All set for the 6th International Marathon of Rhodes

Rhodes has put on its best clothes and welcomes thousands of runners from all over the world who on Sunday 14 March will run in the 6th International Marathon of the island.

Runners from 47 countries, a record number for the race, will take their place at the starting line to run by the sea and in the magnificent Medieval Town of Rhodes, participating in the top sporting event of the South Aegean.

Central figure in the marathon distance will be the Kenyan runner Bernard Chirchir who wants to do a time under 2:20:00. Among the Greeks who stand out are. George Minos Minos, winner of last year's race, the Vlassis Karavasilis and the Katerina Asimakopoulou.

Award of the Sports Club of Telmissos Nea Makris and the Official Hellenic Police Running Teamby the chairman of the organizing committee Mrs. Marietta Papavasileiou Vakiani, in hall of the Regional Council in the building of the South Aegean Region.

RACING PROGRAM

SUNDAY 14 APRIL

07:30 Marathon Start at Eleftherias Square.
07:30 Half Marathon Start at Eleftherias Square. 
07:40 Race 10K Start at Eleftherias Square.
11:50 5K race starting from Rimini Square (Sound and Light).
13:00 Children's Race 1.000m. Start Eleftheria Plstia Eleftherias

Award Ceremonies Eleftherias Square: 10:30 Half Marathon & 10km.

11:15 Marathon

 13:30 5K & Team

12:00-14:00 Concert by the Rhodian Musicians Association with Rhodian artists at Eleftherias Square.

• In the 5K race, under the auspices of EOT & the Ministry of Tourism,

the action will take place #run_for_tourism, where representatives of tourism operators and businesses wearing a special T-shirt will run in the race. 

Another great distinction for Marathon of Rhodes is the Gold Award won by Region of South Aegean for the organization of the race, in the annual tourism awards awarded on Tuesday evening 9 April at a glittering ceremony at the Foundation of the Hellenic World.

The Region of South Aegean for the organization of the International Marathon of Rhodes which will be held for the 6th time next Sunday 14 April, won the Gold Tourism Award in the category Sports Tourism in Specialty Travel, which is a great recognition of the efforts that have been made for the past six years to promote Rhodes, the Dodecanese and the South Aegean as a top sports tourism destination in Greece.

The award was received by President of the Organizing Committee and Vice-Regional Head of Culture, Sports and Education of South Aegean, Marietta Papavassiliou"This distinction in the leading institution of tourism awards in our country is great, because it rewards the effort we have made all these years for the promotion and recognition of the Rhodes Marathon. Our vision was to put Rhodes on the map of global sports tourism and we see that this goal is taking shape. We would not have succeeded, however, without the undivided support and help of the residents of Rhodes, the island's institutions and our valuable volunteers, who have contributed greatly to this success and we thank them. I also thank my colleagues all these years, for the hard work they have done and continue to do, with real passion for the implementation of our struggle, as well as the sponsors because without their contribution this dream would not have been realized. This award fills us with more strength for the future, in order to work even harder so that every year the Rhodes International Marathon grows and becomes better."

The tourism awards evaluate and highlight best practices and innovative initiatives of businesses and operators of Greek tourism: from the provision of high quality services and the creation of innovative products to strategic investments and the contribution to the national economy.

The last places for the races of 5 and 10 km. of the Rhodes International Marathon, will be made available on Friday (15:00-20:00) and Saturday (10:00-19:00) at the race secretariat, at the hotel BEST WESTERN Plaza Hotel, Ierou Lochou7, in Rhodes. At the same place and at the same times, the equipment will be made available to those who have already registered.

The last positions are only for the matches of 5 and 10 km. as the marathon and the half marathon race is sold out.

Ο Marathon of Rhodes organized by the Region of South Aegean, the E.A.S S.E.G.A.S Dodecanese, him IOPAR of Municipality of Rhodes as well as with the support of Rhodes Hotel Association. It is held under the auspices of Greek Tourism Organisation and has been included in the official calendar of the AIMS.

Big Communication Sponsor is the ERT. The official air carrier of the Rhodes International Marathon is Aegean Airlines which offers 20% discount on all passengers' tickets to Rhodes, from all Greek and European destinations included in its flight schedule. H Blue Star Ferries, is an Official Sponsor of Ferry Transport and provides 50% discount to passengers and 30% to vehicles travelling with its ferries to Rhodes, from Piraeus, Kos, Kalymnos, Leros and Syros.

Named sponsor of the 5 km race is the club The Hotels collection. The Atrium Hotels is a volunteer sponsor and the Rodos Palace sponsor of the children's race. The Mitsis Grand Hotel is the hospitality sponsor and the major sponsors are complemented by the hotel Sunrise & Adidas.

The Best Western Plaza hosts the secretariat of the race. The green footprint of the race will be ensured by the electric cars of Kosmokar-Xenakis SA/ASEM. The runners quench their thirst with the water of the BAP Kouyos, while the match is once again supported by the betting website interwetten, ο Pharmaceutical Association of Dodecanese, the Greek cosmetics Garden of Panthenols, the company Cocks, η DERM.S.A.. the hotel Semiramis and the Amstel free. This year the sponsor of the digital promotion of the race is the marketing company Dingo  and sponsor of the race abroad is the  ANT1 Satellite.