EVENT TEE: All participants will get these beautiful HSL Samarahan Marathon tees.
FINISHER: Only finishers of 21km and 42km will receive exclusive finisher tees for the HSL Samarahan Marathon.
KUCHING: Organisers of the first ever HSL Samarahan Marathon on May 11 and 12 are raring to go.
“We have fewer than 15% of tickets left. The biggest category, the 21km half marathon, is sold out. We’re so happily surprised,” La Promenade Mall’s events coordinator Sunny Stephen said.
“We are telling everyone who wanted 21km to instead join other competitive categories of 10km or 42km,” Sunny said, adding that prize money topped a whopping RM58,000.
BEST: Best dressed runners for 3km and 6km will win cash prizes. File photo show winners from HSL’s 2021 Fitness Weekend.
Also available are 3km and 6km fun runs — targeted at novices and families — with special Best Costume cash prizes. Guest judges for the Best Costume include popular influencers Global Gibbon and team members of Wanka Travel.
GUEST JUDGES: Popular influencers Global Gibbon and the Wanka Travel team members will guest judge the best dressed competition.
Overall, only about 300 slots remain across all categories of the two-day event, which coincides with La Promenade’s Mother’s Day celebrations.
Kota Samarahan Municipal Council chairman Datuk Peter Minos expressed delight, saying he never expected such a strong response.
“It just goes to show how exciting Samarahan is, and how much people enjoy fun, healthy events,” Peter said.
“On behalf of the council, we thank Hock Seng Lee (HSL). Without HSL, the event could not have been possible. We have been planning this marathon for two years. HSL is the main organiser, and the title sponsor, which is why tickets are so cheap,” Peter said.
The HSL Samarahan Marathon boasts one of the flattest and fastest race courses in Malaysia. Peter expected many to break their “Personal Best”, and he encouraged amateurs to level-up to a longer distance.
“There is hardly any elevation gain. This course is perfect for pros and beginners. I foresee Samarahan Marathon to be one of the best in Malaysia for its course,” Peter said.
ROUTES: All routes are fast and flat. The elevation gain is minimal, and uniquely, the 42km route goes through beautiful Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.
A team of over 300 people will be involved in carrying out the two-day marathon event, beginning on May 11 evening for the fun runs.
They include about 30 traffic police, 50 race marshals, a dozen first aiders, and 40 more from HSL’s own events and security team.
There will be more than 20 pacers for the 42km and 21km.
PACER: The professionally organised HSL Samarahan Marathon includes pacers for 21km and 42km categories.
For the full marathon, six groups of pacers will do times between 4:30 hours and 7 hours — 30 minutes apart.
For the half marathon, five pacer groups will do 2 hours to 3 hours — 15 minutes apart.
Uniquely, organisers are working closely with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. “I’m delighted to announce 200 paid volunteers from Unimas have signed up for the marathon,” Sunny said.
The volunteers would be split into duties like race pack collection, water stations and merchandise.
There would also be representatives and logistics personnel from Citadines Uplands Kuching and Rume Hotel, which are hotel partners offering runners discounted rates.
Other event sponsors include Milo, which is deploying the much-loved Milo Trucks, and 100 Plus.
Sunway Medical Centre will also be on hand to give sports related traditional Chinese medicine aid and support.
Star runners include the whole of the Haolian Group, comprising Sarawak’s most elite marathoners like Andy Yeo, and HSL’s sponsored ultra trail marathoner, Sally Yap.
ELITE: Star runners include Malaysia’s ultra trail marathoner, Sally Yap, and members of the elite Haolian Group.
PROMINENT: La Promenade Mall is located strategically along the busy Kuching-Samarahan Expressway.
Race pack collection begins, May 9, Thursday.
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