The 30th Wilmslow Half Marathon is fast approaching and the committee are delighted to announce that Waters Corporation have become the lead sponsor.
This ever popular event, rated as one of the premiere UK half marathons, will take place on Sunday 23rd March with the race starting at 10.30am from Wilmslow Rugby Club.
In recent years, past winners Andy Jones, Thomas Abyu and three times lady champion Michelle-Ross Cope have used the event as a spring board to European, World or Commonwealth games championships. Other local athletes, Gareth Raven from Sale and Dave Norman from Altrincham both boast international appearances and regularly feature at the front of the field.
Last year the race was won by Joe Mcdonald an ex Alderley Edge resident now living in London, and the ladies race was won by Julie Briscoe of Wakefield. Prize money totals £11,000 with a bonus payable to anyone beating the men's course record of 61.52, set in 2004 by Isaac Macharia of Kenya, or the ladies course record of 72.02 set by Michelle Ross-Cope in 2010.
Nick Bishop said "With over 5,000 race entries accepted, the opinion is that on race day, the population of Wilmslow swells by an additional 10,000 people!
"With the involvement of Waters, this also means an additional 500 car parking spaces will be made available at their new headquarters on Altrincham Road."
While elite runners compete for championship honours and cash prizes, the race itself raises in excess of £250,000 each year for charities as runners pound the streets for their own chosen charity, many with very personal reasons.
This year the chosen lead charity for the race is Stockport Cerebral Palsy Society which supports disabled children and adults in the local community to lead a more independent life, especially those with the most complex needs.
All roads on the course will be closed to traffic as runners race along the country lanes from Wilmslow to Mobberley and then back again. Surrounding roads are also affected and the closure starts from 10.00am. Kings Road will close at 10am and Altrincham Road at 10.15am. Significant delays are to be expected.
