Countdown for big race begins
The countdown to what probably is the country’s biggest sporting and fundraising event has now begun. Four months following the hugely successful Bahrain Marathon Relay 2005, organisers at the Bahrain Round Table (BRT) have started making arrangements for the major race’s 26th anniversary this year.
The popular event, which attracted a record number of 1,800 runners and raised over BD23,000 for local charities last year, is set to be held on November 17, a Friday, this year, it was announced by organisers yesterday.
That means that there is less than 250 days to go before the next Bahrain Marathon Relay, said race director Steve Williams.
The BRT, in association with the Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA), selected the date, which they hope would give participants plenty of time to practice after Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr break in September.
As always, the race is a team event, run over almost 50 kilometres comprising 16 legs of 3km each.
The terrain is extraordinarily varying, ranging from roads through the desert around the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir, where the relay starts, to highways and finishing among the modern high-rise architecture of the Seef District in Manama.
The organiser’s target is to achieve a record total of 125 teams taking part this year – each with up to 16 runners – making the Bahrain Marathon Relay one of the largest participating sports event in Bahrain and the Gulf.
The organisers intend to generally maintain much of the same route as last year, starting at the BIC and finishing at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa.
Although various minor changes are being considered and discussed to improve the event from the participant’s aspects as well as a safety point of view.
The organisers have also met with the General Organisation for Youth and Sports (GOYS), where president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa once again agreed to continue as patron of the event in its 26th year.
“The BAA are also putting their support behind the event and both have undertaken to provide their full support to ensure even greater success this year and helping to ensure a professionally, well organised and safe event,” said race co-chairman Simon Cox.
“The organisers have also been co-ordinating their arrangements with the Traffic Directorate with the intention of ensuring that the route is as safe as possible for all the runners taking part.”
The many new innovations introduced over the last two years are to continue, including souvenir t-shirts and finishing medals for all runners, polo shirts and lunch vouchers for the marshals, an electronic timing system, more winning categories, and a separate category for the elite overseas teams.
Similar to last year is the pre-selection of the positions for marshals along the route.
Mr Williams explained that teams can select the positions for their marshals when they submit their team registration form to the race registrar, however, a new change will be that for those who have not pre selected, the positions will be allocated by the race registrar.
“This will avoid the need to turn up early for the marshals’ meeting to select the best marshalling positions and speed up the marshals’ meeting,” he said.
The entry fee is BD130 through to the captains’ meeting to be held on October 29 and BD160 thereafter.
However, an early bird discounted entry fee of BD110 is available for all team entries received before July 31.
The entry fee includes a souvenir t-shirt and finishing medal for all runners as well as a commemorative framed race number and Medal for the team.
Registration is now open and entry forms are available from the race registrar Chuck Chandonnet, who can be contacted by email bmr_registrar@hotmail.com.
Forms can also be obtained from the web site www.brt1.org.
This year, team entries are limited to an absolute maximum of only 125.
The organisers are working with BAA and GOYS to increase the representation from Bahrain sports and youth clubs as well as Bahrain schools.
The organisers are able to arrange sponsors for local teams who require financial support.
Clubs or societies requiring sponsors should contact Mr Chandonnet as early as possible.
Corporate sponsorships are designed to provide very attractive promotional benefits, with various levels of visibility to fit any marketing and promotion budget.
Only a limited number of sponsorships are available on a “first come first served basis”.
Prospective sponsors are encouraged to contact Mr Cox on 17544180 as early as possible.
Previous year’s sponsors are already discussing contributions with the committee with most having already agreed up to renew their sponsorships again in 2006.
BRT is known for its efforts to assist the community’s less fortunate members and for its concern for the quality of life and for the local and practical help it gives to various charitable causes.
The Bahrain Marathon Relay is organised annually by the BRT and remains the single most important source of funds for these activities.
“The focus will be to continue making the event more professional and it is gratifying to note that the event is fast becoming an important part of the international athletics circuit and attracts many top class runners, including runners competing in the Commonwealth and Asian Games,” said Mr Williams.
GDN :: Eunice del Rosario :: 23 Mar ’06