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Stanchart Marathon Singapore bidding to be 7th World Marathon Major

SINGAPORE — In three years’ time, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) could join the sport’s big leagues alongside the likes of the iconic Boston, New York and London marathons.

SINGAPORE — In three years’ time, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) could join the sport’s big leagues alongside the likes of the iconic Boston, New York and London marathons.

The SCSM announced its bid on Thursday (April 27) to become the seventh World Marathon Major (WMM), and join six of the largest and most prestigious marathons in the world: London, Berlin, New York, Chicago, Tokyo, and Boston.

The move by event organiser Ironman Asia comes after an announcement this week that China’s Dalian Wanda Group — which bought World Triathlon Corp, organiser of the Ironman Triathlon races in 2015 — had inked a deal with Abbott WMM to hold three WMM races in the Asia-Pacifc region in the next 10 years.

Ironman Asia and the WMM’s 10-year partnership will see the WMM expanding from six to nine cities as they look to extend their reach in Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East, with one stop set to be located in China.

The SCSM, previously known as the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore before its name change this year, has been an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Gold Label event since 2012, and the annual marquee race is aiming to take the next step to become one of the world’s iconic races.

“To be (mentioned) in the same breath as New York, London, Chicago would be a significant achievement for Singapore, and a real coup for Singapore,” said Mr Geoff Meyer, managing director of Ironman Asia, at the launch of the 2017 SCSM.

“The WMM are the best in the business, they are second to none in organisation, their economic and tourism impact for their local region is into the hundreds of millions, their charity impact in the region is in the tens of millions. Also, their community impact is amazing and very special.”

Sport Singapore chief executive officer Lim Teck Yin added: “It’s always useful for Singapore Marathon to have new targets, new aspirations to keep it fresh, and also to improve for the benefit of runners and the community.

“For me, having the aspiration to uplift, improve and enhance the event for the running community is the right direction to take.”

According to Mr Meyer, the bid to be part of the WMM is based on three factors: A global city with world-class amenities and infrastructure, a historic running event, and the wow factor or atmosphere of the race. While the Republic ticks the boxes for the first two, Mr Meyer admitted that there is much work to be done, particularly in the third area.

“If you look at Boston, Chicago, London, New York, the community really comes out and celebrates those events and creates an atmosphere that is second to none,” he said.

“That’s what we need to build in Singapore, and hopefully get Singaporeans and Singapore behind our journey.”

Some of the improvements and changes highlighted by the WMM — who were in Singapore last year to witness the marathon — will see organisers looking into a 6pm flag-off instead of a Sunday morning start, and a route change that could see runners pounding the streets around Singapore’s iconic city skyline instead of East Coast Park.

Mr Meyer is confident a night race will prove to be as successful as the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, which was the first night race on the F1 calendar when it flagged off in 2008.

“Singapore is a night city, it really embraces the night culture. If we can run the event like the Formula 1 ... if we can flag off at 6pm, finish at midnight with fireworks and a big festival, that would truly put them on the global map and become one of the big icons.

“We are excited for the possibilities of this event, to not only elevate it into one of the world’s great races but also make it a race that continues to serve the needs of the Singaporean people.”

Local running groups were thrilled by the news.

Rand Yan, 41, who is from running group Team Fatbird, said: "I think it's a good aim because the race has already attained a gold label. If the organisers want this race to be a WMM event, it means they will have to improve the race and the race experience has to be better, and this will only be beneficial to us runners.

"To get to that label is not unachievable (but) it'll take time because our weather is hotter than the countries hosting the other WMM marathons. The route here is not as direct as the other marathons as well. To have a WMM event here will provide a boost to the local running scene as well, and this will give Singapore more exposure and recognition to the world as well."

Michael Aw Yong, from running group Gei Gei running club, hailed the bid to join the WMM as "a fantastic idea".

"If SCSM can get that label and if we can get the same sort of experience as the establisehd marathons like Boston, London and Tokyo, that'll be great. Because how many of us can afford to go to these marathons or even qualify for these esteemed races?

"It's so difficult to get in, I've tried for so many years to get into the Tokyo marathon but haven't been able to do so.

"If Singapore is part of the WMM, then hopefully the crowd and atmosphere will be different. We hope more people, be it participants or supporters, will engage with the SCSM every year because it'll be hugely beneficial for us as runners.

"We hope to see a bigger, better race and making this race part of a WMM event will go some way to achieving that."

Thursday’s 2017 SCSM launch, which was attended by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Grace Fu, also saw ong-standing sponsor Standard Chartered Bank announcing its renewal of its title sponsorship of the race till 2019. The three-year deal is worth S$11.4 million.

This year’s event will see participants receiving a race pack that includes a free race-day personal accident plan, while new features such as mist tunnels, cooling zones, additional and longer hydration points will be introduced on race day.

Visit www.singaporemarathon.com for registration details

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