2002-9-17
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK KEEPS PACE WITH HONG KONG MARATHON

Hong Kong, 17 September 2002 ¡V Standard Chartered Bank continues to keep pace with the Hong Kong Marathon, today announcing the extension of its successful title sponsorship of the Marathon through 2007. The Standard Chartered Marathon is a signature international sporting event in the SAR and a Brand Hong Kong activity. Peter Wong, Director of Standard Chartered Bank was joined by William Ko, Chairman of the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association (HKAAA) in announcing the dates for this, and the next four Standard Chartered Marathons at today's (September 17) press conference.

The 2003 Standard Chartered Marathon will be held on Sunday, 16 February 2003. The dates for the succeeding four years are: 1 February 2004, 20 February 2005, 12 February 2006 and 4 March 2007.

To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Standard Chartered Bank in 2003, Peter Wong, Director of Standard Chartered Bank announced at the Press Conference the total prize money purse will boost up to US$100,000. Such an increase will definitely help attract more top quality runners to compete in Hong Kong.

The governmental support is in turn a reflection of the event's stature as a Brand Hong Kong activity. The Marathon continues to remain popular both locally and internationally, where it serves as an excellent showcase of the city and character of Hong Kong.

This support is an outgrowth of the original ethos behind Standard Chartered's sponsorship of the Marathon. Peter Wong said, "Our initial desire was to sponsor an event which would promote physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle to the people of Hong Kong through an activity in which everyone could participate. The amazing growth of the Marathon is evidence of the public's desire for such an event, and over the next five years we hope to further develop the Standard Chartered Marathon into both a premier international Marathon and a must-participate event for the local community."

The new sponsorship contract reflects the continued growth of the Marathon over the first six years of Standard Chartered's title sponsorship. In this period, the Marathon's participatory levels have risen from 1,076 in 1997 to over 13,570 last February, through a combination of attracting premier marathoners and serious runners from around the region, and through the expansion of the Marathon's format to include activities for all interested local runners. The 2003 Standard Chartered Marathon will again feature a Half-Marathon and the 10km race open to several age and class categories for interested runners aged 16 and above.

In addition, the Standard Chartered Marathon's many auxiliary and promotional events such as the Running Expo and Roadshows have helped bring not only the Marathon and distance running, but also the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, to the fore of public attention in Hong Kong. The public attention has in turn generated strong spectator and public support for the Marathon with correspondingly high media interest. Details of more new public activities for this year's Standard Chartered Marathon will be announced at a later time.

The 2003 Marathon is aiming to again surpass the participation of previous years. The Marathon will start from its traditional place along Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. The course then follows a fixed urban route, made possible with the assistance of the HKSAR Government, which includes running along the West Kowloon and Tsing Kwai Highways through the Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Lantau Link (Tsing Ma and Kap Shui Mun Bridges) and Ting Kau Bridge before returning via the Western Harbour Tunnel along Connaught Road Central. The 2003 Standard Chartered Marathon will again finish under the magnificent eaves of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in Golden Bauhinia Square, Wanchai.

To ensure the ideal running and course conditions for each race category in 2003, the 10km runners will start at 6:45am while the Marathon and Half-Marathon entrants will start from the same spot 25 minutes later at 7:10am. In addition to the prize money for the Standard Chartered Marathon, an exclusive Time Bonus Scheme is proposed to incentivise those men and women runners finishing the Marathon in under 2:15:00 and 2:33:00 respectively, net from US$1,000 to US$10,000 depending upon the strength of their performance.

Registration for this year's Marathon will commence on 2 October. The event organizers, the HKAAA, are offering a special Early Bird Fee (until 30 November) of HK$250. From 1 December through 15 January the fee will be HK$300 and from 17 January 2003 through race day the entrance fee will be HK$400.

Entry forms will be available on 2 October at the HKAAA office and all branches of Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong and on-line entry will also be available on 1 November. For more information, please visit the official website www.hkmarathon.com or call official hotline 25770800.

Standard Chartered Bank is in its 7th year of sponsorship for the Marathon ¡V other sponsors and supporting agencies include New Balance Athletic Shoes (Hong Kong) Limited, Convey Advertising Company Limited, Hotel Miramar Hong Kong, Watsons Water, Citizen Watches (HK) Limited, Yahoo! Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Information Services Department, Western Harbour Tunnel Co. Ltd and Tsing Ma Management Limited.

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Released on behalf of Standard Chartered Bank by Octagon Greater China.