Barcelona bids farewell to 2020 with NYE 5km and 10km 'Nose Race'

Barcelona City Council is planning to go ahead with its annual Cursa dels Nassos, or Nose Race, on New Year's Eve, with additional safety measures in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The 2020 Nose Race will feature two events – a 5km run for elite athletes, and a 10km run open to anyone over 18.

The 10km race with see three staggered groups of 333 people each set off at 5.30pm, 6pm and 6.35pm. Masks must be worn before and after the race, and participants must maintain safety distances of 1.5 meters between each other when they are lining up to begin.

The course runs along the Barcelona coast, a 5km circuit that begins at Llevant beach and ends at Passeig Marítim del Bogatell, just past the nautical base.

Event organizers Barcelona City Council are hoping that a new world record will be set in the 5km women's race.

Registration is open from 6pm on December 4. It will close when the first 1,000 runners sign up, or at 11.59pm on December 20 at the latest.

The entry fee is €15, of which €5 will be donated to TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio's Marató charity drive, which this year is raising money for Covid-19 research.

And if you're wondering why it's called the Cursa dels Nassos (literally Race of the Noses), Catalan legend says that L'Home dels Nassos (The Noseman) always has as many noses as there are days left in the year. He only dares to venture out when he's likely to go unnoticed, on December 31. So keep an eye out, who nose (sorry), you might spot him!

More information on the race is available on the council website.