Posted: September 21, 2004

Athletics: Paris-Versailles Will Not Be Held This Year

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Organizers of the Paris-Versailles road race, one of the largest and most prestigious running events in France, announced that the 2004 edition of the race has been scrapped.

Jean-Marc Fresnel, president of the Association Paris – Versailles, said on the event's website they would skip this year's race to "better prepare for 2005."

Traditionally some 20,000 athletes run from the Eiffel Tower to the Chateau du Versailles, a distance of about 16.3 km. This would have been the 29th anniversary of the race.

"Confronted with important difficulties related to the availability of its persons in charge, the organizing team of the Paris-Versailles preferred to make the decision to annul the race planned for 26-Sep rather than organize it under conditions considered to be unsatisfactory," said a statement posted on the event's website.

Francis Komu (KEN) and Margaret Maury (FRA) won last year's race in 48:39 and 55:19, respectively. The course records are held by Hendrik Ramaala (RSA) and Isabella Ochichi (KEN), 47:43 and 55:32, respectively. Ochichi is also a three-time winner.