Turning running into a spectator sport - “On Track Nights” return in 2024

ZURICH, Switzerland, March 25, 2024 - Swiss sportswear brand On announces the highly anticipated return of its global series of running events, "On Track Nights," for its second season. Set to take place on three continents throughout 2024, the season promises to be bigger, bolder, and more captivating than ever.

More than 20,000 spectators experienced the unique blend of world-class athletes and infield entertainment on-site at the five On Track Nights events in Los Angeles, London, Paris, Vienna, and Melbourne in 2023, and around 260,000 tuned in to watch the live broadcasts online. 

“On Track Nights” does things a little differently than more traditional race meets, elevating the experience for athletes with on-track tunnels, bridges, and pyrotechnics and for audiences with food trucks, beer tents, flash tattoos, cheering zones, athlete panel discussions, and more. 

On Track Nights 2024 will again span three continents and five cities. This season, the famous Night of 10k PB’s in London (GBR) kicks off the series in May 2024, where the top races will be Olympic qualifying events. In June and July, the running action continues at Track Night Vienna (AUT) and FAST5000 in Paris (FRA), before newcomer Middle Distance Circuit in Tokyo (JPN) takes the athletes and the series to Asia for the first time. The series will end with a bang at the spectacular Zatopek:10 event in Melbourne (AUS) towards the end of the year.

Not your standard track meets

Fast times and festival vibes, global stars, and local heroes will once again come together in this unique global series that aims to transform the conventional track meet experience. The "On Track Nights" concept goes beyond the ordinary. It builds an emotion-filled racing series that propels athletes onto the world stage by giving them opportunities to clock fast times and fulfill qualifying standards while bringing spectators as close to the action as possible. A dedicated entertainment program includes music and other sports performances, as well as numerous infield activities like tattoo artists, apparel customization stations, or community races.

"We want to push track culture forward by elevating the experience for athletes and audiences – whether they’re there in person or watching online. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at On, and our global race series On Track Nights is the same. Alongside our race director partners, we aim to fuse together the excitement that only top-class racing provides and a festival atmosphere, with entertainment and activations on the infield,”, says Joseph Birchenall, On Global Brand Communications Lead, expressing the brand's vision. “It's about creating an immersive and engaging atmosphere that resonates with both veteran and up-and-coming athletes, as well as spectators on-site and online. We want to make each event a standout experience.”

You can find high-res images for editorial usage here. (© On)

Dates

Mark your calendars for the upcoming season of On Track Nights, and witness the fusion of athleticism and entertainment that will redefine how the world experiences track running.

18.05.2024, Night of the 10,000m PB’s, Parliament Hill, London
​22.06.2024, Track Night Vienna, LAZ Wien, Vienna
​06.07.2024, Fast 5000, Parc des Sports de Maisons-Laffitte, Paris
​27.07.2024, Middle Distance Circuit, Okura Sports Park Athletic Field, Tokyo
​November 2024, Zatopek:10, Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park. Melbourne

Local programming and athlete lineups will be communicated on On Track Nights’ official event page closer to the event dates. 

Athlete Registration:

London:

Entry is staggered by recent 10k (track or road) performance to ensure the fastest racing opportunities and qualifying times achieved from 1st January 2023 onwards.

Race entry opens March 1st: Men sub 30:00 / Women sub 35:00
​Race entry opens March 15th: Men sub 31:00 / Women sub 36:30
​Race entry opens March 29th: Men sub 32:00 / Women sub 38:30

Vienna:

Every athlete has to apply to participate with their PB and SB of not later than 2023. The final starting list will be released on June 17th 2024 on https://tracknightvienna.com/ and www.oelv.at

Start of registration: March 4th, 2024 – REGISTER HERE
​Closing date for entries: June 14th, 2024

Late entries will be accepted ONLY in accordance with the meeting-director.

Paris:

Registration opens on March 25, 2024 

The scheduled heats are: ​ ​
​Women: 14'45, 15'45, 16'20, 16'45, 17'50. ​ ​
​Men: 12'55, 13'25, 13'40, 13'55, 14'15, 14'30, 14'45, 15'00, 15'30

Places are limited by performance level: 

Men - 240 places: ​
​At least 150 are reserved for those running <15'00, ​
​50 for those between 15'00 and 15'30, ​
​40 for those between 15'30 and 16'00 ​ 

Women - 120 places: ​
​At least 60 are reserved for those running <17'00, ​
​30 for those between 17'00 and 18'00, and ​
​30 for those between 18'00 and 19'00. 

A waiting list will be set up once all places have been filled. 

The 1500m (Men) and Mile (Women) are by invitation only: if interested, contact team@fast5000.fr ​
​The 3000m (Open) (7€) is open to all FFA Competition licensees (with a minimum of 12'00 for men and 14'30 for women).

Tokyo:

Information will follow at a later date.

Melbourne:

Information will follow at a later date.

About On Track Nights

“On Track Nights” is Swiss sportswear brand On’s global series of running events that redefines racing and unites fast times and festival vibes.

Born in 2023, the series works with established organizers who like to run their track meets a little differently. Spanning five cities across three continents, the emotion-filled racing series propels athletes onto the world stage by offering them opportunities to clock fast times and fulfill qualifying standards. Far from typical track nights, these events are deep-rooted in the community, bringing festival vibes, local flavor, and an unforgettable atmosphere to runners and spectators. All of the events have dedicated entertainment programs with everything from musical performances to infield activities like tattoo artists, apparel customization stations, or community races.

About On

On was born in the Swiss Alps in 2010 with the mission to ignite the human spirit through movement – a mission that still guides the brand today. Fourteen years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, training, all-day activities and tennis. On’s award-winning CloudTec® innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides within the circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fan base – inspiring humans to explore, discover and Dream On.

On is present in more than 60 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on.com.