The first participants in this year's Nijmegen International Four Days Marches set off at four o'clock this Tuesday morning. News agency ANP reports the walkers have chosen from between 30, 40, or 50-kilometre routes through the Betuwe fruit-growing region of the province of Gerlderland.

This is the 93rd time the world's largest walking event has been held. The 'Nijmegen Four-Dayer' first took place 100 years ago, but was interrupted by the second World War and its centenary will not be till 2016.

A total of 48,317 people registered to take part in this year's edition of the gruelling four-day event. Only 45,000 participants are allowed, so a lottery was held to decide who could march. As usual not all those who were eligible turned up, and just 41,205 were at the starting line.

This year, participants come from 64 countries, with the oldest, aged 92, from Bussum in the central Netherlands, and the youngest aged just 11. Although civilians are in the majority nowadays, the event was originally for the military. This year, there are 5000 soldiers taking part from both the Netherlands and abroad.

In 2006, 'the Nijmegen Four-Dayer' was cancelled for the first time in its history. This was due to the extreme heat which resulted in two deaths and thousands of people dropping out of the event.

photo: Nijmegen Four-Dayer (Wouter Walgemoed)