It’s the hottest news in the Singapore running community: IRONMAN has negotiated a deal to operate Marathon Singapore through the year 2025!
Now that’s what we like to call long-term planning and a stroke of luck for Singapore’s reputation and credibility because to put down real roots, an IRONMAN Endurance Asia headquarters is being planned for our homeland right now.
Ever since IRONMAN was acquired by China’s Dalian Wanda in 2015, there’s been continued buzz about headquartering in a premier running destination, and as the world knows, Singapore is at the crossroads of the Asia-Pacific, so anyone betting on this logical move just collected some extra cash. This news is guaranteed to put the nation on the fast track — both literally and figuratively.
Here’s what you should know about the future of our island’s most iconic marathon, the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS).
The Big Picture
With the declaration that Singapore is going to take a giant step into the future with the establishment of an IRONMAN presence overseeing the running of Marathon Singapore, a new era is about to begin.
Will IRONMAN change the face of this nostalgic event? The answer is both yes and no. Here are 10 reasons why:
- IRONMAN is here to stay because the 10-year partnership agreed upon by Sport Singapore (SportSG) and IRONMAN assures competitors that this is no fly-by-night foray onto the nation’s already-busy running calendar.
- Myriad entities have invested in this complex marriage which began when Dalian Wanda bought IRONMAN, triggering a chain of mergers that include IRONMAN Endurance Asia’s acquisition of Spectrum Worldwide.
- Spectrum Worldwide will now operate under the IRONMAN name, with the transfer of all existing events under the former, such as the ASICS City Relay. Most of the Spectrum Worldwide staff will be retained with the introduction of 4 new staff from IRONMAN Australia office. IRONMAN has expressed the importance of working with the existing staff for a smooth takeover.
- Geoff Meyer, CEO Asia Pacific, IRONMAN has big plans for this year’s SCMS. He intends to create the same culture of huge atmosphere celebration at the finish line from the IRONMAN to Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore. This is to reward the runners with the help of the communities.
- IRONMAN aims to establish Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore as not only a local iconic event but also internationally which is to be on par or better than the New York Marathon and Boston Marathon, bringing the event status up to the next level.
- IRONMAN will bring on their expertise in organising mass participation events globally and apply to this year SCMS. Some of the key improvements they will be looking into will be the congestion of the routes and race experience for participants.
- 50,000 participants are targeted for this year’s Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore and the new organiser, IRONMAN looks set to introduce several initiatives such as global ranking, incentive and training programs leading to race day, and better privileges and discounts for products and tickets.
- Organising mass participation events is a speciality of the IRONMAN brand, so as marathons and other events are announced in Singapore, you can be sure that every one will be run professionally and efficiently.
- History won’t be lost! That’s important to those who have competed since 1982 when the first Marathon Singapore was staged. In fact, many runners have grown up with this signature event. Since this will be IRONMAN’s first time out, everyone participating can celebrate the merging of the past and the future.
- Fun Fact: The CEO of IRONMAN Asia-Pacific, Australian Geoff Meyer, currently 47 years old first took part in SCMS in 2012 and did his first IRONMAN when he was 17.
Will the new organiser IRONMAN truly shape the future of our most beloved Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore to a world renowned, must-participate event every year? Only time will tell.
The public registration for the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2016 will open on 7 July, 2016.
What are your thoughts on the plans that IRONMAN have set for the SCMS. What would you do if you were the IRONMAN Asia-Pacific CEO?
