Marathon – an industry on the ground
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Eliud Kipchoge recently ran a marathon in Vienna in the world record time of 1:59:40 hours. The Kenyan reviews the finish and gives courage to everyone.
Organizers before bankruptcy, professionals before relapsing into amateur status: The lucrative marathon business has come to a standstill because of the corona pandemic. An entire industry is threatened with the end.
NAnd the proverbial staying power of the marathon runners is required: Hundreds of thousands of recreational runners can no longer compete in Corona times, the elite athletes lack competitions and income, the organizers fear for their future.
The corona pandemic has stopped almost all major international running events, including the marathon classics of Berlin, Boston and New York. The race was canceled in Chicago on Monday. The Hamburg marathon is about to be canceled, and everything in Frankfurt also points to a failure. The city marathon, which is worth millions in Germany alone, is on the brink.
Mass event marathon: The enthusiasm for running worldwide is huge, the run to the big events is always enormous. Now there is a standstill
Source: AFP / KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI
“If there are still no significant races to be held, there is a risk of a return to semi-amateur status among competitive athletes,” says manager Christoph Kopp, who looks after Hendrik Pfeiffer, Amanal Petros and Alina Reh, among others. “Equipment contracts are currently cushioning somewhat, but they should also be reduced because they are performance-based. No performance is possible without competitions, of course, ”explains Kopp. “Everyone is disappointed. But I don’t think the athletes are so demotivated that they throw everything in the corner. ”
As long as the ban on large events applies and there is hardly any political support for organizers despite complex hygiene concepts, it looks bad. “Nobody has ever thrown in the towel. But a second cancellation in 2021 will hardly be able to cope, then there will be a bankruptcy wave, ”says Horst Milde, the chairman of the German road race organizers, German Road Races (GRR), and founder of the Berlin marathon. In April, GRR applied to the Ministry of the Interior for a rescue fund for street running. “Nothing has been decided yet,” says Milde.
Hamburg hopes – drama for Africa
Internationally, a few organizers of important races still have hopes: Amsterdam, Istanbul, Paris or London are among them. Hamburg and Munich have put together protection concepts that can be exemplary for a new beginning of international running. In Hamburg, however, the organizer should not only implement concepts for the participants, but apparently also for any audience gatherings outside of start and finish areas. This cannot be achieved with a route length of 42.195 kilometers.
“The Hamburgers have developed a very good concept,” emphasizes Kopp, who puts together the elite field for the races in Frankfurt and Hanover and also looks after a number of top German runners. “The city should now show an interest, take responsibility and create the general conditions with spectator rules and spot checks so that something can take place.”
Industry expert Jos Hermens sees it similarly. The Dutch manager looks after Kenya’s marathon superstar Eliud Kipchoge. “It’s a drama in Africa,” warns the former world-class runner. The absolute stars of the scene are not yet at risk due to good advertising contracts. But even for athletes who reach world class times of 2:05 (men) and 2:21 hours (women), it will be difficult.
84-year-old runs marathon in Antarctica
He is the oldest athlete to ever finish an Antarctic marathon. In his record, Canadian Roy Jorgen Svenningsen needs 11 hours, 41 minutes and 58 seconds. In total there are 55 runners from 17 countries.
“They depend on prize money,” explains Hermens, but also says that Kenyans or Ethiopians don’t give up so quickly. “They accept the situation, they have learned in their lives how to deal with difficult conditions.” There is also great solidarity in Africa. This is how Eliud Kipchoge provides athletes and their families with food in his area.
Hermens is also part of the Amsterdam marathon organizing team, which is scheduled for October 18. “We try everything,” he says, “it is important for all running that races can take place.”
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