Press Release - North Pole Marathon - 4/2/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                KOREAN WINS 2008 NORTH POLE MARATHON

Byeung Sik Ahn (Korea) won the 2008 North Pole Marathon which took place at 
04:30 GMT on 1st April. The winner of the women's title was Cathrine Due of 
Denmark. Constant daylight and -29C temperatures greeted competitors at the 
top of the world.

The men's race was a close event over the ititial stages before Ahn's 
persistent pressure on the frozen ice floes finally began to reap 
dividends. He developed a widening gap over his opponents during the second 
have of the race and crossed the line in a winning time of 4:02:37. 
Meanwhile, the Lithuanian Ignas Staskevicius overhauled Charles Sanders of 
Great Britain for second position. Ahn will receive a special Kobold 
expedition watch for being the outright winner.

Cathrine Due and Margit Andersen, the two Danes in the women's event, 
battled thoughout. However, Due proved the stronger in the latter stages to 
take the women's title. Kirsty Devonport of Great Britain was third.

Unfortunately, unusual logistical delays at the Pole this season impacted 
the race field. A five-day wait was caused due to delays in establishing 
the North Pole camp and this led to two competitors having to withdraw 
before the race began. Furthermore, an effective cut-off time of 
seven-and-a-half hours was abruptly forced upon competitors by the 
logistics company in order for them to make a return flight to Norway.

Nevertheless, all participants stood at 90 Degrees North, the precise 
Geographic North Pole. In addition, the few remaining competitors who were 
agonisingly close to completing the 26.2-mile distance have been invited to 
attend for free next year. Moreover, the race organisers prefer to have 
everybody given a much lengthier time to finish the event if necessary. 
Next year is the Centenary of Man reaching the Pole. To register for the 
race, which is now expected to occur in early April 2009, see 
www.npmarathon.com. 

The North Pole Marathon is contained in Guinness World Records as the 
northernmost marathon on earth. It is also a member of the Association of 
International Marathons & Distance Races. 

Mens Race 
Name Time  
1.  Byeung Sik Ahn (Korea)  4:02:37  Bib No. 1  
2.  Ignas Staskevicius (Lithuania) 4:19:05  Bib No. 25  
3.  Charles Sanders (Great Britain) 4:21:27  Bib No. 23  
4.  Jurgen Heilbock (Germany) 4:50:01  Bib No. 17  
5.  Hans-Wilhelm Hamke (Germany) 5:21:07  Bib No. 14  
6.  Craig Davis (Australia) 5:47:50  Bib No. 8  
7.  Darius Jurgaitis (Lithuania) 5:54:18 Bib No. 19 
8.  Peter Ferris (Ireland) 6:12:05 Bib No. 12 
9.  Steve Bicknell (Great Britain) 6:27:10 Bib No. 6 
10. Christer Klingspor (Sweden) 7:01:10 Bib No. 20 
11. Wayne Pollock (Ireland) 7:10:22 Bib No.27 
12. Hans-Jacob Berntsen (Norway) 7:22:08 Bib No. 5 

Womens Race 
Name Time  
1.  Cathrine Due (Denmark) 5:37:14 Bib No. 11 
2.  Margit Andersen (Denmark) 5:53:10 Bib No. 3 
3.  Kirsty Devonport(Great Britain) 6:12:05 Bib No. 9 
4.  Alison Gill (Great Britain) 6:44:08 Bib No. 13 
5.  Marie-Hamren Larsson (Sweden) 7:04:32  Bib No. 16  

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