Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon Announces Race Changes for 2019

SINGAPORE – At a launch event today, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) announced that the 2019 edition of the race will upgrade the athlete experience with a new 6:00pm evening flag off on Saturday 30 November for the Marathon, Half Marathon and Ekiden distances while shifting to a three-day event format. The Kids Dash will take place on Friday 29 November while the 5K and 10k races will take place on Sunday 1 December providing a distance for everyone. These steps were taken to further the appeal of the race for participants and spectators and is a significant step towards the goal of SCSM being inducted into the illustrious Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM), a series of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world. If successful, SCSM would become the seventh marathon within AbbottWMM joining the BMW Berlin Marathon, Boston Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, and the Tokyo Marathon.
 
“Since announcing the bid to join the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2017, we’ve been working closely with our respective partners to improve the Singapore race experience for both runners and spectators. We have consulted Sport Singapore and the relevant government agencies and they have shared their support for the night race.” said Geoff Meyer, Managing Director for The IRONMAN Group in Asia. “Enhancements are happening every year to build up the event festivities as well as programs and initiatives that promote the running culture and community engagement in Singapore. We are now closer than ever to the required criteria and strongly believe that the change in flag-off time, and a number of other improvements over the next two editions will see more marathoners and community support than ever as we position ourselves to qualify in 2021.”
 
The SCSM has been recognised as a Gold Label event by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) since 2012 for its world-class excellence in global sporting significance, organisational quality, athletes’ safety and compliance with the IAAF Rules and Regulations. Singapore has shown it is an ideal year-round run destination to the international running community and will see the best elite and elite wheelchair division in event history. Since the inaugural race in 1982, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon has grown to a globally significant event that attracts approximately 50,000 runners each year across all race categories from more than 125 countries, regions and territories.
 
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth & Transport, Mr Baey Yam Keng, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the launch event, said, “The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon has been a longstanding highlight on the regional sports calendar, attracting elite marathoners and running enthusiasts from Singapore and around the world annually. It is heartening that the organisers are continually improving the Singapore Marathon experience so that it can be among the best in the world.  With the flag-offs on Saturday evening this year, I anticipate many more Singaporeans coming out to cheer on the runners and join in the excitement.  I hope to see the Singapore Marathon join the ranks of the World Marathon Majors in 2021!”

2019 To Bring Significant Improvements to Athlete and Spectator Experience
 
The IRONMAN Group in Singapore is working closely with the local authorities to plan a spectator-friendly route through Singapore’s most iconic streets and modern architecture to give fans and runners a different perspective and intimate view of the city. From cultural and historical diversity to lush greenery and a buzzing metropolis that includes modern marvels such as the Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, and The Singapore Flyer, locals and run-cation visitors will be treated to a visual tour of the city-state.
 
For the first time, the Marathon, Half Marathon and Ekiden distances will flag off in the evening of Saturday, 30 November, a key evolution after ongoing consultation with the Abbott World Marathon Majors team and government stakeholders, which began in 2017. This will present a host of benefits for both competitive and casual runners. Most notably, cooler temperatures will lead to a better experience and performances for runners while creating an exciting race environment that takes full advantage of Singapore’s bright lights and night life.
 
Tim Hadzima, Executive Director of the Abbott World Marathon Majors said, “Today’s announcement is another step forward for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in their long-term aspiration of becoming an Abbott World Marathon Major. The changes for this year’s marathon are just a few parts of stringent criteria that we assess each year, as there are many stages of this process still to be met. We are excited to see how the runners react to the improvements that they will experience this year.”
 
To encourage added participation and support from the public, organisers are introducing all new spectator zones, which will feature a myriad of lifestyle and entertainment offerings. This will add to the more than 26 on-route entertainment points to create a vibrant and uplifting atmosphere for both runners and supporters.
 
“With SCSM, we have enjoyed a great run over the past 18 years. Making the World Marathon Major pitch this year is very meaningful for us at Standard Chartered as 2019 marks our 160th anniversary in Singapore. With the support of IRONMAN Asia, Sport Singapore and our partners, I am confident that we can make SCSM truly a world-class event and showcase the best of Singapore to our friends and supporters from around the world,” said Mr. Patrick Lee, CEO of Standard Chartered Singapore.
 
The 3-day event will kick off with the Kids Dash on Friday evening at 7:00pm while the 5km and 10km categories will flag off on Sunday morning at 8.30am and 6.30am respectively.
 
To begin preparing for this year’s race, runners can now participate in training programmes such as the Women’s Squad, run with pacers or get involved in SCSM’s virtual running community on Strava, which will help runners put their best foot forward as they prepare for the race.
 
To register and for more information, please visit www.singaporemarathon.com. Standard Chartered Cardholders will enjoy 15% off registration fee across all categories.