FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Popular MARATHON SUNDAY set to return in 2020! Entries are officially open
for the 2020 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon
The event organisers of the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon are
delighted to OPEN entries for the 2020 event, celebrating its 39th year on
Sunday 3rd May. The event was launched this morning (Wednesday 9th
October) by John Allen, Chairman of the Deep RiverRock Belfast City
Marathon at the Olympia Leisure Centre, Belfast.
This year the largest single participatory sporting event in Northern
Ireland experienced a number of positive changes - the launch of a new
marathon route, a new start location on the grounds of the iconic Stormont
Estate and history was made by moving the event to a Sunday for the first
time ever.
Back by popular demand, the event will take place on a Sunday again with a
full line up of events to suit all levels of fitness including the Marathon
and Wheelchair Race, the Team Relay, 8 Mile Walk and Fun Run. The same
great new marathon route will be back with a few revisions, including a new
Team Relay changeover point. A Fun Run of approximately 3 miles will start
and finish in Stormont this year with transport provided for those wishing
to go to the Ormeau Park finish. All other events will start in Stormont
and finish in Ormeau Park.
This year the event will be working with Eventmaster who also provide an
online registration service for the prestigious Dublin Marathon.
Further exciting developments include new sponsors - Cool FM, the No 1
Commercial Radio Station in Northern Ireland (Official Radio Sponsor) and
Four Star Pizza (Official Food Sponsor). The event is also delighted to
confirm they will be working closely with one Official Charity Partner for
two years - Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. Participants are encouraged to
#MakeItCount and run, walk or wheel for team Cancer Focus NI in 2020 to
help more people survive from cancer.
That's not all, the 2020 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon has been
announced as a qualifying event for the first time in the AbbottWMM Wanda
Age Group World Rankings, giving runners the chance to earn ranking points
ahead of the world championships taking place in the spring of 2021.
Details here www.worldmarathonmajors.com/agwr/how-it-works
Furthermore, the event is delighted to introduce a new marathon development
initiative in partnership with Athletics Northern Ireland called Marathon
Potential 2024. Designed to feed into the ANI Podium Potential Programme
and the Dublin Marathon Mission, it aims to identify athletes with marathon
potential and will provide training and competition support.
John Allen, Chairman of the Belfast City Marathon organising committee,
commented:
"This was a record year for the event with around 5,000 taking part in the
marathon alone. With all the positive changes ahead and continuation of a
popular Marathon Sunday option we look forward to seeing the event grow
from strength to strength, attracting a wider audience from across the
Globe. This year also sees the introduction of a new Marathon Development
initiative, a project which will aim to support athletes, and their
coaches, that have not yet moved to the marathon distance but have the
potential to do so and hope to bring the next generation of Northern
Ireland's marathon runners through."
The Chairman further commented:
"I'd like to thank all sponsors and partners for their support in 2020,
this prestigious international event would not be possible without their
generosity. We look forward to working with all parties to help deliver
Northern Ireland's biggest mass participation sporting event on Sunday 3rd
May 2020."
Deep RiverRock will be the title sponsor of the event for the 14th year.
Hilary Hughes, Marketing Manager at Deep RiverRock said;
"We are very proud to be the title sponsor of the Deep RiverRock Belfast
City Marathon, in its 39th year. As Northern Ireland's favourite water
brand, we will be there on the day, taking part in the marathon. We will
ensure that runners are kept hydrated with dedicated water stations along
the 26.2 mile route and at the finish line. We will be distributing our new
100% Recycled AND Recyclable water bottles which are made to make a
difference. We will work closely with Belfast City Marathon to ensure that
all bottles used on the day are collected and recycled to reduce the impact
on the environment. To everyone taking part in the marathon in May, best of
luck with your training, enjoy every step of it, stay hydrated and I look
forward to seeing you at the finish line"
The Official Charity Partner for 2020 is Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.
Roisin Foster, Chief Executive of Cancer Focus NI, said:
"Cancer Focus NI is delighted to have been chosen as the sole charity
partner for the next two years for the Belfast marathon. All the money
raised will stay in Northern Ireland and will fund a new research project
looking at the treatment of esophageal and pancreatic cancer - two cancers
which at present have very low survival rates."
Entries are NOW OPEN at www.belfastcitymarathon.com via the brand new
Eventmaster online registration station. Entries can be made via mobile or
desktop with an early rate available until 30th November 2019. Details of
the 2020 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon route can be found here also.
The Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon is sponsored by Athletics Northern
Ireland, Daily Mirror, Belfast City Council, Better, Cool FM (Downtown
Radio and Downtown Country), Translink, Daily Mirror, Spar, Belfast Live,
Framar Health, Tayto and Four Star Pizza. This year's official charity is
Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.
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