News

The real,- BERLIN MARATHON will continue to set the international

standards for inline skaters. For the third time in a row, the skaters’

race will take place as a separate event on Saturday, September 24, one

day before the runners’ race. Unlike last year, when the skaters had to

start at 10 a.m., this year the skaters will not take the start of the

real,- BERLIN MARATHON until at 4:30 p.m. 

The event thus returns to the afternoon, like it was two years ago,

which makes it much more attractive for both participants and

spectators.  With over 8,000 inline skaters last time, the real,-

BERLIN MARATHON was the largest skating marathon in the world—despite

the early starting time.  It is expected that this year the race

will continue to grow and strengthen its position at the lead, as the

later starting date will likely bring more participants.

The organisers from SCC RUNNING were able to arrange the later starting

time desired by the  participants through the cooperation of the

leading department stores along the marathon course—Galeria Kaufhof at

Alexanderplatz, Karstadt at Hermannplatz and KaDeWe at Wittenbergplatz.

The head of the Berlin-Brandenburg Trade Association e.V., Nils

Busch-Petersen, assisted the negotiations.  The inline skaters can

still finish their race before darkness falls, and those from out of

town can still arrive in Berlin on the day of the race, if necessary.

This is important, as with a 10 a.m. starting time, the out-of-towners

did not have a chance to get to Berlin on the day of the race and still

have time to pick up their race materials.

“I am certain that we have found a viable compromise for both sides,

even if we had trim the maximal race time for the skaters from 3 hours

to 2 and a half hours, in order to alleviate the burden on the city,”

says race director Mark Milde.  The Saturday race was an absolute

success story both of the past two years, with several hundred thousand

spectators cheering on the inline skaters. The atmosphere along the

course reminds one of the legendary cycling race, the Tour de France.

“We really hope that through this balancing of interests we are once

again successful in making the skating Saturday into another great

success within the framework of the 32nd real,- BERLIN MARATHON. 

The event is now truly an integral part of the city image and

beneficial to all involved,” says Nils Busch-Petersen.

SCC RUNNING also accepts online registration. Further information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com.