Rössing Marathon 2019

The annual Rössing Marathon takes place in Swakopmund on Saturday, 9 February 2019, from the Pro-Ed Akademie sports fields in Ocean View, as part of the mine’s drive to pro-mote healthy habits and support positive lifestyles in the community.

The popular event, supported by Namibia’s elite athletes, is a certi-fied race, permitted by Athletics Namibia. This year the event is sponsored for the 28th consecutive year by Rio Tinto Rössing Uranium and hosted by Swakop Striders Athletics Club. Events include a 42.2km full marathon, 21.1km half marathon, 10km run, 10km relay for invited uranium companies and 5km fun walk for the general public.
Last year’s winner of the Rössing Marathon was Mathews Mutanya of Zambia in a time of 2 hours 16 minutes and 52 seconds. The first Namibian athletes over the line were Tomas Rainhold of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) sport club and Anna Amutoko, winning the marathon ladies Open category.
The total prize monies for the event in 2019 amount to more than N$100 000. The first prize for the marathon is N$10 000 each for the men’s and ladies Open winners, with the Namibian winners (male and female) each also receiving a N$20 000 in-kind development bonus in support of their sport career development throughout the year. An extra N$1 000 cash bonus is up for grabs should the marathon records be broken in the Open categories (male and female). The Rössing Marathon record of two hours, eleven minutes and twenty-three seconds (2:11:23) by Luketz Swartbooi was set in 1992.
The general public is invited to join a scenic 5km fun walk to the beach on the day, with all proceeds going to the Cancer Association of Namibia in the fight against cancer. The 5km Fun Walk follows a new, scenic route from the Pro-Ed Akademie sports fields to the beach this year. The coastal community is invited to come out and support the event, which has become popular with social athletes, families and corporate entities for team building and a bit of light exercise in support of a good cause. The Fun Walk includes an exciting competition for best themed/most original costume, funniest hat, youngest walker (excluding toddlers in prams & pets), oldest walker, tallest walker and cutest pet walker. Invited uranium companies in the region will once again compete in a 10km uranium relay event, which is aim-ed at building friendships among the industry’s employees. Proceeds collected from entries and donations for this event as well as the Uranium Relay for invited uranium companies will go to the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) for the fight against cancer in Namibia.
Early entry fees – up to Wednesday, 6 February 2019 at noon – for the Marathon and Half Marathon are N$80; For the 10 km Run N$60; and for the Uranium Relay event N$100 (per team of two runners). Late registration will take place on Friday, 8 February 2019 at the venue, from 16:00 to 20:00. Late entry fees are N$100 for the Marathon and Half Marathon; N$80 for the 10km Run; and N$120 for the Uranium Relay (per team of two runners).
All participating athletes will receive a race number during registration. All race packs MUST be collected during late registration on Friday, 8 February, as no athletes without race numbers will be allowed to take part in the event. Registration for the 5km Fun Walk takes place at the venue on Saturday, 9 February, from 08:00 to 09:00.
In an effort to make the event safer and avoid heavy traffic in the town area, the start/finish point of the Rössing Marathon moves to the Pro-Ed Akademie sports fields in Ocean View this year. Runners will start at the sports field and run out onto the Henties Bay road as in previous years. Various water points and race marshals will be posted along the route. Motorists are cautioned to please be on the look-out for runners during the event, from 07:00 to 12:00 on Saturday, 9 February.
PROGRAMME
10km Run – 07:30
Uranium Relay – 07:30
5km Fun Walk – 09:00
CUT-OFF TIMES:
Marathon – 12:00 (5 hours)
Half Marathon – 10:00 (3 hours)
10km Run – 09:30 (2 hours)
Uranium Relay – 09:30 (2 hours)
PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONIES:
10km Run, Uranium Relay and 5km Fun Walk – 10:00
Marathon and Half Marathon – 12:30
Rössing Uranium creates positive social impacts where we operate, helping to improve living standards, health and wellbeing, and education in our host communities. As a responsible mining company our approach equips our partners to reap sustainable benefits long after our operations close. The theme for this year’s Rössing Marathon is “My health, my right!” Entries are open at www.rossing.com.