FOR RELEASE ANYTIME
Contact: Richard Donovan
Polar Running Adventures
Final Preparations For Antarctic Ice Marathon & 100k
6 December 2006 - Athletes are making final preparations for the
southernmost marathon and ultramarathon events in the world. The Antarctic
Ice Marathon & 100k races will take place on December 12th and 15th,
respectively, at 80 Degrees South in the interior of the seventh continent.
France 3 national television will be on location to film this year's event,
which includes three French partcipants with designs on completing both the
26.2 mile marathon and the 100k (62.1 miles). Henri Alain d'Andria,
Philippe Moreau and Herve Taquet all finished in the top seven in this
year's North Pole Marathon and the experience should stand them in very
good stead in Antarctica. Awaiting them in the frozen wasteland will be icy
katabatic winds blowing from the South Pole - only several hundred miles
away - and the prospect of difficult snow and ice conditions throughout the
course.
Joining them on the start line of the marathon will be Tim Harris (Great
Britain) who will be completing his seventh marathon in seven weeks on
seven continents. Harris is currently on course to enter Guinness World
Records for achieving the fastest aggregate time to run a marathon on each
continent. Similarily, Noelle Sheridan (USA), the only female entrant, is
set to pencil her name into Guinness World Records by completing marathons
on all seven continents in seven months, which will be the shortest
duration for a female to do so. Her USA compatriot, John Kraus, will also
be using the Ice Marathon to achieve the distinction of running a marathon
on all seven continents. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the spectrum of
marathon experience, Australia's Gavin Melgaard will be making his marathon
debut in Antarctica.
The three French participants have been preparing for the Antarctic races
by running circuits in a giant freezer or on treadmills positioned in a
freezer. Mike Pierce (USA) has been preparing in a similar manner for the
100k race, where he will join race director Richard Donovan (Ireland) to
complete the five-person race field. Pierce contested the inaugural
Antarctic Ice Marathon in January while Donovan was the only participant to
successfully attempt the 100k. Unlike the marathon, a cut-off time of 24
hours is in operation for the 100k event - which is the equivalent of
almost 10% of the distance to the South Pole. With 24 hours of daylight at
the race location at this time of year, however, darkness won't be an issue
to the competitors.
The overall winners of both the marathon and 100k will receive Kobold
expedition watches valued at over $5,000.
The Ice Marathon races, which are registered with the Association of
International Marathons & Road Races (AIMS), are the only events held
within the Antarctic Circle. They are promoted by Polar Running Adventures,
the organiser of the annual North Pole Marathon, with all logistical
support coming from Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions. Interest in the
December 2007 event is already high but there will be a twenty-five person
field limit employed.
To obtain more information, images and video, see www.icemarathon.com.
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