The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2006, postponed from its original date in early January, is back on track and will take place on Friday, February 17. Dubai Marathon: Official Site

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon was scheduled to take place on January 6 but was immediately postponed following the demise of HH the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Announcing the new date, Event Organiser Peter Connerton said there was never any doubt the event would be rescheduled.

‘Following the tragic news of the loss of HH Sheikh Maktoum, we immediately put plans for the Marathon on hold,’ he said. ‘The international runners and all the officials were in Dubai preparing for the race and completely understood the reasons for the postponement as I’m sure did all of our registered runners in the Marathon, the 10km and the 3km fun run.’

With the new date confirmed, Connerton added that all competitors who had registered for January 6 will be eligible to run on February 17. ‘Obviously, anyone who was too late for the first closing date for registration can now enter for the re-scheduled race,’ he said. ‘We will be taking new registrations on line as well as by post up until the deadline of February 10.’

Ray Ferguson, CEO, Standard Chartered UAE, added:’Standard Chartered backs this event because we believe, as do the organisers, that the Dubai Marathon can eventually take its rightful place alongside other key events such as the London and New York runs. We are fully behind the organisers’ attempts to make Dubai an inbound tourist destination for distance runners.

‘Mainline sponsorship of the marathon is in line with our commitment to support the community of the UAE.’

One of the landmark events on the Dubai sporting calendar, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon had already attracted a field of elite distance runners, including several top-class African runners from the portfolio of l international agent Dr Federico Rosa.

But while many of these athletes will be unable to make the new date, Rosa is in no doubt as to the quality of the field for February 17. ‘Many athletes see Dubai as a great venue to set a personal best and several of them were disappointed that their calendars could not allow them to run in January,’ he said. ‘Now those that couldn’t make it before will be available for the new date, while others who were carrying injuries will be fully fit come February 17. If anything, the new date will make the event even bigger and better.’

Those runners already registered and who collected their run numbers should keep them for the new date, while those athletes who registered and have not yet collected their numbers should collect them at the Dubai World Trade Centre on February 14 or 15 between 11.00am and 7.00pm or on February 16 between 11.00am and 4.00pm.

‘Anyone who didn’t manage to register for the original date can do so by registering online or by posting the original registration form or the form available on the website before the February 10 deadline,’ added Connerton.

In addition to title sponsors Standard Chartered, other sponsors of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2006 are JW Marriott, Isostar, Dubai Sports City, AMG, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Bone & Joint Center, Toyota, Aquafina and the Dubai World Trade Centre.