The 10th ECSS Bengt Saltin Charity Run – sponsored by Unilever is held in honour of ECSS Founding Member and Patron, Professor Bengt Saltin, and is organised in close collaboration with our Local Organising Committee.

Everyone is welcome to take part – whether you run or walk – and discover the beauty of Lausanneon a Summer morning! Please note: Participation is limited to registered individuals.

All proceeds will be donated to PASTEC, an organisation dedicated to promoting physical activity among children with cancer. Read more here and English translation here.

Before the run

To join the 10th ECSS Bengt Saltin Charity Run, please register via your ECSS Account (available from early April onwards). During registration, please confirm your chosen donation amount (minimum €10) and indicate your T-shirt size. For sustainability reasons, participants are also permitted to wear a T-shirt from a previous edition instead of ordering a new one.

Once registered, your place is confirmed. Don’t wait – registration closes as soon as it is fully booked but at the latest on Wednesday, 20 May!

Upon arrival at the SwissTech Convention Center for the Congress, please collect your race bib (which includes a time-tracking chip), running shirt (if ordered) and safety pins, provided by Decathlon, at Unilever booth (ID C2, Campus Level). Collection is open from Tuesday morning until Wednesday at 17:45 (CEST).

Getting there

See the mark in Google Maps to join the start/finish line.

Parking near the race area is very limited and we strongly encourage you to leave the car behind. You can easily reach the start by foot or by public transport (Bus No. 24, stop: Sport-Unil–EPFL; Bus No. 1 and 701, stop: Allée de Dorigny; Metro M1, stop: UNIL-Chamberonne). You can also rent a bike or E-scooter available throughout the city but please check the allowed parking zones.

During the run and course details

The run will take place on Thursday, 9 July at 07:00 (CEST). The ECSS arch will mark the start and finish line.

The 4.8 km (2.98 miles) route follows a counterclockwise scenic route along the shores of Lake Geneva, passing the IOC headquarters, before looping back through Bourget Park to the finish line. Participants will run mostly on gravel paths and tarmac roads, with a few sections on the soft wood chip surface of the Finnish track.

Importantly, this year the Local Organising Committee is taking advantage of the return to the Olympic City of Lausanne to introduce an exciting new feature: the 100 m Olympic Sprint. A 100m sprint segment will be set up in front of the IOC headquarters and timed separately. Sprint performance will account for 40% of the final ranking, with the 4.8 km time making up the remaining 60%.

View the full course map and details here.

Volunteers and course marshals will be stationed throughout the route to guide participants and manage any necessary road closures.

Important Information:

• Arrival Time: Please arrive ready and assembled by 06:45 (CEST) at the latest.
• Bag Drop: A guarded bag drop will be available for your belongings.
• Medical Assistance: Emergency medical assistance will be provided.

After the run

Grab some refreshments and energy bars after crossing the finish line and cheer on your fellow participants as they complete the course! The top three male and female finishers will be celebrated once everyone has crossed the line. Individual times will be posted later in the day at the ECSS Booth and within participants’ ECSS Accounts.

All Congress participants are also warmly welcome to come along as spectators – your support and energy make the event all the more special!

We can’t wait to see you at the start line!

ECSS & UNIL & EPFL

For ECSS Lausanne 2026, the ECSS together with our local host team offer an exciting and engaging programme on Monday, 6 July and Tuesday morning, 7 July. Join us for interactive sessions and workshops covering different scientific disciplines and get a fresh start into the Congress week!

Monday, 6 July

Environmental Contamination: How is that the Source of Inadvertent Doping in Sport (Anti-Doping)
Time: 09:00 – 11:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Synathlon Building, Room 1216

Embracing Variability: Sex, Gender and Research Design in Sport, Health and Exercise Science (Sex & Gender)
Time: 09:00 – 15:30
Location: UNIL Campus, Géopolis Building, Room 1628

On-Field Biomechanics: Performance Testing for Injury Risk and Return-to-Play
Time: 10:30 – 12:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Centre Sportif Universitaire de Dorigny

Running Sciences Symposium: Where Running Science Meets Coaching
Time: 13:00 – 18:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Génopode Building, Auditorium B

POMOCA & ThinkSport - Sports Innovation within the Canton de Vaud
Time: 14:00 - 16:45
Location: Pomoca Headquarters, 23 route de Saint-Marcel,1373 Chavornay, Suisse

Healthy Active Campuses in Europe: The Role of Sport and Physical Activity in Sustainable University Health
Time: 14:00 – 17:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Synathlon Building, Room Jean Petitjean

Visit to the IOC Headquaters – The Olympic House
Time: 14:00 – 17:00
Location: Route de Vidy 9, 1007 Lausanne

From the Weight Room to the Track: Engineering Speed in Elite Athletes! (SSCA)
Time: 14:00 – 17:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Sports and Health Centre

Open and Reproducible Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography Data (analysis) (UMUD)
Time: 14:00 – 17:15
Location: UNIL Campus, Géopolis Building, Room 2207

Applied Sport Science in Performance Sport
Time: 15:00 – 18:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Géopolis Building, Room 2219

PINES - The Sports Nutrition Battles
Time: 17:00 - 19:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Synathlon Building, Room 1216

Tuesday, 7 July

Visit to the Olympic Studies Centre & Olympic Museum
Time: 09:00 – 11:00
Location: Olympic Studies Centre & Olympic Museum

ECSS Masterclasses
Time: 09:00-11:30 (exact duration varies)
Location: SwissTech Convention Center
Session rooms: see Masterclass overview

Integrative Medicine for Field-Ready Performance Assessment - sponsored by Dr Kurucsai
Time: 09:00-11:00
Location: SwissTech Convention Center
Session rooms: 3BC

The Power of Protein in Performance and Recovery: From Science to Practive - sponsored by Danone Research
Time: 09:30-11:00
Location: SwissTech Convention Center
Session rooms: Auditorium C

How Many Ages Are There?: Chronological, Molecular, Functional - sponsored by Technogym
Time: 10:15-11:45
Location: SwissTech Convention Center
Session rooms: Auditorium B

ECSS General Assembly
Time: 11:00-11:45
Location: SwissTech Convention Center
Session rooms: 1ABC

PINES is a global organisation of qualified nutrition and exercise professionals dedicated to elevating the standard of sports nutrition with members coming from more than 40 countries. Its mission is to build and sustain a worldwide community that shares evidence-based knowledge, best practices and professional experience. 

At ECSS, PINES will host the ‘The Sports Nutrition Battles’ as a pre-Congress session. This session is designed around a structured debate format addressing current hot-button topics in sports nutrition: collagen, female nutrition and creatine. Each topic will be discussed by two invited experts, one presenting arguments in favour and the other presenting arguments against, followed by a moderated discussion aimed at critically evaluating the evidence and, where possible, moving towards a consensus or identifying key areas of disagreement.

Programme:

Time	Activity
17:00	Introduction
17:10	Low Quality or Highly Specific: The Collagen Protein Debate
17:45	Meaningful or Marginal: The Menstrual Cycle-Specific Nutrition Debate
18.20	Evidence or Excess: The High Dose Creatine Debate
18.55	General Discussion/Closing/Wrap-up

Date: Monday, 6 July
Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Location: UNIL Campus, Synathlon Building, Room 1216

CHAIR

Dr Thorben Aussieker
Scientific Officer PINES
OWL University of Applied Sciences
Lemgo, Germany
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SPEAKERS

Tom A.H. Jannsen, MSc McMaster University Hamilton, Canada	Dr Christopher D. Nulty South East Technological University Carlow, Ireland

Low Quality or Highly Specific: The Collagen Protein Debate

In this debate, Tom Janssen and Chris Nulty will present up-to-date evidence in favour or against using collagen protein supplements:

Collagen is widely promoted for joint, tendon and recovery benefits, yet its value in sports nutrition is debated. Critics argue it is a low-quality, incomplete protein, poor in essential amino acids and ineffective for stimulating muscle protein synthesis compared to proteins like whey. Supporters counter that collagen should be viewed as a targeted intervention. Rich in amino acids central to connective tissue and potentially beneficial when combined with loading and vitamin C, it may serve a highly specific role. The core question: inferior protein source, or specialised tool?

Alysha D'Souza, MSc McMaster University Hamilton, Canada	Dr Paulina Wasserfurth Technical University Munich Munich, Germany

Meaningful or Marginal: The Female Specific Nutrition Debate

In this debate, Alysha D'Souza and Paulina Wasserfurth will present up-to-date evidence in favour or against adapting nutrition based on the menstrual cycle:

Tailoring nutrition to the menstrual cycle has gained attention, with proponents arguing that hormonal fluctuations meaningfully affect metabolism, recovery and performance; warranting phase-specific fuelling strategies. Sceptics contend that while hormonal changes are real, their practical impact may be small, inconsistent, or too individual to justify structured adjustments. The key question: are cycle-based strategies a meaningful advancement, or a marginal gain in practice?

Dr Craig Sale Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester, UK	Dr Jedd Prett Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester, UK

Evidence or Excess: The High Dose Creatine Debate

In this debate Craig Sale and Jedd Prett will present up-to-date evidence in favour and against using larger doses of creatine:

Creatine is well established for improving strength and lean mass, with 3–5 g/day typically sufficient to saturate muscle stores. Critics argue that higher doses offer no additional performance benefit and may simply increase cost or side effects. Supporters suggest that certain contexts, such as larger athletes or neurological applications, may warrant higher intakes. The key question: is high-dose creatine a meaningful advancement in practice, or simply more than physiology requires?

For ECSS Lausanne 2026 we have put together an exciting Special Programme throughout the Congress days next to the official Scientific Programme! Join us for interactive sessions, booth talks and meetings!

More information to follow! 

Cycling Science: Exploring Performance, Health and Innovation (GSSI)
Date: Tuesday, 7 July
Time: 15:15 - 17:45
Session room: Auditorium A

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
Join our Special Interest Groups taking place either during lunch breaks or poster sessions to network with your international colleagues around thematically orientated topics of various sports science disciplines!