On Sunday, April 6, “smiling“ is called for from the participants
at the finish of the 23rd Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON on Alexanderstraße.
The participants will be greeted at the finish by a photographer, who will
take pictures of the happy faces as they cross the finish line. SCC RUNNING,
the organiser, already has reason to “smile“, for there are already
13,874 participants registered for the spring classic half marathon race
(21,0975 km), a new record.
Long before the final deadline, Germanys largest half marathon has
experienced another strong increase in registrations, compared to last year.
SCC RUNNING expects 17,000 -18,000 participants from 55 nations to join in the
start of the half marathon, together with the FUN RUN and Bambini Run. One can
register until Saturday, March 22, 2003 for the reduced price of €27.00
either by mail or online; after that it is more expensive (€ 30,-). The
online registration will then be closed. After that, registration will only be
possible in person on April 4 and 5, 2002 at the marathon trade fair on
Alexanderstrasse. Registration will not be possible on race day, April 6.
School kids from the Berlin schools can still register for the 4 km FUN RUN
“Around the Berlin City Hall“ through their sport teachers.
There will be prominent participants from the Brandenburg and Berlin
political scene at this years half marathon: Brandenburgs Minister for Justice
and European Issues, Barbara Richstein, who is by now a regular at numerous SCC
RUNNING events, will be participating. Berlins Senator for City Planning, Peter
Strieder, has also registered, after finishing his running premiere at the half
marathon last year with a good time. On April 6, the District Mayor of Mitte,
Joachim Zeller, will give the starting shot on Karl-Marx-Allee, near the
Congress Hall, and send the large field of runners on their sightseeing tour
through Berlin.