Haspa Hamburg Marathon on may 22, 2011 – German Marathon Championships

1. Dispatch of Haspa Hamburg Marathon Invitations effected – Entry Deadline for foreign runners: 21 April 2011
2. Registration for the German Marathon Championships
3. Running market leader ASICS successfully started with Frontrunner Initiative

1.) Dispatch of Haspa Hamburg Marathon Invitations effected – Entry Deadline for foreign runners: 21 April 2011

After the online portal is open since 15th October and registry for the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on 22 May 2011 is possible, the invitations have now been sent by postal mail to the participants of previous years.

In this context, we appreciate the patience of all who have been waiting since mid-September for this invitation and asked for it several times.

For the first time more than 10,000 Danish runners received an invitation in their own language. First we hereby wish to thank our northern neighbors for their loyalty, who in recent years had the largest group of foreign runners with more than 1,500 marathoners. Second, we want to especially highlight and introduce a participating country each year. In 2011 we do this with just that country that brought more runners to the starting line in 25 years than all other countries: Denmark.

We look forward to anyone who registers for Germany's largest spring marathon until 21 April 2011.

2.) Registration for the German Marathon Championships (Please note that this article applies only for German runners!)

The Haspa Marathon Hamburg will be the framework for the German Marathon Championships in 2011. Allowed to participate are all runners who have a valid start pass of the DLV. All registrations received will be sent to the national federations to check the validity of eligibility after the deadline. Otherwise, the terms and conditions of Haspa Marathon Hamburg, the event invitation DM Marathon and the general conditions of the DLV (DLV homepage) apply.

Entries are possible on www.marathon-hamburg.de from now on; entry deadline is Thursday 21 April  2011.

Registrations are only possible with the organizer of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, ACT AGENCY GmbH. Online entries on www.marathon-hamburg.de are only possible using the b.m. codes, which are associated to the respective national association – these also have to be noted on the postal registration form:

German Champions (single valuation 2010) participate free of charge. An online entry is not necessary. Instead the entry has to be made by postal mail using the official entry form.

Moreover participants in the German Champioships get several benefits:

• 5-EURO discount on registration fee
• separated race document collection
• separated clothes deposit
• separated self nutrition deposit
• separated start block
• low bib numbers
• separated self nutrition hand out at refreshment stations
• winner ceremony in a festive atmosphere as final event
• Participants in German Championships will also be valuated in the overall Haspa Marathon Hamburg valuation.

Single valuation will be effected according to gross times. Team valuation by addition of gross times.

Should an entry be valid for a younger senior age class due to team valuation this applies also for single valuation.

3.) Running market leader ASICS successfully started with Frontrunner Initiative (Please note that this article applies only for German runners!)

"With our offer we want to give special services to a selected group from the German scene of runners and also expand the opportunity for qualified feedback on our premium products even further. We very consciously seek critical testers, creative opinion leaders and above-average performers, which support and inspire us in our claim to produce the best products for our core sport of running" explains ASICS spokeswoman Laura Suffa the social media engagement.

The members of the new network will receive a starter kit containing sponsorship with high-quality ASICS equipment: the Frontrunner equipment. In addition, regularly every year product testing and pre-tests (Product testing before launch) will be carried out. In the event field special promotions will be offered and organized: from Meet-and-Greet of the members via free starts at national and international running events to running seminars with famous faces from the scene. The aim is to provide the Frontrunners with distinct added value in every respect. According to aspects of performance and competitive activities, there will also be, based on a score board system, an internal ranking among active members. Prizes and benefits wait for the determined "Frontrunner of the Month" and "Frontrunner of the Year".

As experts and contacts in the extensively envisaged blog of the community Germany's former international top athletes Sonja Oberem and Carsten Eich are available with in-depth expertise on all issues from runners' world. The competence duo will be complemented by product experts and a panel of experts with Martin Grüning (Deputy Chief Editor Runner's World), Jo Schindler (Race Director Frankfurt Marathon), Isabelle Baumann (former national coach long distance) and Dr. med. Jens Enneper (Marathon doctor, doctor DLV and DFB). The jury is in charge, inter alia, for the candidate selection and evaluation of the scoreboard.

Since end of September 2010, more than 1,000 interested people have applied for a Frontrunner membership. The first members are already confirmed and another 40 will be selected by mid-December. The application period for another 50 Frontrunners will be held in February 2011. The community can also be followed by external users under www.netzathleten.de/frontrunner.

Haspa Marathon Hamburg