FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ziad Haddad
Race Coordinator
(626) 676-0619
Registration Opens for 2007 Baobab Alley Marathon
MORONDAVA, MADAGASCAR - Online registration is now open for the 2007 Baobab
Alley Marathon, Half-Marathon and 5K individual and relay. The race course
goes through the famous alley of baobabs, a half-mile-long stretch bordered
by majestic Adansonia grandidieri baobabs pictured on the event website,
www.visit-madagascar.org (where runners can
register for all three races, and find out more about the race course,
local accommodations, and various special packages to visit Madagascar
before or after the event).
The races are scheduled for Saturday, July 28, 2007, followed by the award
ceremony festivities on Sunday, July 29. In 2006, the event attracted just
156 runners, of which 41 marathoners, making this one of the most pleasant
organized races in the world. For the third consecutive year, the combined
field in the marathon, half-marathon and 5-K race will be capped at 200
participants.
"We would love to welcome new runners, but we don't want to diminish the
race experience for our participants," said Race Director Francisco
Rakotombololona. "The field limit allows us to manage the event effectively
and maintain a tremendously rewarding race for all runners."
Named "marathon vositse" in the Malagasy language after the endangered
"vositse", a rabbit-size rodent endemic to the Menabe region, the Baobab
Alley Marathon is Madagascar's premier winter road race, attracting local
participants as well as runners from France, the USA, the United Kingdom
and Japan. The entire course runs through flat terrain on a dirt track that
is naturally covered by a very thin layer of cushioning sand. Runners enjoy
lovely views of the beautiful countryside, including the numerous
"grandidieri" baobabs which grow wild only in this part of Madagascar (and
the world). Morning temperatures in July in the Baobab Alley area seldom
dip below 60 and do not usually exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Race sponsors include: Association Fanamby for environmental protection and
sustainable development, the Tourism Association of the Menabe Region, the
Embassy of Switzerland in Madagascar, the Embassy of France in Madagascar,
the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the National Parks Service of
Madagascar (ANGAP), the Peace Corps, the Urban Municipality of Morondava,
the Malagasy Athletic Federation, the Morondava District Health Service,
Espoir Pharmacy, Andakabe Pharmacy, the Total oil, gas and chemicals
company, Vitogaz liquefied natural gas distributor, Radio Magneva Menabe,
Radio Antsivabe, TV Soa Menabe, Air Madagascar, and Cortez Travel and
Expeditions.
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