FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Adam Gilchrist Set To Run The Perth City to Surf Marathon
Adam Gilchrist was yesterday announced as the face of the Rebel Sport City
to Surf for Activ for 2009. Gilchrist will be one face in the sea of an
expected 40,000 participation field on event day in August. Event Manager
Laura McKelvey stated, "An iconic event needs an iconic figurehead, and
following on from the tremendous work of Cathy Freeman in 2008, we are
delighted to have such a high profile international sporting identity as
Adam Gilchrist to take the event into this new era in 2009".
Adam is thrilled to offer his services as the ambassador to this wonderful
event linking to such a worthwhile cause. The Rebel Sport City to Surf for
Activ is the primary annual fundraising event for Activ, with funds going
to support people with intellectual disabilities and their families within
the Western Australian community.
The Rebel Sport City to Surf for Activ will host a marathon for the first
time in 2009. The event will now consist of the traditional Channel Nine
12km Run or Walk, the 4km Walk or Run, 11km Wheelchair, Half Marathon and
now a complete 42.2km Marathon course. Each event will conclude at the new
finish line precinct at City Beach Oval, with the new Marathon also set to
start alongside the Channel Nine 12km and Half Marathon events at St
Georges Terrace in Perth in-keeping with the traditional 'City to Surf'
theme.
Adam Gilchrist has not ruled out participating in the new marathon in what
he has described as a 'stunning' course. "To be involved in the inaugural
event would be a real thrill... I'll just have to see how the training
goes, but I'm definitely in for the 12km and I'm really looking forward to
it". Of the event Adam stated, "I am proud to be involved in such a
wonderful community event. This truly is an event for everybody, with a
choice of categories that includes the entire population of Western
Australia. I hope that my involvement can help bring awareness to the Activ
cause, and encourage people from not only Western Australia, but right
across the country to enter and support the Rebel Sport City to Surf for
Activ. These mass community sports events are so fantastic to be involved
in and we're so lucky in Perth to have one of the biggest on our doorstep,
and being a proud West Aussie I'm thrilled to be involved".
The new Marathon event is set to put Perth on the map globally as the
destination for travelling marathon participants. With such a stunning
course taking in the CBD, Swan River, UWA, Kings Park, Subiaco, Perry
Lakes and City Beach, few other major city marathon courses anywhere in the
world offer such a scenic course.
Event Manager Laura McKelvey commented on the interest already shown by
internationals "We're had expressions of interest from all over the globe
already – London, Colorado and distance running power houses Kenya and
Ethiopia – we're really excited and proud to showcase Perth to
international visitors through the Marathon event."
The Rebel Sport City to Surf for Activ is run independently of any funding
from the State Government. Event Manager Laura McKelvey stated that while
there is not yet any involvement at a state level in the event, the Perth,
Nedlands, Subiaco and Cambridge councils have all been instrumental in the
continued support and growth of the Rebel Sport City to Surf for Activ. "Of
course we would love to see the state government support its biggest
community event; but our commercial and civic partners have been simply
brilliant in helping develop and grow the event over the last 35 years and
especially in the last few years getting the Marathon off the ground. We
will continue to seek government support of our biggest community sporting
event, just as we will continue to improve the experience of every runner,
walker, wheelie and spectator that gets involved".
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