Press Releases
 

RUN PARADISE !
The Laguna Phuket International Marathon™, 2007
June 15th – 17th 2007

The Laguna Phuket International Marathon™ 2007, the largest destination marathon in South East Asia, will take place on Sunday 17th June 2007

Only in its sophomore year, the Laguna Phuket International Marathon™ 2007 looks set to build substantially upon the success of last year’s inaugural event.

Organisers Go Adventure Asia are expecting a 100 per cent increase in participants – including 1,500 international runners from 40 different countries – which will provide a global platform for the beautiful Thai region.

The date of the event was specifically chosen to maximise the benefits of the event for the island. Held
during a traditional low-season the, Laguna Phuket International Marathon™ 2007 will encourage the tourist industry to thrive throughout a typically quiet period.

The focus of the event is not on breaking world records but in establishing a respected competition that exposes the true beauty of Phuket. Following the Tsunami disaster in 2004, the organisers set out to create
an event that celebrated how the people, businesses, and landscape of Thailand had recovered and were moving forward.

In 2007, Go Adventure Asia is encouraging runners to raise money for a charity of their choice. This is a new concept in Thailand, but the organisers hope to emulate the success of the London Marathon, whose 9500 participants raised in excess of £12 million in 2006. The Laguna Phuket International Marathon™ 2007 has nominated HOPE worldwide (Thailand) as its official charity. HOPE worldwide (Thailand) is dedicated to helping needy children and underprivileged girls in Thailand.

LAGUNA PHUKET INTERNATIONAL MARATHON™ 2007 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

  • Friday June 15th – Expo – Participants pick up Race-Kit’s @Laguna Beach Resort
  • Saturday June 16th – Expo – Participants pick up Race-Kit’s @Laguna Beach Resort
  • Saturday June 16th – Pasta Party @ Similian Ball Room, Laguna Beach Resort
  • Sunday June 17th – 2nd Laguna Phuket International Marathon™

• 05.00hrs – Start of Marathon
• 06.00hrs – Start of Half Marathon
• 06.30hrs - Start of 10k Fun Run
• 08.00hrs - Start 5k walk
• 09.00hrs – Start 1k Kids Run
• 09.30hrs – Winner’s Presentation
• 10.00hrs – Cultural Performances on stage

  • Sunday June 17th – Farewell Party @ Columbian Garden, Dusit Laguna Resort

The race course navigates around the picturesque Northern part of the island, allowing people of all abilities to participate whilst still enjoying the stunning scenery of the island. A 5km Walk has been organised in addition to the Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km Fun Run – making this incredible sporting experience available to people of all ages and athleticism.

A ‘Pasta Party’ on the evening of the 16th and a Farewell Party on the 17th provide an excellent opportunity to meet fellow runners, organisers, and taste some of the delicious seafood from the Andaman region. Entertainment will be provided by traditional musicians so participants can taste both the delicacies and culture of the island – before exploring the geography during the race. Tickets can be bought online or at the event Expo on the 15th and 16th June.

Phuket International Marathon™ 2006 – Starting line
Phuket International Marathon™ 2006
Phuket International Marathon™ 2006 -
‘Pasta Party’
Phuket Inernational Marathon™ 2006 –
Trophy Presentation

“2007 will be an excellent year for the Marathon” commented Raimund Wellenhofer – Laguna Phuket International Marathon™ 2007 race director - “The professional organisation of the inaugural event was commended – but for 2007 the race has grown significantly in size, and as such, we hope to offer sporting excellence while providing even greater exposure for the region’s beauty and abilities.”

For Interviews / Images / Further Information
Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd.
198 Tanou Road, Bovernives,
Pranakorn, Bangkok, 10200, Thailand
Tel/Fax +66 2622 0605 - 7
Paul Poole – Managing Director (English Speaking)
Tel +66 86563 3196 / paulpoole@email.com
Thanthip Kaewsri – Personal Assistant (Thai/ English Speaking)
Tel. +66 81694 7412 / thanthip@email.com

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First Phuket International Marathon™ a success
Bangkok, June 22, 2006



On 18 June 2006, the Thai resort island of Phuket hosted the first edition of the Phuket International Marathon™. Thousands of participants attended the event with crowds of runners participating in the marathon and supporting races.

Promoted under the "Run Paradise!" slogan, the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 km Fun Run and 1 km Kids Run on Sunday 18 June, allowed locals and some 500 foreign participants from more than 30 countries to discover the beautiful landscapes and famous beaches of the island. The event also boasted several celebrities such as Japanese TV personality and former Olympic runner Akemi Masuda, Korean pop star Lee Hee Jin from the girl band Baby Vox and world-famous scientist Alan Coleman, who was instrumental in the cloning of Dolly the Sheep.

Raimund Wellenhofer, Managing Director of event organizer Go Adventure Asia said: "For its first edition, the Phuket International Marathon™ has exceeded our expectations. Thanks to the combined effort of local government, sponsors and the entire Phuket community, the whole week-end was a success. The feedback from participants and the media has been wonderful and we look forward to doing it again next year on June 17th."

"To all the participants, I think that this was more than just a marathon. It's about experiencing Phuket and its magnificent surroundings, it about telling the world that Phuket in back, it's about traveling, it's about families participating together and, most importantly, it's about having fun" he added.

"We are particularly proud of the turnout of international runners and media. We had runners and media from the US, Europe, Australia, Japan and more. This clearly shows the strong interest of the international community in this event and the potential for the next edition. The Phuket International Marathon™ festival will be even better, even bigger next year, I am sure" said Raimund.

The overall marathon winner was a runner from Taipei named Shih Chieh Ko, while the winner in the women's group was Heather Alicia Gregg from the US.

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The Phuket International Marathon™ was presented by TAT, Thai Airways and Laguna Resorts. The Phuket Marathon™ is a member of the Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS). The course is AIMS measured and certified.

First Phuket International Marathon™
Getting Set to Make its Mark
 Bangkok, May 10, 2006


From 15 to 18 June 2006, the Thai resort island of Phuket will host the first edition of the Phuket International Marathon™ Festival. More than 10,000 participants are expected to attend the event with nearly 3,000 runners participating in the marathon and supporting races.

Promoted under the "Run Paradise!" slogan, the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 km Fun Run and 1 km Kids Run scheduled for Sunday 18 June, will allow locals and some 500 foreign participants from more than 30 countries to discover the beautiful landscapes and famous beaches of the island.

Thanks to the combined effort of local government, businesses, sponsors, volunteers and the entire community, within three years, the organizers, Bangkok-based sport marketing firm Go Adventure Asia and Japanese production company exclaNation, intend to make it the biggest running event in South East Asia, attracting around 2,000 international runners and some 20,000 people joining the festivities.

Sports commentator and 1984 Olympics marathon runner Akemi Masuda is the proud race ambassador for Japan. She commented, "I have been to Phuket many times and I believe we will have a great marathon festival here. I am very excited to be involved with this event and hope to bring as many Japanese runners as possible to Thailand. I have inspected the marathon course on my last visit and it is safe and very beautiful."

Managing Director of Go Adventure Asia, Mr. Raimund Wellenhofer said, "From a tourism point of view the event will greatly benefit Phuket's tourism industry during a quiet time of the year by drawing large numbers of runners from Thailand and overseas. The large media attention that the event will receive, both in Thailand and overseas, will further contribute to promoting Thailand and Phuket to the world. Already, we have more than 25 international journalists confirmed to cover the event. For a first time event this is quite an achievement which we are very proud of.

Furthermore, as you all know this year we are celebrating His Majesty the King's 60th accession to the throne and the Phuket International Marathon™ as an official Thailand Grand Invitation event will join the celebrations. In celebration of the occasion we have decided to donate 60 baht of each runner's entry fee to the Rajaprachasamasai Foundation under HM the King's patronage."

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The Phuket International Marathon™ is presented by TAT, Thai Airways and Laguna Resorts. It is sponsored by Powerbar, Gatorade, Pepsi, Bangkok Phuket Hospital Citizen, Go Thailand Tours, ChampionChip, Asia Pacific Harrier, Bangkok Shuho, Virgin Radio Thailand and Sportmag. The Phuket Marathon™ is a member of the Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS). The course is AIMS measured and certified.

Inaugural Phuket International Marathon™ To Take Place On 18 June 2006
3,000 Participants Expected To Take Part
 Bangkok, October 01, 2005



The inaugural Phuket International Marathon™ will be held on 18 June 2006 at the Laguna Resort, Phuket. With the slogan "Run Paradise" organizers encourage runners from around the world to participate in the Phuket International Marathon™ on Thailand's world renown resort island of Phuket.

Some 3,000 to 3,500 participants are expected to compete in the event, including an expected 1,000 international participants. The marathon will be the climax of a week full of sporting activities on the island. The race will start and finish at the world class Laguna Phuket resort which also hosts Thailand's leading triathlon, the Laguna Phuket Triathlon.

There will be a Marathon, a Half Marathon and a 10 Kilometer Run on offer and online registrations have opened on 1 October 2005. The early bird entry fee is US$ 50 for the Marathon, US$ 45 for the Half Marathon and US$ 35 for the 10 Kilometer Run.

Charity will play an important role in the event as all proceeds will go to charitable organizations. Organizers are currently in the process of identifying charities that will be supported through the event.

The hilly character of the Phuket landscape has presented the course designer with a challenge as finding a 42 kilometers long, flat stretch is difficult on the island. Nevertheless, organizers have come up with an attractive, flat course passing through the island's lush vegetation and past some of Phuket's famous beaches. Thai music bands will support the runners with typical Thai sounds along the way.

Less than a year after the devastating tsunami hit the island, Phuket has fully recovered from the aftermath of the disaster and is ready to welcome runners from around the world. Since July visitor arrivals have almost reached pre-tsunami levels and bookings for the high season in December and January are very strong. Phuket is back and for visitors it is again the tropical paradise it used to be.

The event is a member of the Association of Marathons and Road Races and will be organized by Bangkok-based sport marketing firm Go Adventure Asia. The company also organizes Thailand's leading cultural marathon, the ING Thailand Temple Run.