This year, ECCO Walkathon set a record with an attendance of more than 20,000. The distance covered totalled 184,000 kilometres – or more than 4.5 times around the earth. It amounted to well over 920,000 DKK of which the whole amount will go to charity.

Today more than 20,000 Danes visited the Citadel in Copenhagen walking the streets of Copenhagen for charity. ECCO Sko A/S donated 5 DKK for each kilometre covered; and thus 920,000 DKK were raised for the three humanitarian organisations – Heart Association, UNICEF and WWF. This year’s funds beat the ECCO Walkathon 2003 record of well over 800,000 DKK. At 5 p.m. people were still on their way back from the walk. Therefore the final number of entrants has not been computed yet. However, ECCO expects the attendance to attain well over 20,500.

”It is fantastic that ECCO Walkathon has again this year set very fine records both as regards attendance and funds raised. It is nice to see so much support to the three relief organisations that are doing a good job. We are looking forward to starting the arrangements for next year’s Walkathon,” says Christian Broe, who is in charge of Walkathon with ECCO.

H. R. H. Princess Alexandra opened the ECCO Walkathon at 12.00 o’clock. Then Princess Alexandra and her two sons – Prince Nikolaj and Prince Felix – walked six kilometres about in the capital.

Well over 18,000 persons had enrolled for the arrangement in advance, and the nice weather attracted more people to the Citadel. It is the sixth year in a row that ECCO Walkathon has been held in Copenhagen and every year the arrangement has grown steadily from 12,000 entrants in 1999 to more than 20,000 this year. Due to the success of the Danish arrangement, a Walkathon is also planned to be held in a number of other countries this year. On 5th September, Walkathon will be held in Berlin for the first time and on 12th Septem-ber in Stockholm. Furthermore, ECCO Walkathon will also be held in the two Japanese cities Kyoto and Yokohama.