A tourism spectacular with a local flair, the Seychelles will once again be hosting the Eco-Friendly Marathon, which is held annually on the last Sunday of February. This is another event being organised in the region to help keep the destination visible.
The 11th edition of the Eco-Friendly Marathon is set for Sunday February 25, 2018. It is aiming to attract the participation of thousands of people, both locally and from abroad. The organisers are already foreseeing some 4,000 local and 500 international participants this year.
As is the case each year, the race will start at 7 a.m. at Beau Vallon, one of the most popular tourist areas in the north of Mahé. Participants will be walking, jogging and running various distances covering the northern and north-eastern districts, going down to Victoria and heading back the same way to finish the race at Beau Vallon.
To cater for a wide range of fitness level the Eco-Friendly Marathon allows participants to choose whether they want to complete 5km and 10 km races, the half- marathon (21 km) and marathon (42 km).
The deadline for registration is February 15, 2018. International participants can download registration forms from the official website of the Eco-Friendly Marathon www.seychelles-marathon.com. The completed registration forms should be emailed to the race committee at the National Sports Council at [email protected] or [email protected].
Local participants are advised to register in person at the National Sports Council.
Registration fees to be charged are €60 for the marathon, €40 for half-marathon, €25 and €20 for the 10 km and 5 km races, respectively.
The Eco-Friendly Marathon was initiated in 2008 by Seychelles’ Honorary Consul General for South Korea, Dong Chang Jeong, who also heads the Seychelles tourist office there, as part of efforts to encourage the Seychellois population to exercise and stay healthy. The event is one that is also helping to promote Seychelles across the globe, especially among the more health-conscious travellers.
The marathon is both challenging and rewarding and it is more than a mere competition. While the participants have to endure some quite steep hills during the race, the visitors especially, also get to discover some of the island nation’s natural beauty and breath-taking coastal views.
The Eco-Friendly Marathon also helps to unify the Seychellois and visiting participants, and since it was launched in 2008, it has seen an increase in the number of participants from different countries.
Seychelles’ Eco-Friendly Marathon is recognized internationally through the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) label. This year it is being organized jointly by the National Sports Council, the Creative Industries and National Events Agency (CINEA) and the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB).
A wide range of prizes will be awarded to the top five category winners, and all participants who complete the race will also be awarded their official time certificate, a medal, and a t-shirt.
Winners of the half-marathon and marathon will receive their prizes during a ‘cultural night’ that will be held at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay hotel, in the evening of Sunday February 25, 2018.
Source:- Seychelles Tourism Board
