FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BMW Frankfurt Marathon Wins 2014 AIMS Green Award
The world running organisation the Association of International Marathons
and Distance Races (AIMS) is delighted to declare the BMW Frankfurt
Marathon as the 2014 winner of the AIMS Green Award.
The award, which highlights good environmental performance in marathon
events, will be presented to the successful German race during the AIMS
Best Marathon Runner Awards Gala Dinner, to be held in Athens, Greece on
Friday 7 November. The BMW Frankfurt Marathon was shortlisted for the
inaugural award in 2013.
The runner up for the award was the Volkswagen Prague Marathon in the Czech
Republic and second runner up was the Querétaro Maratón in Mexico.
Since 2005, the BMW Frankfurt Marathon has worked in partnership with "The
Rhein Main Environment Forum". The objective of the Environment Forum is,
in the sense of Agenda 21**, to promote a lasting and environmentally
suitable development as well as environmental protection. In partnership
with this organisation, the BMW Frankfurt Marathon has developed new
projects each year in six 'spheres of action', where continuous improvement
of environmental protection is targeted: catering, transport, waste
disposal, merchandising, energy/water and freedom of movement. In each of
these fields the BMW Frankfurt Marathon works in conjunction with their
sponsors to make the Marathon more environmentally friendly. In total,
approximately €45,000 has been invested in environmental activities with an
additional €17,000 accrued for every year of the event.
The Frankfurt Messe, one of the world's largest trade fair companies, is at
the core of the BMW Frankfurt Marathon and their location in Frankfurt was
chosen with environmental protection in mind due to the excellent
infrastructure and connections to local public transport it offers. This
makes the BMW Frankfurt the marathon with the shortest connecting paths
since the start and finish areas, pasta party, showers, kit bag collection
and start number allocation are only a few metres apart.
In addition, the route of the BMW Frankfurt Marathon is planned with great
consideration given to environmental protection. All participants in the
relay marathon will be taken to and from their handover points by public
transport. The handover points were selected to be in close vicinity to
stations. Since 2011, the BMW Frankfurt Marathon have used emission free
electric vehicles for all journeys on the course and for organizational
duties. All car drivers are offered parking along with a shuttle service to
the Messe site.
Candidates for the AIMS Green Award were judged upon a number of areas
including the impact the race has had on promoting environmentally friendly
practices in marathon events, how volunteers contribute to the success of
the project and the ability for the race to educate younger generations
about the benefits of sport and environmental protection. This is in line
with AIMS' own environmental guidelines and the IOC Olympic Movement's
Agenda 21. **
The AIMS Green Award was set up in collaboration with George
Kazantzopoulos, Member of the IOC Sport and Environment Commission and
President of the Institute Team for the World Environmental Alliance 2004+,
a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation which was the scientific
partner of AIMS in the development of the AIMS Environmental Guidelines.
A screening and research process by a jury panel made up of AIMS and
independent judges lead to a shortlist of three candidates. From this
shortlist the AIMS Board of Directors then made the final award selection
decision.
Paco Borao, President of AIMS commented: "I am delighted that the BMW
Frankfurt Marathon will receive the AIMS Green Award at the home of the
Marathon in Athens, Greece at the AIMS Best Marathon Runner Gala. They were
shortlisted for the award last year and I am delighted that we can
recognise their excellent efforts in promoting good environmental practice.
They have excelled and improved their environmental practices year on year
and I hope they can continue their excellent progress in the future. I must
also commend the very high standard of applications and the runners up for
their efforts in promoting this incredibly important issue."
Jo Schindler, Race Director added: "We are delighted and honoured to be
receiving this award. We are all looking forward to coming to Athens, the
home of the Marathon and AIMS Headquarters for the AIMS BMR Gala, to
receive the award. We believe that the AIMS Green Award is an excellent
initiative in promoting the excellent environmental practice of so many
races around the world. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to AIMS
and their sponsors for recognising us with this award."
About the AIMS Best Marathon Runner Award Gala
The purpose of the BMR Award Gala is to:
Announce and honour the best male and female Marathon runners of the year
through the AIMS BEST MARATHON RUNNER (BMR) Award. The BMR Award replaces
the AIMS World Athlete of the Year Award.
Recognise and honour exceptional Marathon figureheads and personalities for
their contribution to the development of the Marathon movement.
Publicise and promote the best practice and initiatives of AIMS members
(350+ race organizers) through the establishment of special environmental
and social awards.
Enhance the role, programs and services of AIMS.
The event will be staged in Athens, Greece on Friday 7 November 2014.
About AIMS
The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) is a
member based organisation and since being established in 1982 has grown to
a membership of more than 370 of the world's leading distance races, from
over 102 countries and territories, from every continent on the planet.
The three key objectives of AIMS are:
To foster and promote distance running throughout the world
To work with the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF)
on all matters relating to international road races.
To exchange information, knowledge and expertise among members of the
association.
** About the IOC Olympic Movement's Agenda 21
Agenda 21 was established in June 1992 at a meeting of the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) as a plan of action for
the introduction of sustainable development in the 21st century.
In 1999 the Olympic Movement (OM) adopted Agenda 21: Sport for Sustainable
Development. Based on the UNCED model, it lays down a clear pathway for
sustainable development throughout the sporting world. Stakeholders include
International and National Sports Federations, National Olympic Committees,
Organising Committees of the Olympic Games (OCOGs) and Youth Olympic Games
(YOCOGs), sponsors, government partners, the sporting goods industry,
athletes, youth and the media.
The starting point for The Olympic Movement's Agenda 21 is that national
approaches and policies on sports and environment should recognise that
athletes need a healthy environment in which to train and perform at their
optimum. In addition, the document embraces the three tenets of sustainable
development: Improving socioeconomic conditions, conservation and
management of natural resources and strengthening the role of major groups
such as women, young people and indigenous people.
For further information on AIMS please visit: www.bmw-frankfurt-marathon.com
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