North Pole Marathon

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Final Countdown to 2008 North Pole Marathon

Richard Donovan / 22.03.2008

The North Pole Marathon always features a diverse range of competitors and the 2008 race is no different. Among the field is a three-time Olympian at rowing, a former special forces soldier, a top ultra athlete and many seasoned marathoners. Three German participants - Sarah Ames, Hans-Wilhelm Hamke and Jurgen Heilbock - have already run a marathon on every continent. They will be joining the Marathon Grand Slam Club by finishing the distance at the North Pole. Joining them will be Dawn Hamlin (USA) who has just set a new world record for the shortest duration to run marathons on all seven continents.

Korea's Byeung Sik Ahn, winner of the Gobi March desert race in 2006 and a top finisher in other multi-stage races, will be hoping to perform well at the front end of the men's field. But he won't have it easy with the challenge of the Germans and Great Britain's Charles Sanders. Peter Ferris of Ireland, the most experienced marathoner in the race, will also be looking for a good showing. He has almost three-hundred marathons to his credit and holds a PB of 2:47.

Jeremy Clay of Great Britain will be running in memory of his friend and work colleague Mark Clifford. Mark completed the North Pole Marathon in 2006, but tragically died in a quad bike accident one year later. Organisers are also dedicating this year's event to his memory and a minute's silence will be observed in the frigid conditions.

The women's field will see eight runners from Denmark, Germany, Great Britan, Sweden and the USA battling it out. Included among them is Alison Gill of Great Britain, a veteran of the 1988, 92 and 96 Olympic Games in which she competed in rowing.

The outright winner of the 2008 North Pole Marathon will receive a coveted Kobold expedition watch for his or her efforts on the high Arctic Ocean. The 2007 champion was Irishman Thomas Maguire, a top 12 finisher in the World 100km Championships. He established a new record of 3:36:10 for the event.See All Event Posts