Posted: March 15, 2005

Athletics: Fortis Marathon Rotterdam contract extended three years

Fortis and Rotterdam Marathon BV have extended their sponsoring contract by three years, through 2008. Besides specifying sponsorship of the Fortis Marathon Rotterdam, the contract - set to expire after the Fortis Marathon Rotterdam 2005 on 10 April - includes a number of Fortis Marathon Runs.

Fortis has sponsored the Rotterdam Marathon since 1996. This year is doubly special: it is the twenty-fifth time that the Rotterdam Marathon has been held and the tenth time that Fortis has sponsored this event. "And now we are adding three years," says Rob ten Heggeler, member of the Board of Directors of Fortis Bank. "Sponsorship of the Fortis Marathon and Fortis Marathon Runs is a strategic move. Running is a fun, popular sport and is expected to continue to gain in popularity, in terms of participants and spectators. Perseverance and stamina -qualities required to run a race - are closely related to the Fortis values. We are proud to lend our name to this sport for the coming years."

Mario Kadiks, director of the Rotterdam Marathon: "We are pleased that Fortis has again expressed its confidence in our organisation and look forward to continuing our good relationship."

For years now, the Fortis Marathon Rotterdam has been the biggest one-day event, measured in terms of the number of visitors (nearly 1 million) and the media attention it generates. This year's race will see an estimated record number of 17,500 participants at the starting line, some 800 of which are Fortis employees running the marathon, the business relay marathon or the 10 km run.

The renewed contract will also include the Fortis Marathon Runs, a series of unique races with different routes and distances. These Runs include an extensive running programme for beginners and more experienced runners throughout the year.

Season world records were set in Rotterdam in 2004, both for the full marathon (Felix Limo: 2.06.14) and for the half marathon (Robert K. Cheruiyot: 1.00.11).

Fortis is an integrated financial services provider active in the fields of banking and insurance. With a market capitalization of EUR 27,7 billion (28/02/2005) and around 52,000 employees, Fortis ranks in the top 20 of European financial institutions. In its home market, the Benelux countries, Fortis occupies a leading position which it aims to develop and bolster. Fortis is drawing on the expertise it has acquired in its home market to realize its European ambitions via growth platforms. Fortis also operates successfully worldwide in selected activities. In specific countries in Europe and Asia it effectively exploits its know-how and experience in bancassurance. Fortis is listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg and has a sponsored ADR programme in the United States. More information is available on www.fortis.com.

Related Links: Rotterdam Marathon.