S1 Borin 4 km

The route, section by section

PortoPiccolo beach and the trenches of the Karst front. The S1 Borin trail starts from the beach of Bora Village in PortoPiccolo, with the sea behind you. The first section climbs through the trenches of the Carso front from the Great War: white stone, Mediterranean scrub, wild sage, on a well-marked path with a gradual incline – no sudden steep climbs, suitable for those experiencing the Carso for the first time or accompanying a child. PortoPiccolo and Sistiana Bay, logistical heart of the Corsa della Bora.

Sistiana/Sesljan - the 2027 novelty: a piece of the Karst all to itself. Up until the previous edition, there was a fork in the road at Sistiana: the long distances continued inland, while the Borin immediately looped back towards the sea. In 2027, this will change – participants in the Borin will be the only ones, across all Corsa della Bora races, to reach Sistiana and then continue towards the coast instead of turning back immediately. This is a stretch of the Karst traversed solo, with no other competitors around, which no other distance in the event covers.

Costa dei Barbari (Botanjek): the stretch you don't expect From Sistiana the path descends towards the Costa dei Barbari, a wild Karst coastline between Sistiana and PortoPiccolo, without any bathing establishments, with hidden coves and an open view of the Gulf of Trieste. The ground is Karst – living terrain, some roots, so watch your step – and the descent, though short, is steep: the most challenging point of the entire route, despite its minimal distance. For children, this section is suitable for those with a little experience on the trail, not for absolute beginners. To learn more about this stretch of wild coast, see Costa dei Barbari.

The finishing line at PortoPiccolo. From the coastline, the path leads back to the beach of PortoPiccolo, where the Borin concludes at the same finish line as the other distances of the day: same beach, same party, warm refreshments for everyone. Those who ran the Borin take home a stretch of coast – Sistiana and Costa dei Barbari in sequence – which in this edition no other competitor of the Corsa della Bora covers in the same way. Four kilometres, but well chosen.

Want to know more? Read the Roadbook →

Who is this route for

The S1 Borin is the gateway to the Corsa della Bora: a short, but not trivial distance – a true taste of the Karst, with a memorable finish. Suitable for those running the Karst for the first time, for those who want children to experience a real route without sacrificing the scenery, or for those simply looking for a manageable distance with an authentic character.

Without a medical certificate. No health requirements to enter: non-competitive race, no final classification.

Dogs allowed. On lead, as in the S1 Family Hike & Trail and the non-competitive S1 Half Trail.

Free for under 16s. Under 16s do not pay the fee, but registration is still mandatory to receive a bib and medal.

The right pace — even for those who walk. At a sustained walking pace (around 5 km/h) you'll cover the 4 km in about 48 minutes, well within the maximum time of 2 hours: no intermediate gates to worry about. The only real attention required is technical, not a matter of pace: the steep descent of Costa dei Barbari requires trail shoes with good grip, regardless of how fast you tackle it.

A step further, staying in the Corsa della Bora. For those seeking something slightly longer after the Borin, without changing events, the S1 Family Hike & Trail (14.5 km) is the next distance in the same event, starting at the same time (10:00) and finishing at the same finish line.

Sister races — band ≤14 km. For physical commitment, the S1 Borin belongs to the ≤14 km band of the group's events, alongside Sardonzin (7 km) on sardon.run, Grego (8 km) and Valbruna (10 km) from Alpe Adria Ultra Trail Winter edition, and Oitzinger (12 km) from Alpe Adria Ultra Trail Summer edition. No 1:1 pairings are proposed, but rather the entire band as equally-valued alternatives at another event within the group (no direct links: just the name of the reference event).

Would you like to explore the S1 Borin trails outside of the race weekend? The guide Trail Running in Trieste collects paths in the Karst region that are accessible all year round.