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Registration boom for the 23rd Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON

Already almost 11,000 registrations

2003-02-19

For weeks, the Berlin runners have been preparing explicitly for Berlin’s spring classic, the 23rd Bewag BERLIN HALF-MARATHON. Despite the extremely cold winter conditions and icy courses, the official training organised by SCC-RUNNING and the SFB Running Movement has seen continually increasing participation.

Especially the true beginners got themselves motivated at the start of the year and have taken advantage of the guided training to make their first start at jogging or walking.

The new „running euphoria“ of the Berliners can also be seen in the number of registrations for the first big test of their endeavours in the spring.

SCC-RUNNING has good news for the 23rd Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON on April 6, 2003:
With almost 11,000 registrations (10,789 to be exact), there are over 5,000 more runners signed up now than at the same time last year. Last year, with a total of 14,709 participants (runners, inline skaters, wheelchair athletes, power walkers and 4 km FUN runners) from 55 countries, the Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON was Germany’s largest and fastest half marathon.

“We are sure that this year we will beat the 16,000 limit,” stated the head of the event, Horst Milde, optimistically and full of expectation. The early registration discount is available until Friday, February 28, 2003.

Beginners can try the 4 km FUN RUN “around the Berlin City Hall”. The kids from the Berlin schools traditionally participate in this race, as well. The real youngsters (age 10 and younger) can participate in the 800m Bambini run. The 21,0975 km half marathon course is open to runners, inline skaters, wheelchair athletes, and power walkers. The start and finish are in Berlin-Mitte, near Alexanderplatz. The course offers a sightseeing tour through Berlin’s city centre, with the Brandenburg Gate, the Siegessäule (Victory Col-umn), Charlottenburg Palace, Kurfürstendamm, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Checkpoint Charlie, Friedrichstraße, Gendarmenmarkt, the Foreign Ministry, and the Berlin City Hall. This makes it even more attractive for out-of-town participants as a running tourism attraction.

Last year, the medal which each half marathon runner received depicted one memorable course monument, the Charlottenburg Palace; this year, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church will adorn the medal.

Same as last year, the marathon trade fair will begin on Friday, April 4, 2003, with the race number distribution, info booths, sport medicine services, the pasta party, souvenir sales, and many more event organisers in tents on the big parking lot on Alexanderstraße. This year, however, the exhibition area has been increased extensively. With the Bewag as the main sponsor, as well as Galeria KAUFHOF, the Berlin Water Works, adidas, and Berliner Pilsner, the race again has strong sponsors.

Making things much easier for the participants is the SCC-RUNNING service for online registration, which is being used more and more often.

All participants who are registered will receive a confirmation for the 23rd Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON and further information in mid-March by mail.

Preparatory training for the half marathon, in co-operation with the SFB Running Movement, has been offered every Saturday at 2:00 p.m. since January 4, 2003 in the Tiergarten Park. The meeting point is the Siegessäule (Victory Column) in the Tiergarten at the corner of Hofjägerallee. It is led by John Kunkeler. Everyone is welcome, no registration is necessary.