FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
After Boston Wins, Cheruiyot, Jeptoo Lead World Marathon Majors Series
Flora London Marathon Next Stop on Sunday, April 23
BOSTON - (April 17, 2006) - The 110th Boston Marathon, held Monday over the
celebrated course from Hopkinton to downtown Boston, was also the first
event in the inaugural World Marathon Majors Series. Comprising five events
- Boston Marathon, Flora London Marathon (April 23), real,-Berlin Marathon,
LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and ING New York City Marathon - the series
spans a two year period and offers $1,000,000 in prize money to be split
between the male and female grand prix champions.
With their victories in Boston, Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (2:07:14, course
record) and Rita Jeptoo (2:23:38) accumulated 25 WMM points each to sit
atop the standings. Points in the series are awarded five deep and based on
Boston's results, the standings are as follows:
MEN
1) Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (KEN) - 25 points
2) Benjamin Maiyo (KEN) - 15
3) Meb Keflezighi (USA / CA) - 10
4) Brian Sell (USA / MI) - 5
5) Alan Culpepper (USA / CO) - 1
WOMEN
1) Rita Jeptoo (KEN) - 25 points
2) Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT) - 15
3) Reiko Tosa (JPN) - 10
4) Bruna Genovese (ITA) - 5
5) Kiyoko Shimahara (JPN) - 1
For the World Marathon Majors Series, qualifying competitors score points
in each race they contest over a consecutive two-year span, with points
from their best four races used to determine final placings. The first year
of each two-year cycle overlaps with the second year of the previous cycle,
meaning that the World Marathon Majors series rotates as follows: 2006 /
2007, 2007 / 2008, 2008 / 2009, etc. The prize money, therefore, will be
awarded at the end of each scoring period. The World Championships and
Olympic Games are also part of the series in the years in which they occur.
Meb Keflezighi, the third-place Boston finisher commented, "This [the World
Marathon Majors Series] is very encouraging for us, because we got points
at the beginning without waiting until next year. Boston was the first one.
Definitely, all of us here are delighted to be among the initiators of
that."
Alan Culpepper, the fifth Boston finisher added, "I just think it's good
because it [the WMM Series] brings more exposure. We were talking about it
right now, there are going to be things written about it. It's going to
bring a heightened level of exposure to our sport as a whole."
Standings, breaking news and more information about the World Marathon
Majors can be found at: www.realbuzz.com/clients/wmm/index.php
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