After an alternative edition of the lively relay race, students will once again run the 25 traditional stages between Nijmegen and Enschede this year. Last year, participants only ran five-kilometer loops on the campus of the University of Twente. This was due to a shortage of board members within the Bata organization. Student Tijmen Bartels then came up with a twenty-hour relay run that could take place without major organizational challenges, such as obtaining various municipal permits.

“This year, it’s back to how it has always been,” says TU/e student Tim de Wild. He is a member of athletics association Asterix and last year helped the performance team Universiteitsteam Eindhoven secure first place on the podium with a decisive final stage victory. “It’s amazing to race against three hundred other athletes at three in the morning. When else do you get to do that?”

The Bata stages start at three different moments, with members of all teams setting off simultaneously. The first start is in downtown Nijmegen, followed by a joint start after seven stages, and another one eight stages later. The final stage for both performance teams and recreational teams ends in a large student party on the campus in Enschede.

Dommelloop

In the lead-up to May 8 and 9, Asterix is organizing Bata clinics for recreational teams. “I think every study association enters a team. That happens outside of Asterix. A team must consist of 25 students, including a maximum of 16 men. How you get to the starting location and who runs which stage is entirely up to the team,” says De Wild. “The university team is supported by student sports umbrella organization ESSF and Asterix.”

On Thursday, April 2, Asterix will host the “associated” Dommelloop, traditionally a preview of the Batavierenrace. From the Koeveld at the TU/e campus, students run 2.5-kilometer loops in teams of four. It is a popular event—the maximum of 250 participants has already been reached. For many, it serves as a test for the Bata: “How fast am I, and how long can I maintain my pace?”

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.