthening our fantastic partnership with the City of Lahti and Visit Lahti to build a lasting legacy for obstacle course racing in Finland and the entire Scandinavian region”, Brooke adds.
Announcing the 2025 Spartan European Champions
After a fiercely contested Elite heat, the titles of 2025 Spartan European Champion went to the Czech Republic and Netherlands.
Richard Hynek – Men’s Champion, representing the Czech Republic
“I’m super satisfied. We had an extremely tough race with today’s 2nd Gregory Basilico. First 15k we were fighting neck to neck, and I was on my edge. Then there were these heavy carries, I’m very strong in heavy carries and finally was able to win”, said Spartan European Champion in Beast Richard Hynek right after the race.
Elsa Rijpstra – Women’s Champion, representing Netherlands
“It was really tough, actually. The first and the last part were really tough, the middle a lot of running. In the end the carries and the uphill and I missed the spear throw, my legs were just blowing, But the race was awesome, landscapes were beautiful – but I’m really “dead” now”, told Elsa Rijpstra after the race.
These champions not only earned their place in Spartan history but also set a high standard for all future European Championships.
Looking Ahead: Lahti returns as host in 2026
With resounding success, Spartan is proud to announce that Lahti will once again host a major Spartan event in 2026. The dates will be 22-23 August. Formats will be confirmed soon, but one thing is certain: Lahti is now firmly on the map as one of Europe’s elite OCR destinations.
“Lahti proved that Spartan belongs to Finland. The European Championship event attracted the desired number of participants, who praised the location and natural surroundings. The Sports Center and the race routes around it drew crowds of spectators cheering and watching this new sport. The atmosphere was energetic and fantastic. The Spartan Race in Lahti is a testament to how community spirit and a love for sport can bring people together and create memorable experiences. The people of Lahti, the volunteers, and our entire community made this event possible. We’re honoured to bring Spartan back in 2026,” said Aleksi Nyström, Director of Sports in the City of Lahti.
Full results for the Spartan European Championships in Lahti are available HERE.
_________
Source: Spartan Race Finland press release, 24.8.2025
More info: Christos Prapidis (international), christos.prapidis@spartan.com, +30 693 730 6326 & Soili Hirvonen (local), soili.hirvonen@spartan.com, +358 400 837 583