Club Tartu Maraton's main project has been ski race Tartu Maraton, first organized in 1960. Within years the small group's skiing trip has grown into a big marathon that brings together thousands of skiers from all over the world. Biggest numbers descend from 1986, when almost 12 000 people registered from all over the Soviet Union.
As the eastern border was closed in 1991, the numbers have become smaller. The popularity of the ski marathon which standard of organization is internationally acknowledged brings now here participants from every corner of the world. In 2013 there was established participation record of last 25 years 7881 finishers in the main distances.
Besides the main 63 km race the Tartu Maraton program includes a 31 km short race. In 2019 the Tartu Maraton Vintage was added to the program. Everyone with an equipment made before the year 2000 are welcome to join Tartu Maraton Vintage. These races are preceded by the Open Track and the relay marathon a week before. TILLU and MINI races for children take place a day before the main event.
Club Tartu Maraton has managed to prove itself more widely in the world of cross-country skiing. Since 1994 when Tartu Marathon became a member of Worldloppet the organizers have constantly tried to improve the level of organization, which has brought along the acknowledgement of participants and increased the share of participants from foreign countries. In years 1999-2004, the Worldloppet General Secretariat was in Tartu, the first headquarter of an international sports organization in Estonia. The Secretary General was Madis Lepajõe, a founding member of Club Tartu Maraton.
In 1999, Tartu Maraton was awarded as The Best Tourism Establishment by Estonian Association of Travel Agents and in 2010 as The Best Touruism Establishment in South Estonia.
1960 – took place for the first time. Course form Tartu to Kääriku
1980 – for the first time as a competition (all participants received startnumbers and were ranked). Corse turned from Otepää to Tartu
1981 – new rececourse for next 15 years from Matu to Elva
1986 – the greatest number of participants at the finish - 9858. The best sport establishment of Soviet Union
1991 – Club Tartu Maraton was founded
1994 – became member of the Worldloppet
1995 – the first race as a Worldloppet member
1996 – Open Track events were added to the program
1997 – 33 km short race was added to program, start was moved to Otepää
1999 – 2004 – Headquarters of Worldloppet in Tartu
1999 – title of the Best Tourism Establishment in Estonia by Estonian Association of Travel Agents
2002 – 16 km Tartu Ladies Race was added to the Open Track program
2009 – Tartu Maraton moved its finish area to Tartumaa Tervisespordikeskus
2010 – title of the Best Tourism Establishment in South Estonia by South Estonian Tourism Board
2012 – Tartu Relay Marathon was added to the program
2016 – Worldloppet's head office is back in Tartu
2019 – Tartu Maraton Vintage was added to the program
1960 | Rein Tikk | EST | - | |
1962 | Valter Tennisson, Anatoli Kreinin | EST | - | |
1963 | Valter Tennisson | EST | - | |
1964 |
Valeri Zelentsov |
EST | - | |
1965 | Tõnu Haljand | EST | - | |
1967 | Rudolf Mürk | EST | Eha Abel (Suija) | EST |
1968 | Arvo Kütt | EST | Ene Märtin (Altmäe) | EST |
1969 | Hain Kinks | EST | Ingrid Mägar | EST |
1970 | Tõnu Kinks | EST | - | |
1971 | Vladimir Šokman | EST | - | |
1976 | Mati Mallo | EST | Taima Kuusk (Nurm) | EST |
1977 | Tõnu Kinks | EST | Tatjana Ojavere | EST |
1978 | Anatoli Šmigun | EST | Rutt Šmigun | EST |
1979 | Arne Sammel | EST | Ülle Torop (Raudsepp) | EST |
1980 |
Arne Sirel |
EST | Küllike Ohno | EST |
1981 | Mati Albert | EST | Helmi Mihhailova | EST |
1982 | Mati Albert | EST | Rutt Šmigun | EST |
1983 | Jaanus Teppan | EST | Rutt Šmigun | EST |
1984 | Vahur Kihuoja | EST | Siiri Sepp | EST |
1985 | Artur Daniel | EST | Kerstin Kruuda (Margus) | EST |
1986 | Nikolai Politajev | EST | Ingrid Tikk | EST |
1987 | Ulvar Pavlov | EST | Krista Lepik | EST |
1991 | Margo Pulles | EST | Ene Tjulkina (Ojari) | EST |
1993 | Ulvar Pavlov | EST | Ene Aigro | EST |
1994 | Raul Olle | EST | Katrin Mauring | EST |
1995 | Hakan Westin | SWE | Ene Aigro | EST |
1996 | Hakan Westin | SWE | Maria Theurl | AUT |
1997 | Mihhail Botvinov | AUT | Gudrun Pflüger | AUT |
1998 | Mihhail Botvinov | AUT | Piret Niglas | EST |
1999 | Johann Mühlegg | GER | Nadezda Simak | RUS |
2001 | Raul Olle | EST | Piret Niglas | EST |
2002 | Havard Skorstad | NOR | Elin Nielsen | NOR |
2003 | Joergen Aukland | NOR | Svetlana Frizen | RUS |
2005 | Raul Olle | EST | Tatjana Mannima | EST |
2006 | Stanislav Rezac | CZE | Õnne Kurg | EST |
2007 | Jerry Ahrlin | SWE | Elin Ek | SWE |
2009 | Anders Aukland | NOR | Sandra Hansson | NOR |
2010 | Anders Aukland | NOR | Sandra Hansson | NOR |
2011 | Jerry Ahrlin | SWE | Sandra Hansson | NOR |
2012 | Joergen Brink | SWE | Susanne Nystroem | SWE |
2013 | Simen Oestesen | NOR | Sandra Hansson | NOR |
2015 | Eldar Roenning | NOR | Tatjana Mannima | EST |
2017 | Bastien Buttin | FRA | Aurelie Dabudyk | FRA |
2018 | Antoine Auger | FRA | Maria Gräfnings | SWE |
2019 | Niko Koskela | FIN | Maria Gräfnings | SWE |
2021 | Mart-Kevin Põlluste | EST | Tatjana Mannima | EST |
2022 | Emil Persson | SWE | Britta Johansson Norgren | SWE |
2023 | Henri Roos | EST | Justyna Kowalczyk-Tekieli | POL |
2024 | Henri Roos | EST | Teesi Tuul | EST |