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Marathon relay series returns for its third year with record numbers of teams set to compete for the largest prize pool in world athletics
19 October 2006, London – Standard Chartered has announced the launch of the third series of The Greatest Race on Earth (GROE). The unique and truly international marathon relay series, dubbed the World Cup of Marathons, will this year see a record number of professional and national teams compete for a share of the US$1.5 million prize pool, still the largest in the world of athletics.
Some of the world’s quickest marathon athletes will compete, in teams of four, running in one marathon each, their eyes firmly set on working together to achieve a faster cumulative time than their rivals and gaining a significant slice of the prize pool.
Competitors will face many challenges along the way - including the high altitude of Nairobi on 29 October, the humidity and heat in Singapore and Mumbai, on 3 December 2006 and 21 January 2007 respectively, and the uphill terrain in Hong Kong, the decisive final leg on 4 March 2007. Partnership, teamwork, trust and courage, all of which are Standard Chartered core values, will be key factors in determining the winners.
In total 82 teams have entered to compete this year. This includes 45 professional athlete teams who will set their sights on the US$400,000 prize for winning the Main Team Challenge, and 30 national teams sent by athletics associations around the world competing for the Nations Challenge. Both of these are increases on the number of teams entered in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 series. And the increased bonus pool on offer this series to all-women teams has seen the number of Women’s Challenge teams rise to 15, also a GROE record.
The Main Team Challenge looks set to be a close encounter, with a number of world class athletes named in the line-up for the series. Amongst the high-profile names recognisable to marathon fans around the world will be Usisivu Boniface, Simon Bor and Joseph Ngolepus, all sub-2:08 athletes, and for the women, Tegla Loroupe, Elana Meyer and Liu Min.
Defending champions Kenya will be one of 30 teams competing in the Nations Challenge, with Mexico, Argentina, Tanzania and Sri Lanka all making their GROE debuts. As well as the first prize for the overall Nations Challenge, there is prize money on offer for the first three placed teams in each of seven regions.
A new and unique incentive has been introduced this year, as Nations Challenge teams will also be vying to bring home the GROE Gold Baton – a 9 carat, 300 gram, solid gold relay baton that has been specially commissioned for the Race. The baton will be presented to the winning team after the final leg of the GROE in Hong Kong on 4 March 2007.
Mike DeNoma, Group Executive Director of Standard Chartered, led by example in 2005/06 by completing all four GROE marathons. He said:
“Standard Chartered is proud to introduce the GROE Gold Baton for the 2006/07 Nations Challenge. The Gold Baton is a symbol of the teamwork required to win the race and a reflection of the high standards that GROE runners set in each marathon.”
“GROE has now become a World Cup of Marathons with over 30 competing nations. The competition attracts high quality international athletes and, through teamwork, gives the opportunity for young talent to develop crucial race experience.”
Standard Chartered has also introduced awards to recognise special achievements. Amongst these is a US$15,000 award for the team who improves most on their 2005/06 cumulative time, and a US$20,000 pool to recognise those teams that overcome obstacles to complete the series.
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