Top Champions Returning for 2017 Cave Shepherd Run Barbados Marathon Weekend
The stage is set for exciting competition as last year’s winners return for The Cave Shepherd Run Barbados Marathon Weekend.
The highly anticipated Run Barbados is set for December 1-3. Since its inception in 1983, the event has drawn innumerable fitness fanatics from local, regional and international circuits to Bridgetown for the competition, leisure and the immersive activities. A spectacle for all, visitors and locals alike will line the street in their numbers to watch the racers.
William ‘Billy’ Griffith, CEO of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) endorsed this year’s Marathon Weekend. “I am proud to say that we can think of no better way to conclude the 2017 Year of Sports, than with one of the hallmark events of the sporting Barbados calendar. The Run Barbados brand has over the years successfully transcended cultures, nations and peoples, to bring together a medley of enthusiasts who have fallen in love – not just with the races, but with our island. We often see familiar faces as families journey here to partake in what has become much, much more than a race. In many ways, Run Barbados encapsulates the founding pillars of the Year of Sports by using sporting activities to craftily immerse visitors in the unique Barbadian culture that keeps so many returning to our shores year after year.”
All eyes are on the 5K and 10K races, both set to take place on December 2. These two most popular races will see stiff competition and heated rematches as last year’s female 10K champion, Tonya Nero of Trinidad and Tobago will return to face Olympians Natasha Wodak, who won the 2016 Half-Marathon, and Lanni Marchant. Last year, in a nail-biting finish, Nero snatched first place from expected victors Wodak and Marchant by just a second. Also returning is male 10K and Marathon winner Jean Habarurema of Rwanda and male winner of the Half-Marathon, Julius Koskei.
The Marathon Weekend will immerse participants in Barbadian culture and history, following a scenic course along Bay Street, passing by Carlisle Bay and travelling through the historic former colonial seaport, UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison.
Special challenges such as the Corporate Challenge and Schools Challenge encourage all Barbadians to come out and participate for the special prizes.
The Marathon Weekend is once again sponsored by the Cave Shepherd group and boasts several events including the Signia Fun Mile, the Ganzee 5K Walk for Charity, the Fortress Half-Marathon and Cave Shepherd Marathon. The races are open to participants of all ages and range from morning races, as early as 5 a.m. to races under the stars.
Following the races, participants are encouraged to cool down with a series of parties, entertainment and local delicacies.
