FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon Launches Improved Route
Aimed At Improving Athlete Experience
- Strategic route changes, evening race format, and new crowd management
process to bolster overall race experience and meet Abbott World Marathon
Majors standards
- All race categories share starting point for the first time in race
history
SINGAPORE / TAMPA, Fla. (2 August 2019) - Today, organisers of the 2019
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) unveiled Singapore's first
evening race routes. The improved routes are built on runner feedback and
are intended to deliver a balance of race difficulty set against
Singapore's iconic skyline. The three-day event from 29 November - 1
December will feature a Kids Dash on Friday evening, Marathon and Half
Marathon on Saturday evening and conclude with 5km and 10km categories on
Sunday morning.
In creation of the route, race organisers consulted with crowd management
experts from the Manchester Metropolitan University to design and
coordinate the best possible race route experience, employing their
experience from working with Abbott World Marathon Major races - a series
of the best Marathon races in the world.
Building on the strong positive reception from runners in 2018, organisers
have made key strategic improvements while keeping the main core elements
of the previously acclaimed course. The first alteration will see runners
turning right on Bras Basah Rd, a longer and wider straight along Nicoll
Highway, before passing by the War Memorial Park. At the 22-kilometre mark,
runners will flank the scenic Marina Grove as they take in the stunning
waterfront sunset.
With the event moving to the evening hours, lighting on the Marathon route
will be increased providing athletes with optimal visibility while being
surrounded by the shimmering Singapore skyline. Volunteer participation
will also be doubled from 2018, ensuring a smooth dispensation of sports
drink 100plus, water, and other products. Moreover, for the first time in
the event's 18-year history, runners from all categories will begin their
race from the same start point across three different days - in front of
the Formula 1 (F1) Pit Building.
"This year's race will be the best yet - the changes we are making are the
first for any race in Singapore and the region. A lot of planning and
effort has gone into this year's race to make this an event that is for
everyone - participants, family, friends, and the public," said Geoff
Meyer, Managing Director for The IRONMAN Group in Asia. "With the all-new
spectator zones, we sincerely hope that everyone will come and join us in
the festivities as we continue our ascent towards meeting the Abbott World
Marathon Majors standards."
ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS
The evening race time presents runners with a fresh perspective of the
sprawling Lion City as the race serves up a glimpse of Singapore's cultural
diversity and expansive architectural history awash in a golden equatorial
sunset.
Runners in the Marathon and Half Marathon categories will flag off in
several waves beginning at 6.00 p.m. on Saturday, 30 November and run
through key cultural and social hotspots. In the Civic District, they will
enjoy views of St Andrew's Cathedral, The National Gallery, and Victoria
Theatre. Within the Central Business District, runners will pass famous
landmarks like Lau Pa Sat - a popular heritage food centre that features a
plethora of skyscrapers - a testament to Singapore's economic miracle.
Amidst the shiny facades of the Marina Bay, runners will breeze through the
flora and fauna of the iconic Gardens by the Bay and its Supertree Grove,
which will ignite the night sky in a spectrum of colour.
Organisers have also added a strong touch of local flair to the 26
entertainment points along the route to keep runners entertained with an
eclectic mix of performers from lion dancers, traditional Malay musicians,
buskers, disc jockeys, and live local acts.
Participants in the 10km and 5km categories will begin their races on the
morning of 1 December (Sunday) at 6.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m., respectively.
Both 10km and 5km runners will get the same waved start experience as
earlier participants at the Formula 1 Pit Building.
Upon passing Kallang Basin, 10km runners will proceed onwards to the
Singapore Sports Hub - home to the world's largest retractable roof - while
5km participants will continue their run along the Marina Bay before
passing the Esplanade as they head on to the finish straight.
This year's 700-metre Kids Dash will take place at a new venue - the
Formula 1 Pit Building. This gives young athletes the chance to dream big
when they flag off from the same start line as the elite marathoners the
day before. This year, children aged 10 years and under will be eligible to
participate in the Kids Dash, while those aged 11 and older can take part
in the 5km community run. This change epitomises the growth of the event
and presents older children with a new challenge.
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES
This year's routes aim to provide a memorable experience for runners while
ensuring minimal inconvenience to the wider public. Communities affected by
road closures have been engaged early and wayfinding signs will be put up
in advance to inform the public of impending road closures so that they can
make plans to use alternative travel routes. Routes to emergency and
essential services such as hospitals shall remain directly accessible
throughout the duration of the event. The public is expected to experience
some inconvenience in their commute to and from the area. Those travelling
to these affected areas are strongly advised to use public transport.
Sport Singapore Chief Executive Officer Lim Teck Yin said, "Organising
Singapore's first Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in the evening
requires all stakeholders to work together to ensure a world-class event
that lives up to the aspiration to be part of the Abbott World Marathon
Majors."
"Every year, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is brought to life
by people and their spirit. As the event seeks to make its mark on the
global stage, I encourage everyone - from the runners, to the families and
everyone that we will pass along the route, to join hands and make history
together," Lim added.
Since the announcement of the evening marathon in May, race slots for the
Half Marathon have now sold out, with limited entries for the Marathon
category still remaining. Registration is still open and runners can enjoy
discounted signup rates from now until 30 September 2019.
To register and for more information, please visit
www.singaporemarathon.com. Standard Chartered Cardholders will enjoy 15%
off their registration fees across all categories.
Please find high-resolution images and videos of SCSM 2019 routes available
for download here: www.webcargo.net/d/16267873/swwCQV0gJ2/
Follow the race:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SGMarathon
Instagram: @sgMarathon
Twitter: @SG_Marathon
Strava: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon
About Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon
The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is the leading mass participation
run and only IAAF Gold Label race in South East Asia. Since 2002, the race
has brought runners unparalleled running experiences, threading through the
heart of the city seeing iconic heritage buildings and against one of the
world's most iconic city skylines and past some of Singapore's iconic
landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. Comprising six
categories; Marathon, Half Marathon, Ekiden Relay, 10km, 5km and Kids Dash,
the race has been a catalyst to growing the local and regional running
community, by bringing together approximately 50,000 professional, amateur,
avid and leisure runners yearly. For more information, visit
www.singaporemarathon.com.
About Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore is part of an international banking
group, with more than 150 years of history in some of the world's most
dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through
our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our
brand promise, Here for good.
The Bank has a history of 160 years in Singapore, where we opened our first
branch in 1859. In October 1999, we were among the first international
banks to receive a Qualifying Full Bank (QFB) licence, an endorsement of
the Group's long-standing commitment to our business in the country.
Singapore is home to the majority of our global business leadership, our
technology operations, as well as SC Ventures, our innovation hub. In 2013,
the Bank transferred our Singapore Retail and SME businesses to a
locally-incorporated subsidiary, Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore)
Limited ("SCBSL"). And in May 2019, we fully consolidated our business
operations in Singapore through the transfer of our Commercial Banking,
Corporate & Institutional Banking and Private Banking businesses to SCBSL.
SCBSL is one of the highest-rated banks globally: A1/Stable by Moody's
Investor Services, A/Stable by Standard & Poor's and A/Stable by Fitch
Ratings.
In Singapore, we support both individual and corporate needs to build
wealth and drive commerce at every step of their journey. We do this by
offering an entire range of financial services across personal, priority
and private banking as well as our business, commercial and corporate
banking teams. The Bank has a network of 16 branches, 6 Priority Banking
centres and 29 ATMs.
For more information please visit www.sc.com/sg.
About Sport Singapore
As the national sports agency, Sport Singapore's core purpose is to inspire
the Singapore spirit and transform Singapore through sport. Through
innovative, fun and meaningful sporting experiences, our mission is to
reach out and serve communities across Singapore with passion and pride.
With Vision 2030 - Singapore's sports master plan, our mandate goes beyond
winning medals. Sport Singapore uses sport to create greater sporting
opportunities and access, more inclusivity and integration as well as
broader development of capabilities. At Sport Singapore, we work with a
vast network of public-private-people sector partners for individuals to
live better through sport. To find out more, visit our websites
www.sportsingapore.gov.sg and www.myactivesg.com. Follow us at
www.facebook.com/myActiveSG and www.youtube.com/SingaporeSports.
About The IRONMAN Group
As part of Wanda Sports Group, The IRONMAN Group operates a global
portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the
IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock 'n' Roll
Marathon Series®, IRONKIDS®, ITU World Triathlon Series, premier running
events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and The
Sun-Herald City2Surf® presented by Westpac, Ultra-Trail® World Tour events
including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, mountain bike races
including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling events, and other multisport
races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation
sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually
the benefits of endurance sports through the company's vast offerings.
Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand and its first event in
1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish
lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has
grown to become a global sensation with more than 235 events across 55+
countries. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.
About Wanda Sports Group
Wanda Sports Group (Nasdaq: WSG) is a leading global sports events, media
and marketing platform with a mission to unite people in sports and enable
athletes and fans to live their passions and dreams. Through our
businesses, including Infront and The IRONMAN Group, we have significant
intellectual property rights, long-term relationships and broad execution
capabilities, enabling us to deliver unrivalled sports event experiences,
creating access to engaging content and building inclusive communities. We
offer a comprehensive array of events, marketing and media services through
three primary segments: Mass Participation, Spectator Sports and Digital,
Production, Sports Solutions (DPSS). Our full-service platform creates
value for our partners and clients as well as other stakeholders in the
sports ecosystem, from rights owners, to brands and advertisers, and to
fans and athletes.
Headquartered in Beijing, China, Wanda Sports Group has more than 60
offices and 1,600 employees around the world.
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