 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
||||||||||||
COMRADES MARATHON MEDIA RELEASE 2009/14 ENTRIES FOR THE 2009 COMRADES MARATHON CLOSE ON 31 MARCH 2009
Runners have just 11 days to enter if they wish to participate in the 2009 Comrades Marathon, Organisers have issued an urgent reminder that the closing date for entries is strictly Tuesday 31 March 2009.
CMA General Manager, Gary Boshoff is concerned that prospective entrants MUST NOT confuse the closing date for entries which is 31 March with the final date for qualifying which is 28 April.
“Comrades Marathon is being staged three weeks earlier than usual this year to avoid clashing with the FIFA Confederations Cup. Consequently the closing date for entries was also brought forward ahead of traditionally popular qualifying races, to which end a special dispensation was implemented. Prospective entrants must submit their entries by 31 March, but may still qualify after submitting their entry up until the final cut-off for qualifying which is 28 April. We wish to emphasise however that we will not be accepting new entries after 31 March,” said Boshoff.
To date just over 2000 entries have been processed and the organisers are bracing themselves for the usual last minute deluge.
Runners traditionally leave it until the very last minute to submit their entries, an interesting phenomenon given the fact that the majority train throughout the year with participation in Comrades as their primary objective. This leaves the organisers playing a waiting game for the final numbers upon which to base the extensive logistical arrangements required for the staging of such a mammoth event.
To date entries have been received from 42 countries, with the biggest foreign contingents being the United Kingdom (72), the United States (38) and Australia (34). Foreign entries currently comprise 14% of the total number of entries processed, hopefully an indication that the final number of foreign entries will not be adversely affected by the global economic slowdown.
Entries have also been received from every province in South Africa, the largest number from Central Gauteng (572), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (312) and Gauteng North (238).
Big names include former winners Alan Robb who will be running his 36th consecutive Comrades and Bruce Fordyce who will be running for the 27th time. The oldest entrant to date is 74 year old Caspar Greeff who has previously completed 35 Comrades Marathons.
Race Director Renee Jordaan noted that none of the current crop of top competitors have entered to date. “Former winners Andrew Kelehe, Fusi Nhlapo, Sipho Ngomane, Vladimir Kotov have not entered. Nor have gold medallists Willie Mtolo, Mncedisi Mkhize, Stephen Muzhingi, Harmans Mokgadi, Johan Oosthuizen, Farwa Mentoor and Grace de Oliveira. We can only hope they are all engaged in intensive training and will join thousands of others in the last minute rush to enter.”
Runners may enter online at www.comrades.com, drop-off at any Mr Price clothing or sport store, by post, or hand delivery to the Comrades Marathon office. CMA representatives will also accept hand delivered entries at Sahara Stadium, Kingsmead Durban on closing day ONLY, 31 March 2009.
For information on entries phone 033 8978650 during office hours or visit www.comrades.com.
___________________
Statement Released Friday, 20 March 2009 Issued by Comrades Marathon, for further information contact
Kind regards Katia Jones Comrades Marathon Association
Tel: +27(0)33 8978650 Fax: +27(0)33 8978660
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||
