The 6th Rhodes Marathon with "ecological character"

This year's 6th Rhodes International Road Marathon, which will take place on Sunday 14 April, will have an ecological character. The aim of the Organising Committee is to make it more environmentally friendly and to help raise awareness of the need to adopt ecological behaviours.

This, among other things, was said during the first press conference held today (Thursday 14 March 2019) at the Plaza Hotel, exactly one month before the event.

The representatives of the media and in the presence of several representatives of the sponsors, spoke, the chairman of the Commission, Mrs. Marietta Papavassiliou, Vice-Regional Head of Sports, Culture and Tourism, the vice-president Mr. Vassilis Zeikas, President of the Dodecanese SEGAS, the President of the DOPAR-Municipality of Rhodes Mr. Stefanos Kyriazis, the member of the administration of the central SEGAS Mr. Michael Pavlous and the technical director of the race Mr. Nikos Polias.

PAPAVASILEIOU: "Recognition is the greatest success..."

"The International Marathon of Rhodes, which will be held on 14 April, is the leading sporting event of the South Aegean region.

It is a race-institution which takes place on one of the most beautiful islands of Greece and is co-organized by the Dodecanese SEGAS, the South Aegean Region of DOPAR and the non-profit organization Marathon Rhodes. It also has the support of the Rhodes Hostel Association and is under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

The organizational and functional excellence of the Marathon, ranked it among the important racing actions of our country. The official approval of the SEGAS federation and the AIMS & IAAF ensure the validity and international recognition of the race. Securing the support of all stakeholders and the local community was the first step, as the Rhodes International Marathon has been a long-standing aspiration for the island. With 600 volunteers and everyone's support, it has established itself in 5 years as the great sporting celebration of our island, the Dodecanese and the South Aegean!

Participants from abroad...

It is a sporting event with an international reputation that belongs to Rhodes and to all Rhodians. The development of the race, in terms of organization, publicity and participation, has been impressive! From 480 runners in 2014, we reached the fifth race in 2018 to a sold out event with 3,500 runners in total, from Greece and 39 different countries! The Marathon has attracted athletes from Vietnam, Hong Kong and the USA to Estonia and Sweden.

So far, about 25% of the registrations were made by runners from various countries abroad!

The aim of the Rhodes Marathon was from the beginning to create a major international sporting event that will put Rhodes on the map of sports tourism, attracting a growing audience that travels by combining holidays with the experience of running. We have achieved this to a significant extent.  

Extroversion...

The struggle had a clear international orientation and extroversion from the very beginning. An extensive programme of hosting well-known journalists from well-known media ensures strong visibility in Greece and abroad. Especially after the first three events, when we reached an excellent technical and organizational level, contacts and collaborations with institutions for the promotion of the race and the attraction of runners from all over the world started systematically.

In cooperation with the Greek National Tourism Organization, the South Aegean Region and SETE, journalists from major media are invited every year to cover the race with extensive special features.

Run for tourism...

The Rhodes International Marathon gave us the opportunity to invest in the dynamic market of Sports Tourism and at the same time achieve significant added value to our tourism product. Last year we formed a team together with the Ministry and the Greek National Tourism Organisation to run under the motto Run For Tourism, continuing the initiative started by the classic Athens Marathon, where our region participated.

After the previous success and the great response, we will repeat this action. The team will be accompanied by representatives of the tourism industry from Rhodes, Greece and abroad! We extend an open invitation to local tourism executives to run with our team in the Rhodes Marathon! It would be a great pleasure for us to have a large team!

Innovations...

Trying to introduce an innovation every time, we aim to make our Marathon "green". This year we are starting the effort. An electric car will be used as the lead vehicle for the runners in the race. This vehicle was chosen because it does not emit pollutants like conventional vehicles, which affect the air quality of the runners ahead. At the same time, electric cars, e-scooters and electric scooters will be used by the organizing committee and volunteers in order to facilitate the operations and the race to run smoothly with an "ecological" footprint.

Recognition...

Today, the Rhodes Marathon is recognized in Greece and abroad as an important sporting event and this acceptance and recognition, I believe, is the greatest success. It establishes the race on solid foundations.

Thanks to...

I would like to thank all those who actively support the event, especially our sponsors, who are always at our side and are the pillars of the Rhodes International Marathon.  

We also thank all the volunteer groups that support the race. Without their help, the event would not be possible. Many thanks to all the partners.

Rendezvous on 14 April! We invite you all to be there. Come together to give a pulse to the top sporting event that is turning the eyes of the world's sporting community to Rhodes."

ZIKAS: "Sport composition model..."

"The Rhodes Marathon is a unique sporting event that is an ideal model for the synthesis of sport, culture, tourism promotion and local development activity.

It includes roads that cover the entire age range giving the opportunity for sports participation - mobilization to the citizens of Rhodes and visitors.

It highlights values such as volunteerism, social contribution, solidarity, participation, fair play and competition, as they have been highlighted and taught since ancient Greece and continue to this day.

It gives the opportunity to athletes and sportsmen of all ages, to members of the running movement, to high school, high school and primary school students to feel the joy of participation and movement, it aims beyond the improvement of the mental and physical health of citizens, to promote true human relations and to defend all those values and ideals that make a society active and able to cope with today's circumstances.It welcomes participants from abroad and from the rest of Greece due to the beginning of the tourist season.

It gives the opportunity for cooperation between the co-organizers (the Region of South Aegean, the Municipality of Rhodes, SEGAS and the Union of Athletic Associations of SEGAS Dodecanese) and the participation of all the island's bodies, mobilizing clubs, associations and voluntary groups.

Targeting:

The development of the running movement for sport at all ages with the benefits that result from it.

Sports tourism, the promotion of the historical and architectural heritage and the rare natural beauty of Rhodes.

The development of volunteering and social contribution,

we all make every effort for a quality and successful race that will be an unforgettable experience for everyone".

KIRIAZIS: "It unites all Rhodians..."

"The Rhodes Road Marathon is another great sporting event supported as a co-organizer by DOPAR and by extension the Municipality of Rhodes. Hand in hand with the Region we support and co-organize events, sports and cultural content, which not only enhance the tourist promotion of Rhodes, but also entertains and unites all Rhodians. Every year we improve our organizational structure and this has positive results. We want the Organizations of Rhodes to join us and join our effort."

PAULOUS: "Confidence from the SEGAS..."

"From the very first moment, SEGAS has been by the side of the organizing committee. This means that they have confidence in the organisation, which is very important. Events under the auspices of the FEGAS are not given to just anyone, but only to trustworthy organisations."

POLIAS: "Athletes from 45 countries, so far..."

"We not only aim to promote Rhodes as a tourist destination, in Greece and abroad.

Through the Marathon, the half marathon, the 5 and 10 kilometres, but also the children's race, we motivate the Rhodians to be entertained and enjoy their own homeland, the place of Olympic champions in ancient Greece. Our concerted efforts, which we improve every year, give us better results. This year, and so far, we have athletes from 45 countries".

-Registrations for the 6th Rhodes International Marathon continue and those interested can register online at the race website: https://rhodesmarathon.gr for the distances of the Marathon, the Half Marathon, the 10 km. and the 5 km.

-The Rhodes Marathon is organized by the South Aegean Region, the E.A.S.S.E.G.A.S. of Dodecanese, the DOPAR of the Municipality of Rhodes, and with the support of the Rhodes Hotel Association.Tourism and has been included in the official AIMS calendar.