It is still over five months until the 31st real,- BERLIN MARATHON on September
25-26, 2004, but the organisers from SCC RUNNING can already report a rush for
registration by participants from around the world.
Following its success last year, the inline skating marathon, the largest of
its kind in the world, will again take place separately on Saturday, September
25--this time in the morning. The marathon of the runners, power walkers,
wheelchair competitors and, new this year, hand cyclists, will take place
according to tradition on Sunday.
After the splendid anniversary marathon last year with the new start and
finish area at the Brandenburg Gate and with the world record by Paul Tergat
(KEN) in 2:04:55h, the race in Berlin has become even more attractive.
With 22,369 registrations so far (19,231 runners and 3,138 inline skaters) from
65 countries, many participants have already secured their race numbers in this
first phase of registration.
Last year a total of 48,424 athletes (38,812 runners and 9,612 inline skaters)
from 99 countries participated in the real,- BERLIN MARATHON.
This upcoming Friday, April 16, 2004, the "early booking discount"
of 50.00 € ends. The registration fee goes up on Saturday, April 17, 2004
to 70.00 €.
International travel agencies from around the world have booked set amounts
of race numbers in order to secure guaranteed starting spots for their
customers.
"With our campaigning at the spring marathon fairs over the past few
weeks in Paris, Rotterdam, London and Hamburg, as well as at numerous other
races in Germany and abroad, we have rung in the end phase of our advertising.
Now, after the big spring races, potential participants for Berlin have to
decide soon," said Race Director Mark Milde, encouraging the runners not
to wait too long to submit their registrations.