FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
World-Class Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon Announces
New Evening Race Format For 2019; Bolsters Ambition For
Abbott World Marathon Majors Bid
SINGAPORE / TAMPA, Fla. (May 28, 2019) - At a launch event today, the
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) announced that the 2019
edition of the race will upgrade the athlete experience with a new 6:00pm
evening flag off on Saturday, November 30 for the Marathon, Half Marathon
and Ekiden distances while shifting to a three-day event format. The Kids
Dash will take place on Friday, November 29 while the 5K and 10k races will
take place on Sunday, December 1 providing a distance for everyone. These
steps were taken to further the appeal of the race for participants and
spectators and is a significant step towards the goal of SCSM being
inducted into the illustrious Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM), a
series of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world. If
successful, SCSM would become the seventh marathon within AbbottWMM joining
the BMW Berlin Marathon, Boston Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon,
Virgin Money London Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, and the Tokyo
Marathon.
"Since announcing the bid to join the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2017,
we've been working closely with our respective partners to improve the
Singapore race experience for both runners and spectators. We have
consulted Sport Singapore and the relevant government agencies and they
have shared their support for the night race," said Geoff Meyer, Managing
Director for The IRONMAN Group in Asia. "Enhancements are happening every
year to build up the event festivities as well as programs and initiatives
that promote the running culture and community engagement in Singapore. We
are now closer than ever to the required criteria and strongly believe that
the change in flag-off time, and a number of other improvements over the
next two editions will see more marathoners and community support than ever
as we position ourselves to qualify in 2021."
The SCSM has been recognised as a Gold Label event by the International
Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) since 2012 for its world-class
excellence in global sporting significance, organisational quality,
athletes' safety and compliance with the IAAF Rules and Regulations.
Singapore has shown it is an ideal year-round run destination to the
international running community and will see the best elite and elite
wheelchair division in event history. Since the inaugural race in 1982, the
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon has grown to a globally significant
event that attracts approximately 50,000 runners each year across all race
categories from more than 125 countries, regions and territories.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth &
Transport, Mr Baey Yam Keng, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the launch
event, said, "The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon has been a
longstanding highlight on the regional sports calendar, attracting elite
marathoners and running enthusiasts from Singapore and around the world
annually. It is heartening that the organisers are continually improving
the Singapore Marathon experience so that it can be among the best in the
world. With the flag-offs on Saturday evening this year, I anticipate many
more Singaporeans coming out to cheer on the runners and join in the
excitement. I hope to see the Singapore Marathon join the ranks of the
Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2021!"
2019 To Bring Significant Improvements to Athlete and Spectator Experience
The IRONMAN Group in Singapore is working closely with the local
authorities to plan a spectator-friendly route through Singapore's most
iconic streets and modern architecture to give fans and runners a different
perspective and intimate view of the city. From cultural and historical
diversity to lush greenery and a buzzing metropolis that includes modern
marvels such as the Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, and The Singapore
Flyer, locals and run-cation visitors will be treated to a visual tour of
the city-state.
For the first time, the Marathon, Half Marathon and Ekiden distances will
flag off in the evening of Saturday, 30 November, a key evolution after
ongoing consultation with the Abbott World Marathon Majors team and
government stakeholders, which began in 2017. This will present a host of
benefits for both competitive and casual runners. Most notably, cooler
temperatures will lead to a better experience and performances for runners
while creating an exciting race environment that takes full advantage of
Singapore's bright lights and night life.
Tim Hadzima, Executive Director of the Abbott World Marathon Majors said,
"Today's announcement is another step forward for the Standard Chartered
Singapore Marathon in their long-term aspiration of becoming an Abbott
World Marathon Major. The changes for this year's marathon are just a few
parts of stringent criteria that we assess each year, as there are many
stages of this process still to be met. We are excited to see how the
runners react to the improvements that they will experience this year."
To encourage added participation and support from the public, organisers
are introducing all new spectator zones, which will feature a myriad of
lifestyle and entertainment offerings. This will add to the more than 26
on-route entertainment points to create a vibrant and uplifting atmosphere
for both runners and supporters.
"With SCSM, we have enjoyed a great run over the past 18 years. Making the
Abbott World Marathon Major pitch this year is very meaningful for us at
Standard Chartered as 2019 marks our 160th anniversary in Singapore. With
the support of The IRONMAN Group in Asia, Sport Singapore and our partners,
I am confident that we can make SCSM truly a world-class event and showcase
the best of Singapore to our friends and supporters from around the world,"
said Mr. Patrick Lee, CEO of Standard Chartered Singapore.
The 3-day event will kick off with the Kids Dash on Friday evening at
7:00pm while the 5km and 10km categories will flag off on Sunday morning at
8.30am and 6.30am respectively.
To begin preparing for this year's race, runners can now participate in
training programmes such as the Women's Squad, run with pacers or get
involved in SCSM's virtual running community on Strava, which will help
runners put their best foot forward as they prepare for the race.
To register and for more information, please visit
www.singaporemarathon.com. Standard Chartered Cardholders will enjoy 15%
off registration fee across all categories.
Follow the race:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SGMarathon
Instagram: @sgMarathon
Twitter: @SG_Marathon
Strava: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon
About Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon
The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is the leading mass participation
run and only IAAF Gold Label race in South East Asia. Since 2002, the race
has brought runners unparalleled running experiences, threading through the
heart of the city seeing iconic heritage buildings and against one of the
world's most iconic city skylines and past some of Singapore's iconic
landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. Comprising six
categories; Marathon, Half Marathon, Ekiden Relay, 10km, 5km and Kids Dash,
the race has been a catalyst to growing the local and regional running
community, by bringing together approximately 50,000 professional, amateur,
avid and leisure runners yearly. For more information, visit
www.singaporemarathon.com.
About Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore
Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore is part of an international banking
group, with more than 150 years of history in some of the world's most
dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through
our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our
brand promise, Here for good.
The Bank has a history of 159 years in Singapore, where we opened our first
branch in 1859. In October 1999, we were among the first international
banks to receive a Qualifying Full Bank (QFB) licence, an endorsement of
the Group's long-standing commitment to our business in the country.
Singapore is home to the majority of our global business leadership, our
technology organisation, as well as SC Ventures, our innovation hub. In
2013, the Bank transferred our Singapore Retail and SME businesses to a
locally-incorporated subsidiary, Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore)
Limited ("SCBSL"). In 2018, we announced our intention to fully consolidate
our business operations in Singapore through the transfer of our Commercial
Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking and Private Banking businesses
to SCBSL. SCBSL is one of the highest-rated banks globally: A by Standard &
Poor's, Aa3 by Moody's Investor Services and A by Fitch Ratings.
In Singapore, we support both individual and corporate needs to build
wealth and drive commerce at every step of their journey. We do this by
offering an entire range of financial services across personal, priority
and private banking as well as our business, commercial and corporate
banking teams. The Bank employs around 9,000 people in Singapore and has a
network of 15 branches, 5 Priority Banking centres and 31 ATMs.
About Sport Singapore
As the national sports agency, Sport Singapore's core purpose is to inspire
the Singapore spirit and transform Singapore through sport. Through
innovative, fun and meaningful sporting experiences, our mission is to
reach out and serve communities across Singapore with passion and pride.
With Vision 2030 - Singapore's sports master plan, our mandate goes beyond
winning medals. Sport Singapore uses sport to create greater sporting
opportunities and access, more inclusivity and integration as well as
broader development of capabilities. At Sport Singapore, we work with a
vast network of public-private-people sector partners for individuals to
live better through sport. To find out more, visit our websites
www.sportsingapore.gov.sg and www.myactivesg.com. Follow us at
www.facebook.com/myActiveSG and www.youtube.com/SingaporeSports.
About The IRONMAN Group
As part of Wanda Sports Holdings, The IRONMAN Group operates a global
portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the
IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock 'n' Roll
Marathon Series®, Iron Girl®, IRONKIDS®, International Triathlon Union
World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the Velothon®
Series, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, premier
marathons including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, trail
running like Ultra-Trail Australia™, and other multisport races. IRONMAN's
events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more
than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports
through the company's vast offerings. The iconic IRONMAN® Series of events
is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the
inception of the IRONMAN® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING
IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines at the world's most challenging
endurance races. Beginning as a single race, IRONMAN has grown to become a
global sensation with more than 230 events across 53 countries. For more
information, visit www.ironman.com.
About Abbott World Marathon Majors
The Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) is a series of six of the
largest and most renowned marathons in the world - Tokyo Marathon, B.A.A.
Boston Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of
America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon. Encompassing an
annual series for elite runners and elite wheelchair athletes, AbbottWMM
also applauds the achievements and passion of everyday champions from
around the world. The new AbbottWMM Six Star System is an online results
hub that celebrates every runner who has completed from one to six of the
races in the series and encourages them to 'Reach For The Stars'. The
AbbottWMM launched AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings - our first
ever global age group marathon ranking system in 2018. Qualifying began in
Berlin in September 2018 and will include more than 50 races across the
world. The rankings will culminate at the first AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group
World Championship race taking place in spring 2020. For more information
visit www.Abbottwmm.com.
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