News Archive

News Archive

XV. AIMS World Congress in Valencia / Spain – the largest races in the world get together

AIMS, the association of the largest running event organisers in the world

(Association of International Marathons and Road Races) which was founded in

May 1982 at the 1st World Congress in London, met with its members this year

from February 17-19 at the bi-annual world congress in Valencia, Spain.

The congress took place parallel to the 25th anniversary of the “Maraton

Popular de Valencia“, which is put on by the Sociedad Deportiva

Correcaminos, the local running and sport club.

With ca. 780,000 inhabitants, Valencia, which is located at the Costa Blanca

on the Mediterranean just a 30-minute flight away from Mallorca, is the third

largest city in Spain and is making great efforts to bring big sporting events

to the city.

Just recently it was unsuccessful in bringing the IAAF Track and Field

Championships in 2009 to the city, but it has reached one large goal: the

America’s Cup will soon be a guest in the city.

Ideal for runners

It is an ideal place for runners to train — the river Turia, which once

ran through the city, was simply redirected, and the former river bed is now a

wide green strip lined with parks, playgrounds and playing fields and is a

great place to train. In addition, unique and architecturally very impressive

cultural and exhibition venues have been built and are still being built

here.

The AIMS members took part in a reception in the Valencia city town hall,

where the mayor, Rita Barbera, greeted and welcomed the international race

organizers.

Valencia

Valencia is a very inviting and friendly city with impressive architecture and

very well cared for old buildings, numerous small restaurants and cafes. At

night, the historical edifices are lighted and are a delicacy for tourists to

admire.

200 races from 70 countries

AIMS now represents 200 large races event organisers from 70 countries, led by

the the big marathon like Boston Marathon, the Flora London Marathon, the ING

New York City Marathon, the LaSalle Chicago Marathon and the real,- BERLIN

MARATHON.

The president of AIMS is Hiroaki Chosa (JPN), who is also the race director

of the famous Fukuoka Marathon and a member of the IAAF Road Races und

Cross-Country Commission.

Martin Fiz as speaker

The speakers at the congress, which was excellently prepared and organised by

AIMS board member Francisco Borao, included Martin Fiz, Marathon World

Champion, Adrian Metcalfe (GBR), chairman of the UK Sport’s Intl. Panel,

Greg Bowman (AUS), responsible for the sport presentations of the Olympic Games

in Sydney 2000, Rodolfo Eichler (BRA), Mark Milde (Berlin), Alan Brooks

(Toronto), Dr. Jesus Torres (Madrid) and Dr. Lars Brechtel from the medical

team of the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON.

Dr. Lars Brechtel held an impressive talk about the medical care and safety

at the large marathon races. The statistical data gathered during the last few

marathons in Berlin was made public for the first time in this form.

300 members in the future

AIMS is planning on having 300 members from around the world in the future,

while value is still being placed on further improving the quality standards

and the communication between the members, which is promoted by the quarterly

magazine “Distance Running“ and through the website

www.aims-association.org

The next period of AIMS is going on with Hiroaki Chosa (JPN) as president

and with u.a. Allan Steinfeld (New York City), Nick Bitel (London), Horst Milde

(Berlin), Guy Morse (Boston) and others.

The further development of the sport of running, especially efforts to

motivate more girls and women to run, are main goals for AIMS for the future.

Another aim is to evoke more interest in running events from Asian organizers

in order to expand the segment of the population interested in running on that

continent.

In this sense, it is appropriate that the XVI AIMS World Congress in 2007

will take place in Xiamen, China.

Regional AIMS meeting and course-measurer seminar in Berlin

2005

AIMS will also continue to improve and optimise the communication and

cooperation between running event organisers regionally outside of the World

Congresses.

Thus, at the 32nd real,- BERLIN-MARATHON on September 25, 2005 there will be a

parallel meeting of the European AIMS members, as well as a seminar on

surveying in cooperation with the DLV and the IAAF.

Valencia marathon

The Valencia Marathon set a new event record with 3,500 runners. With the

weather overcast and cool with strong winds, the runners made a big loop

through the city centre, finishing in a stadium.

The record-holders for the race are Samuel Tangus (KEN) with 2:13:05 (2002),

who won in 2003 as well, and for the women, Maria Abel (ESP) in 2:28:08.

The victors in 2005:

Men:

1. Rachid Chaoudi (MAR) 2:14:03

2. Joseph Mutiso (KEN) 2:14:50

3. Erik Kiptoo (KEN) 2:15:10

Women:

1. Nadejda Zolotareva 2:43:24

2. Isabella Kerubo (KEN) 2:45:04

A total of 3,061 runners crossed the finish at the 25th Valencia

Marathon.

Horst Milde

www.correcaminos.org

Photos:

Francis Kay - 2 x

Global-Pix.com Ltd

Hamilton, New Zealand

www.Marathon-Photos.com

Mark Milde: 1 x