JEDDAH: The Jeddah Mobily Marathon 2011 will be held on March 29 this year and will include a number of top Arab and international runners, according to the organizers. The format for the annual event was announced Sunday at a press conference by Mazen Batarjee, head of the administration board of Al-Bir Charitable Society and Abdullah Bakhashab, the well-known Saudi rally champ and chief of the organizing committee. The press conference was attended by Wael Ghonaim, Mobily marketing and sports events manager (main sponsor); Hani Turki, General Manager of the social responsibility section of Nesma Holding Company (diamond sponsor); and Mohammed Al-Olawy, Red Sea Executive director (gold sponsor). Batarjee said the marathon race will see the participation of international champions from Ethiopia, Kenya, Jordan, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. “Some 5,000 students will also take part along with some Saudi track stars,” Batarjee said. “Proceeds from the marathon will be used to support Al-Bir's benevolent projects,” he added. Bakhashab said the eighth edition of the race is becoming more international which is improving the standard of competition. He also unveiled the winner's prizes: A Citroen C3 car for every category winner (professionals and students) and cash prizes for the first 15 winners of each group. Gold medals will also be awarded to each participant completing the race. The total sum of the prizes exceeds SR250,000. More than 5,000 runners will start this year's marathon, including hundreds of athletes with special needs. Prince Mish'al Bin Majed Bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Jeddah, will attend the ceremony for the winners. This year's course starts out at the Tahliya roundabout on the Corniche Road and proceeds northwards along the Corniche to the Globe roundabout before heading south to the finish line near the entrance to the Red Sea Mall on King's Road. Categories other than the main event include the under-18s, the six-kilometer roller skate race, the three-kilometer wheelchair race for persons with special needs, and the 500-meter race for autistic persons which will take place on King's Road. The marathon will start in stages. Those with special needs will run from the starting point at the Corniche at 4:20 P.M. for three kilometers, those aged 18 and under will start at 4:45 P.M. and run for six kilometers, and finally at 5:15 P.M. professional runners will go for 20 kilometers on the Mobily Path from Al-Tahliyah Square at the Corniche to the finishing point for all runners near the Red Sea Mall. Events being held in tandem with the marathon include the Mobily Bazaar, held over five days at the Red Sea Mall with the involvement of health clubs and sports organizations. Mobily is the main sponsor, Nesma holding company is the diamond sponsor, Red Sea Mall is the gold sponsor, GO Sport is the silver sponsor, the media sponsor is MBC and Al-Madinah newspaper. Also playing a sponsoring role are Isuzu Brothers holding company and AIM Public Relations Agency.
