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No road racing for StanChart Singapore Marathon as organisers plan alternative format

Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon participants running along the Marina Bay area. (PHOTO: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon)
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in 2019. (FILE PHOTO: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon)

SINGAPORE — There will be no traditional road-racing for this year’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Event organiser The Ironman Group said in a media release on Monday (24 August) that it is still working out an alternative format, with virtual and physical components, for the annual event, which is usually held on the first weekend of December.

“The race will allow runners to take part in the race safely and virtually, and still look forward to the signature finisher experience – complete with the finisher photo for runners to celebrate their accomplishments,” the organiser said.

“There will also be a virtual reality component allowing runners to create avatars who can navigate through the virtual SCSM route in real time, competing with fellow runners.”

More details for the race format will be shared at a later date.

SCSM Virtual Club, Racing Series

Meanwhile, The Ironman Group has announced two initiatives – the SCSM Virtual Club and the SCSM Virtual Racing Series – to help the running community stay active amid the coronavirus pandemic, and gear up for the SCSM.

The Virtual Club offers a virtual platform for weekly races and challenges, performance tracking, training and nutritional resources, and an online store with redeemable merchandise.

Runners can track their training data, and compare themselves against their peers across local and global leaderboards. The weekly challenges and races will help them build up training mileage for the SCSM race.

Each week, races under the SCSM Virtual Racing Series will be categorised according to four themes that give runners the chance to explore and rediscover different sides of Singapore and its hidden gems. There will be a total of 15 races.

Runners can also take part in an activity-based loyalty point system, earning points which they can redeem for merchandise, discounts and special benefits.

Sign-up for the Virtual Club is free and accessible to athletes globally.

StanChart renews sponsorship to 2023

On Monday, SCSM also announced that title sponsor Standard Chartered Bank has renewed its sponsorship until 2023. The bank has been the event’s title sponsor since 2002.

“Our decision to continue supporting the race has never wavered, as we understand the role sport plays in building social bonds and community resilience,” said Patrick Lee, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore).

For more information on the marathon and the SCSM Virtual Club, please visit its official website.

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