Press Room
Fri 15 Feb, 2013
As the 7am starting horn sounded on this pleasantly cool (13C) Friday morning in the UAE’s northern-most emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), the sense of anticipation was almost tangible with world class elite fields gathered of unprecedented depth. At Thursday’s pre-race press conference, the big names were very reluctant to give anything away, illnesses and injuries mentioned by several, and...
Fri 15 Feb, 2013
Lucy Kabuu of Kenya with 1:06:09, the second fastest time in history, and her compatriot Geoffrey Kipsang in 58:54, took the winners’ spoils in the women’s and men’s races respectively at the 7th edition of the RAK Half Marathon on Friday morning. Kenyan strength in depth was underlined as they took the first three in each elite contest, though the contrasting nature of the two races...
Wed 06 Feb, 2013
As for each of the previous six editions, this year’s RAK Half Marathon on the northern shores of the UAE on Friday 15th February, promises fast times and fierce contests in both men’s and women’s races.
Five times with a sub-60 minute male winner, only strong winds last year slowed times, but resumption of normal service is expected with the exceptional fields making the...
Wed 06 Feb, 2013
Early morning fireworks are predicted on Friday at the 7th staging of the RAK Half Marathon as a mass of the world’s top road runners gather for the now annual burn-up around this balmy coastal city’s mangrove-clogged lagoon.
Good weather, a virtually pancake flat course, fierce competition and a large prize purse have all combined well for each of the last six editions of this early bird...
Sun 19 Feb, 2012
The world running organisation the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and awards sponsor ASICS are delighted to announce Kenyan athletes Geoffrey Mutai and Mary Keitany as the male and female AIMS/ASICS World Athletes of the Year for 2011.
Today in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, Keitany and Mutai’s outstanding achievements were given global recognition...
Press Archive
Fri 17 Feb, 2012
The sixth edition of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the U.A.E. on Friday morning saw Kenyan winners in both men’s and women’s contests but the runners were buffeted by strong south-easterly winds throughout, with mixed effects on the elite fields of Kenyans and Ethiopians.
After her global mark here 12 months ago, no better than a “solid run” was expected of Kenya’s...
Wed 15 Feb, 2012
With the athletes gathering in the UAE for Friday mornings’ 6th edition of the RAK Half Marathon, now clearly one of the fastest half marathons in history, the question to ask this year is not “Will the races be fast again?”, but “How fast will they run?”. Each previous edition of the Men’s race has been won under the hour, and the tiny Emirate is now able to boast...
Thu 09 Feb, 2012
The sixth RAK Half Marathon on February 17th, now a well-established IAAF Gold Label Road Race, promises even more than the usual fare in this tiny corner of the United Arab Emirates, which is saying a great deal for a race that can boast a number of world records and dozens of personal bests from the elite in the previous five editions, including Mary Keitany’s astonishing 65:50 world record...
Sun 05 Feb, 2012
Ras Al Khaimah February 05, 2012: The RAK Half Marathon hosted local media this past Saturday evening in the first round of announcements concerning the 6th edition of the race. Chairman of the RAK Half Marathon, Brigadier Naser Salim Mradad was joined by Deputy Chairman, Ghanem Ahmed Ghanem and General Event Coordinator, Aaref Ibrahim Al Haranki at the RAK International Marine Club in Ras Al Khaimah....
Wed 08 Jun, 2011
We were shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden and tragic death of Kenyan Olympic Marathon Champion Sammy Wanjiru at his home (16 May) aged 24.
Sammy was considered by his peers to be one of the most talented long distance runners of his generation and will be most remembered for his victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games where he became Kenya's first Olympic champion in the Marathon. Recording...
Fri 18 Feb, 2011
Portuguese soccer manager Jose Mourinho likes to describe himself as "The Special One"; well now maybe this tiny corner of the United Arab Emirates should describe itself as just that. This morning after the 7am start, with the sun hardly poking over the nearby Hajjar Mountains, Kenya's Mary Keitany tore round this clockwise loop course to record 1:05:50 and rip no less than 35 seconds off Lornah...
Sat 12 Feb, 2011
With less than a week till the 5th edition of the RAK Half Marathon, the anticipation is building as to just what might unfold in this tiny corner of the UAE, with one of the strongest elite fields ever gathered for a half marathon anywhere, preparing to travel. No less than nine of the elite men’s field have broken 60 minutes for a half marathon, while the women’s line-up in Ras Al Khaimah...
Wed 02 Feb, 2011
Attracting just 636 participants in its inaugural year the RAK Half Marathon certainly had quite a mountain to climb to be taken seriously on both the local and international road racing scene. Yet this was one new race that chose not to focus immediately on promoting huge crowds from the get-go or offer huge prize money to lure the best talent to the start line. It did instead decide what it wanted to...
Fri 19 Feb, 2010
A windless and sun-bathed spring morning in Ras Al Khaimah greeted the record field of over 2,000 entrants on Friday for the 4th edition of the RAK Half Marathon, but although the 7.20am start was designed to suit the massed elite ranks, it was a day of “merely” fast times, not records.
That's actually not strictly true, as in a stunning half marathon debut, Turkey's double Olympic silver medalist...
Thu 18 Feb, 2010
What makes the RAK Half Marathon stand out from many running events - in the middle east and further afield - is really quite simple; the organizers work to stage an elite race that is strong in depth and which produces very fast times.
This IAAF Silver Label event, staged around the pancake flat city of Ras Al Khaimah, close to the northern tip of the small middle east nation of the United Arab...
Mon 15 Feb, 2010
With Dire Tune setting a new course record, new Ethiopian National record and PB of 1:07:18 at the 2009 RAK Half Marathon to be followed over the finish line just 39 seconds later by compatriot Abebu Gelan who set a new Junior Female Half Marathon World Record in doing so, the line up for the 2010 edition had to be pretty impressive even before the start of the race. Impressive it is with a stunning...
Wed 10 Feb, 2010
After two world records in February last year, the 2010 edition of the RAK Half Marathon, taking place on Friday 19th February, has a hard act to follow. According to All-Athletics.com, the comprehensive athletics database that compiles statistics and records of athletics worldwide, the RAK Half Marathon was recorded as being the ‘top road running competition in the world' for 2009, along with being...
Tue 02 Jun, 2009
Ras Al Khaimah June 02, 2009: It may come as no surprise to some that the race which has consistently set precedents in road race organization in the region has done it again by opening registration for the 2010 event as early as today.
Nathan Clayton, Race Director of the RAK Half Marathon and Managing Director of Premier Marathons, the organizing company behind the Middle East's highest accredited...
Fri 08 May, 2009
AIMS (The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) is to mark the 2,500th year of the marathon race by staging its 18th Congress in Athens, Greece on 28-30 October 2010. The organizer of the Congress will be the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), the organizer of the international Athens Classic Marathon (ACM), held every November at the authentic marathon course, from the town of...
Thu 19 Mar, 2009
The outstanding Romanian athlete Constantina Dita has been awarded the top honour in world road running, the AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the Year Award, during a ceremony on Thursday 19th March 2009 at the Tokyo Marathon Expo, in Japan.
World President of AIMS Hiroaki Chosa presented the AIMS/ASICS Golden Shoe award, a world accolade from the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races...
Fri 20 Feb, 2009
Ras Al Khaimah FEBRUARY 20TH 2009:
For the third consecutive year, a series of astoundingly fast performances from the emerging Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) have forced their way to the top of the world half marathon rankings, with a world record and world bests en route, only denied by unseasonably strong winds off the Arabian Gulf.
Packed elite fields on this pancake flat course promised great...
Fri 20 Feb, 2009
Ras Al Khaimah FEBRUARY 20TH, 2009
Kenya's Patrick Makau not only won the third RAK Half Marathon today with the second fastest time in history, but it has emerged he did after all, break the world record for 20km en route. His time at 20km was 55:38; fully ten seconds faster than the previously accepted mark of Haile Gebrselassie.
"The Emperor" set the time of 55:48 when running in...
Wed 18 Feb, 2009
RAK RARING TO GO
THE RACE TO WATCH? DERIBA v MAKAU; WOMEN TOUGHER TO CALL
The packed elite fields anticipating super-fast racing in the third edition of the RAK Half Marathon on Friday, have arrived at their luxury resort base, as final preparations for this rapidly growing annual contest, this year attracting almost 2,000 entries, conclude.
The ambitions of Race Director Nathan Clayton are...
Fri 06 Feb, 2009
Marathon stars Goumri and Rothlin join RAK Half line-up
The men's field in the third edition of the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon, now just two weeks away, has grown even stronger with the addition of two significant names, each aiming to sharpen up in preparation for his spring marathon effort: Morocco's Abderrahim Goumri, the sixth fastest marathon runner in history, has thrown his hat in to...
Tue 27 Jan, 2009
Women's field strengthened & Men's improved further at RAK 2009
With just over 3 weeks till race day, the organisers of the 3rd Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon can confirm their women's line-up, with significant additions to strengthen an already mouth-watering start list.
Headed by two Kenyans, veteran Edith Masai (67:45) and 2008 world No.1 Philes Ongori (67:57), the RAK field can now boast...
Tue 13 Jan, 2009
Focus on top three men - and possible revenge over Olympic Champion
With the athletics year lying ahead, focus now falls on early season road races, after an astonishing 2008 where world records fell in so many events. For three contrasting athletes however, 2009 promises to be a decisive year in which they are each capable of changing their status significantly.
For Deriba Merga of Ethiopia, the ups...
Thu 01 Jan, 2009
Elite field announced for 20th February race
With just over seven weeks to go, nothing less than a new world best is the target for the elite male athletes in the third edition of the RAK Half Marathon (Friday 20th February), the world\'s top winter half marathon. A total of thirteen men in the field have broken the still much respected one hour barrier ensuring that for the third consecutive year,...
Sat 27 Dec, 2008
Ras Al Khaimah December: "Finding out about the RAK Half Marathon has never been easier," claim the Race Organizers who have just re-launched the official event website with an Arabic version.
Nathan Clayton, Race Director and Managing Director of Premier Marathons, the organizing company behind the Middle East\'s highest accredited road race explains what is new: "We felt it was time that this event...
Wed 03 Dec, 2008
Ras Al Khaimah: Once more the sporting world gets ready to turn its attention to Ras Al Khaimah with the third edition of the RAK Half Marathon announced for February 20th 2009.
In the race billed by some as the 'World's Top Winter Half Marathon' that witnessed a world record time in the first year and closely fought battles in year two that resulted in a photo finish in both the men's and women's...
Fri 21 Nov, 2008
Ethiopian Marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie was today (21/11/08) presented with the AIMS/Citizen World's Fastest Time Award for his world-record-breaking performance in this year's Berlin Marathon.
Haile's time of 2:03:59 achieved on 28th September 2008 beat the previous men's marathon world record, achieved by Haile on the same course last year, by an incredible 27 seconds.
This outstanding...
Tue 18 Nov, 2008
'Adding value to your marathon' was the topic of the 2nd Marathon Symposium of the Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS) held in Marathon (Greece) on Saturday. The Symposium took place on the day before the 26th Athens Classic Marathon which featured more than 10,000 runners (including running events at shorter distances) for the first time in its history. A large number of Race...
Thu 23 Oct, 2008
Dubai Creek Striders will hold their 7th Johnson Arabia Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon on 5th December 2008. The race starts and ends at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, following a great cultural and scenic route along, over and under Dubai Creek and through the souq in Bur Dubai.
Never run a Half Marathon before? No problem!
Dubai Creek Striders Running Club focuses on long distance running...
Tue 21 Oct, 2008
The Executive Organizing Committee today launches online registration for the RAK Half Marathon 2009 to be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah on February 20th 2009.
Online registration will be provided exclusively through Premier Marathons.
Registration is open for both the Half Marathon and the Team Relay...
Sun 07 Sep, 2008
Premier Marathons has launched the solution to online event registration in the UAE, Middle East and globally. Starting September 7th Race Directors & Event Organizers can create their very own Premier Marathons Race Director Account on www.premiermarathons.com and benefit from the easy way to set up and manage event registration - from Start to Finish!
Here's why:
As your online registration partner,...
Sun 07 Sep, 2008
Premier Marathons is pleased to announce the re-launch of its parent website www.premiermarathons.com packed full of new features for the sporting community. The new website launched today fulfills two important main functions; it allows Race Directors/Event Organizers to create either a listing of their event or a listing with an Online Registration facility, it also provides an easy to use and...
Apply for Accreditation
If you intend to cover the RAK Half Marathon 2013 from the venue in Ras Al Khaimah, you'll need to apply for a Media Pass.
Without the pass you'll not be able to gain access to the event areas. Your Media Pass will also entitle you to complimentary refreshments throughout the morning.
Simply download the form below, fill in all sections and email or fax it back to us.
Conditions of Media Pass:
- Media ID will be required to collect your passes. It is one pass per Media ID.
- Only Event Issued Passes will be accepted by the venue security.
- NO ACCESS will be granted without an Media Pass.
- NO VEHICLES are permitted anywhere on the course.
Security Personnel and Race Officials reserve the right to eject anyone at anytime from any part of the venue (including the race course) not displaying the correct accreditation.
Media Guide
There will be lots of runners, media personnel, race crew and spectators taking part on the day so we think that this guide is an excellent means of getting all the race information to you before the starting horn sounds!
The online version will be updated as we have new news.
For press related enquiries please contact our Media Department on media@rakmarathon.org.
Download
Race Resources
To facilitate your reporting we've compiled some information, documents and photographs about the race.
These will be added to on a regular basis.
Press Photos
PLEASE NOTE: Text and images placed in this section may be used freely by the media for the purpose of reporting on / promoting the RAK Half Marathon and/or Premier Marathons, however all photos/images must be credited to 'Premier Marathons' or as indicated. Requests for additional information should be directed to media@rakmarathon.org.
Facts & Figures
Race Results
