2015 "Lanzhou Bank Cup" Lanzhou International Marathon Set to Begin on June 13

LANZHOU, China, June 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The high-profile 2015 Lanzhou International Marathon is set to begin at 7:30 am on June 13 in Lanzhou, a city in Central China that lies along the banks of the Yellow River. This is the fifth consecutive marathon held in Lanzhou following the one in 2011.

This year's marathon features three events: the full marathon, the half marathon and the 5-km road race. The number of runners that have registered totals 40,029, of which 6,011 plan to run the full marathon, 8,018 the half marathon and 26,000 the 5-km race.

The marathon organizers have invited 59 professional runners from eight countries including China, among which are athletes with some of the world's best track records. The best male competitor in this year's marathon is Eliwood Kiptanui from Kenya, whose previous best performance clocked him in at two hours, five minutes and 39 seconds while the best female competitor is Georgia Rono, also from Kenya, whose previous personal best stands at two hours, 21 minutes and 39 seconds. Both of the records are better than those of the best runners invited to the last marathon.

Several events are happening concurrently with this year's marathon including the "Belt and Road" Joint Exhibition of Marathon Host Cities, the Joint Photography Exhibition for the Fifth Anniversary of the Marathon, the 10,000-people Green Running Movement and the Sports Cultural Festival. The 10,000-people Green Running Movement event will commence right after all the runners have set off, with the participants picking up trash along the way in order to keep the track green while jogging the five kilometers. In addition, the organizing committee has joined hands with China Green Foundation's Million Forest Project to collect the seeds for 5,000 sea buckthorn trees through charitable donations and crowdfunding. The collected seeds will be planted in the Lanzhou Marathon Love Forest after the conclusion of the event.

The organizers are aiming to make this year's marathon a highly improved one by meeting several goals that they have set for themselves: meeting international standards for an event of this type, demanding a higher level of professionalism in the organizing of the event, making the event more focused on the people who are participating and improving security. The steps are being taken in order that the event can qualify as an IAAF gold road race.

The Lanzhou International Marathon is both the only Chinese marathon which runs along the Yellow River and the marathon at the highest altitude in China. The highly acclaimed event, which also boasts high online visibility, imbues the local populace with a strong sense of pride. The event was viewed as the best marathon in the country when it was first held and was upgraded to a national tournament in 2012, and awarded the title of "Gold Label Road Race" by the Chinese Athletics Association in 2013 and the title of "Bronze Label Road Race" by the IAAF in 2014.

The Lanzhou Marathon track, running along the most beautiful riverside road in China, is also one of the most picturesque tracks in the world, dotted with breathtaking scenic spots every step of the way, including the Yellow River Custom Tourist Line, "the Yellow River Mother" Sculpture, the Waterwheel Park and Small West Lake Overpass, among others. Runners and spectators are treated to a panoramic view of the magnificent upper reaches of the Yellow River coupled with the grandeur and dynamism of Lanzhou City.

The Marathon may be a sports event, but it is an event that goes way beyond sports. The event has profound cultural connotations. The 42.194-kilometer length of the event spans a history of a thousand years, from Athens to Lanzhou, conjuring up images of both power and beauty. The Lanzhou International Marathon not only showcases the beautiful scenery of a city sitting along the banks of the Yellow River surrounded by beautiful mountains and water, but also the splendid silk road culture, the Dunhuang culture, the Yellow River culture and the rich history of this thousand-year-old ancient city to the entire world.

Contact:

Weng Pingping
+86-18250768122
[email protected]

SOURCE Department of Operations, the Organizing Committee of the Lanzhou International Marathon