Press Release - Dubai Marathon - 11/27/07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

          BENOIT Z EYES NEW EURO MARATHON RECORD IN DUBAI

 Flamboyant Frenchman Signs Up For Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

        Second Year of Marathon Support for Sports Giant PUMA

Dubai (UAE): Flamboyant French athlete and European record holder Benoit 
Zwierchwiewski will target a new European best when he lines up for the 
world's richest race, the 2008 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, on 
January 18.

Known simply as Benoit Z, the 31 year-old Marseille-based runner is the 
16th fastest man in Marathon history and co-holder with Portugal's Antonio 
Pinto of the Marathon European Record of 2h:06m:36s. And following his 
debut in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon earlier this year, the 
Frenchman firmly believes Dubai's benign running conditions and excellent 
road surfaces are conducive to record times.

"Benoit Z is one of the most exciting European marathon runners of recent 
years and has been targeting another European Marathon best since matching 
Pinto's time in Paris in 2003," said Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 
event director Peter Connerton. 

"He won the Cannes Half Marathon less than a month after running here last 
January and has been working hard towards his goal of running in Dubai 
again in 2008. He is an excellent addition to our strongest ever field."

Benoit Z joins marathon world record holder and double Olympic champion 
Haile Gebrselassie and women's 20km and Half Marathon world record holder 
Lornah Kiplagat in a powerful line-up for the US$1 million race, which also 
offers a further US$1 millon bonus for a new marathon world record. 

The appearance of a host of leading lights of distance running is welcomed 
by many of the event's partners, including sporting goods giant PUMA who 
are co-sponsoring the 42.195km race for the second successive year.

"PUMA is proud to sponsor the Dubai Marathon for the second year in a row," 
said Oliver Wirth, Managing Director of PUMA Middle East. "With the eyes of 
the running world on the richest race in athletics history, we will use the 
Marathon as the platform for the launch of the PUMA Runway collection - a 
range of Performance Running products that will be available in the region 
in January. 

"As for our activities during the race itself, PUMA's involvement will 
include continued support at the Marathon's halfway turn – also known as 
the famous PUMA Turn - as well as operating a PUMA booth at the Start 
/Finish line."

To register online for an event being held under the patronage of HH Sheikh 
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the 
UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and staged under the aegis of the Dubai Sports 
Council, runners are asked to visit the official website 
www.dubaimarathon.org where they can register instantly or download the 
registration form and post it to the Marathon office.

"It's a great opportunity for athletes of all standards to say that they 
ran alongside an Olympic Champion and World Record holder," added 
Connerton. "The deadline for entries is December 31 and we urge people to 
register online or visit any branch of Fitness First from December 1."


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