Rössing Uranium presents the Rössing National Marathon Championship, hosted by Swakop Striders athletics club, in Swakopmund on Saturday, 16 February 2013. The event will crown Namibia's national marathon champion in both the Men's Open and Ladies Open categories. As in previous years, a 10km Run, a fun relay event over the same distance, reserved for teams from uranium companies in the region, and the Fun Walk for charity in aid of the Cancer Association of Namibia will form part of the day's events. The Swakopmund Athletics Stadium in Vineta will again be the base from where all the action is staged.
The Rössing National Marathon Championship forms part of the mine's initiatives to promote healthy living among mine workers, their families and the general public and therefore this year's event theme will be, “Champion Your Fitness, Champion Your Health”. A variety of health-related activities and information-sharing involving many volunteers will be conducted during the event, creating an atmosphere of celebrating healthy living for young and old.
Paulus Iyambo - 2012 Rössing Marathon winner
Rössing Uranium includes a year-long development bonus as part of the incentive for athletes to compete in the marathon event and in 2012 the Rössing National Marathon Ladies Open champion, Helaria Johannes, won 12th place in the London Olympics marathon - a clear sign that the athlete has the potential and is worth supporting beyond one day's competition. The cash prizes for the Men's Open and Ladies Open marathon items respectively will be N$10 000, making the total potential winnings for the marathon champions worth a substantial N$60 000. All entrants will receive medals and are further spoiled with branded T-Shirts that will be issued during registration for the Marathon and the 10km Run.
The Namibia Defence Force runners, with both current Men's and Ladies Open champions in their midst, namely Paulus Iyambo (02:24:38 in 2012) and two-time winner Helaria Johannes (02:51:58 in 2012), have dominated the podium places over the last couple of years and a strong team is expected to participate again in 2013. The best roadrunners from all over Namibia come to participate in this prestigious event on the Namibian athletics calendar, because it also serves as a qualifying opportunity for the popular Two Oceans and Comrades marathons in South Africa in March and June respectively. More and more so-called “sport tourists” have been participating in the Rössing event over the years and this year entries are open to all international participants again. The Marathon record is still held by Luketz Swartbooi who ran it in 02:11:23 in 1992.
Runners can enter in the following age categories:
Men's Open - 20-39
Ladies' Open - 20-39
Veteran Men - 40-49
Veteran Ladies - 40-49
Masters - 50-59
Grand Masters - 60+
Juniors (for 10km Run only) - ages 12-19
Entries will be taken at the starting point on Friday, 15 February from 18:00 to 21:00 in the evening and again from 5.30 to 6.30 on the morning of the event at the Swakopmund Athletics Stadium in Welwitschia Street, Vineta.
Entry fees are N$60 (N$100 for non-SADC runners) for the Marathon and N$30 (N$60 for non-SADC runners) for the 10km Run.
The Marathon and 10km Run will start at 7.00.
Both the Marathon and 10 km Run will follow the same route, from the stadium onto the road to Henties Bay and back with the finish at the same place where the race started on the tartan track at the stadium.
Water points will be set up approximately three kilometres apart and there will be sufficient marshals along the route to see to traffic control.
Uranium mines 10km Team Relay event
Returning to the programme this year is the 10km Team Relay event, which is open exclusively to employees and contractors from the different uranium mines companies in the region. Each of the four runners in a team runs 2.5km. The entry fee for this popular team event is N$40-00 per team, starting with the main race at 7.00.
The official prize-giving ceremony for the Marathon, 10km Run and team event starts shortly after the official cut-off time at 12:00.
Various prizes in the 5km Charity Walk for the Cancer Association of Namibia
A 5km Charity Walk for the Cancer Association of Namibia, starting at 9.00 (entry from 18:00 on Friday 15 February and 8.00 Saturday at the event), will be hosted for the 9th year in a row. It is open to ALL and promises to draw a large number of walkers in aid of cancer.
In this fun event there will be various prizes in categories varying from the Best/funniest dressed walker, tallest walker, youngest & oldest walkers to the walker with the most interesting hat. Rössing's Peer Educators and a team of the Cancer Association of Namibia will do the judging on the day. Entry fees are N$10 per walker with the proceeds being donated to the Cancer Association of Namibia. The prize-giving event for the Charity Walk starts at 10.30.
For further information please contact:
Frank Slabbert of Swakop Striders at
tel: 064 405788 (h);
cell: 081 240 3383;
e-mail: fatslab@iafrica.com.na
or
Rössing's Botha Ellis at
tel: 064 520 2426;
cell: 081 286 0456;
e-mail: botha.ellis@riotinto.com
or
Alwyn Lubbe at
tel: 064 520 2436;
cell: 081 122 5201;
e-mail: alwyn.lubbe@riotinto.com
Previous Marathon winners are:
1992 Luketz Swartbooi 2:11:23
1993 Aaron Shipanga 2:28:23
1994 Fritz Awoseb 2:17:05
1995 Moses Maasdorp 2:25:32
1996 Alex Cloete 2:26:44
1997 Joseph Tjitunga 2:19:06
1998 Johannes Gawaxamab 2:29:48
1999 Luketz Swartbooi 2:20:44
2000 Tobias Hiskia 2:28:04
2001 Salomo David 2:28:29
2002 Tuhafeni Petrus 2:29:08
2003 Robert Kaxuxuena 2:26:20
2004 Salomo David 2:29:04
2005 Salomo David 2:22:28
2006 Salomo David 2:30:02
2007 Simon Shigwedha 2:27:16
2008 Erich Goeieman 2:25:57
2009 Erich Goeieman 2:26:14
2010 Erich Goeieman 2:21:19
2011 Pinehas Embashu 2:25:58
2012 Paulus Iyambo 2:23:04
End
Issued by:
Jerome Mutumba
Manager External Affairs
Contact person:
Botha Ellis (Advisor Corporate Communications)
Tel: 064 - 520 2426
Cell: 081 286 0456
e-mail: botha.ellis@riotinto.com