Competitor Group Announces International Expansion to the United Kingdom

ADT Edinburgh Half Marathon to rebrand as the Rock ‘n' Roll Edinburgh Half Marathon 

Scottish Olympian Liz McColgan, "Red Hot Chili Pipers" to participate in inaugural event – Partnership with GB Events includes retention of race director Mike James – Deal expands Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series to Twenty-Five events worldwide in 2012

San Diego, Calif. – June 28, 2011 – Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI), the leading media and event resource in the active lifestyle industry, today announced the continued expansion of the Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series into Europe with the first ever Rock ‘n' Roll Edinburgh Half Marathon, scheduled for April 15, 2012.

"We are pleased to announce our newest destination of the Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series in Edinburgh, the storied capital city of Scotland," said Scott Dickey, President of CGI. "Under the grand backdrop of the city's momentous castles and iconic history, we will create an event weekend experience unlike any other. This expansion will create new opportunities for partners to reach the United Kingdom's vast number of affluent participants in the running sector."

Through an agreement with GB Events, CGI has acquired the ADT Edinburgh Half Marathon and will rebrand the event under CGI's flagship Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series umbrella. The deal includes the retention of existing race director Mike James and the event's rebranding will focus on providing an upgraded entertainment experience for participants. 

"The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series is very well established in the USA and it's a great honor for Edinburgh to have been selected as the first UK city alongside Madrid, Spain in its new European line-up," said Councilor Steve Cardownie, Festivals and Events Champion for the City of Edinburgh, who also announced he would participate in April's half-marathon. "That they've come to Edinburgh first is a fantastic indication of our sterling reputation as a world-leading events destination – our 'can-do' attitude and spectacular backdrops are the ideal ingredients for a highly successful event."

Launched in 1998 in San Diego, Calif., the Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series is renowned for placing entertainment stages along every mile of the course, lining the route with hundreds of local cheerleaders and then topping the event experience off with a finish line concert celebration for all participants. The series of marathons and half-marathons have spearheaded an active lifestyle movement that provides a healthy, entertainment outlet for people from all walks of life. 

"I'm very excited about the re-brand. My company GB Events has grown the existing event to 4,500 entries over the past couple of years, but with Competitor Group now at the helm I am confident we will hit our new target of 10,000 runners," said Mike James, Managing Director of GB Events, who will be retained as the Race Director of Rock 'n' Roll Edinburgh. "I will continue to work on the event as the Race Director, which is the same role, however the difference now is that the event has the support of the world's largest running event provider."

Today, the Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon formula has spread to twenty five cities around the world and will attract over 450,000 participants in 2012. The combined economic impact generated in each local market surpassed $500 million to its fourteen host cities in 2010.  The events have become a fundraising powerhouse for charities who have developed endurance-training programs, such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen for the Cure^® who have combined to raise in excess of $256 million through the series since 1998.

"This is a coup for Edinburgh as the half-marathon attracts profile and economic return," said Lucy Bird, Chief Executive of Marketing Edinburgh. "It also sounds as if it's going to be a huge amount of fun. Alongside the live soundtrack, our city's stunning backdrop will no doubt help runners on their way and we look forward to welcoming the event next year."

A Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series event is a weekend celebration with a free two-day Health & Fitness Expo and a post-race concert featuring a headlining act. The Health & Fitness Expo is where all race participants go to pick up their race number and browse through thousands of fitness related products and retailers, samples, informational clinics and event merchandise.

For more information about the Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series, visit Competitor.com.

Dan Cruz

dcruz@competitorgroup.com