Rome Marathon

Sunday, March 18:  100,000 runners on the streets of the city.
The 18th Rome Marathon Acea, scheduled for Sunday, March 18, 2012 starting at 9am from the Via dei Fori Imperiali, is certified with “IAAF Gold Label Road Race”, the highest recognition awarded by the International Association of Athletics Federations. This is a historic milestone: for the first time an Italian marathon is inserted into the inner circle of the 16 tests on the distance certified Gold Label. The television coverage of the competition will be made by the RAI, with commentary on RAI Sport live from 1 to 9, and simultaneously on www.raisport.rai.it.
Combined with the competitive assay of 42.195 kilometers is the non-competitive program open to all, The RomaFun Stracittadina of 4 km: a success of participation that has no equal in Europe, given the more than 85,000 attendees expected at the start from the Imperial at 9.10 am.

 SPIRIT OF THE MARATHON II – THE ROME MARATHON BECOMES A MOVIE

“Spirit of the Marathon II – La Maratona di Roma” – the sequel to the hugely successful and critically acclaimed “Spirit of the Marathon” is now in production. The film will feature the stories of an entirely new cast of runners from first-time marathoners to the world’s elite all running the Rome Marathon.

Opening with the magnificent spectacle of the start to the Rome Marathon itself in front of one of the worlds most iconic landmarks – the ancient Colosseum – the film will then begin taking us through 26.2 miles of Rome’s most visually stunning streets and awe inspiring landmarks. En route each featured athlete will be introduced and their back stories will evolve along the way. The gradual revelation of who these individuals are along with their reasons for running will culminate as they approach the grand Arch of Constantine and once again arrive at the Colosseum making one final breathtaking circle before crossing the finish line. And like the first “Spirit of the Marathon”, additionally supporting each runner’s story, many of the world’s greatest marathon runners past and present will provide commentary and historical anecdotes throughout the film.

Expanding upon the first film, “Spirit of the Marathon II – La Maratona di Roma” will further articulate the unique story of the marathon and deepen it’s meaning and significance for runners, endurance athletes and society.

NUMBER ONE IN QUANTITY AND QUALITY
The ACEA Rome Marathon is the queen of evidence in Italy. In quantitative terms no national 42 km can in fact boast such a high number of participants. In qualitative terms, is the fastest Italian event: the absolute best performance on Italian soil were established in Rome, Benjamin Kiptoo from Kenya, 2:07:17 in 2009, the Russian Galina Bogomolova, 2:22:53 in 2008.

THE ROUTE: THE RUNS THROUGH THE HISTORY OF ROME
The participants and the international media define the path of Rome the most  evocative. The track is the classic of 2011, with transit to via Ostiense after the first kilometer and in the city center at the end. From the start, located in Via dei Fori Imperiali, passing through Piazza Venezia, the route winds through Via del Teatro Marcello, Via dei cerchi, Via Ostiense, Basilica di San Paolo, viale Marconi, Porta Portese, continuing along the river in the direction of synagogue, the Ara Pacis, Piazza Cavour, Piazza San Pietro with the view of the Vatican, and again along the river to the Foro Italico, a symbol of the Olympiad in Rome in 1960. It goes to the Mosque, Piazzale delle Belle Arti, Via Ripetta, Piazza Navona, Largo di Torre Argentina, Via del Corso, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia, Via Petroselli, Via di San Gregorio place of arrival of the Olympic marathon in 1960, the Coliseum, and arrival in Via dei Fori Imperiali. More than 500 places of historical, archaeological, religious and architectural are touched by the path.

TIME LIMIT 7 HOURS
To ensure the safety of runners along the route, the 8 refreshment points (one for every 5km, from 5th) have been provided with: health care, toilets, shuttles for the  withdrawn athletes, Civil Protection with radio service, race judges. 8 stations with chronometric detection with electronic chip and 8 locations for custom video. The deadline to close the race is 7 hours.
On public transport, bus, metro and trams, March 20 will travel free showing the race number of the marathon and RomaFun – La Stracittadina.

THE MEDAL

Medal 2012

Alfiero Nena, the sculptor who has been creating the Rome Marathon medals since 1998, is again author of a little miracle. There’s nothing revolutionary in his 2012 medal. No hidden monuments of the city he’s offering to runners, nor any oddity in shape or subject. This year, Alfiero has chosen his top classic icon: the Colosseum. Straight.

There is, actually, something new. The outline of the artwork is irregular, as it follows the contour of Rome’s most famous icon. And also Nena’s signature, is so big that it pushes a bit of the clay out of the lower part of the circumference. Nena, 78, uses his chisel to shout “I am alive, and I still love you, runners, and Rome Marathon people”.

The medal carries two writings. On the front, “Corriamo uniti per la pace” (We run together for the peace), on the back “Vinciamo ogni discriminazione” (Let’s beat every discrimination” – this is going to be carved later on). At the age of 11, Nena witnessed the bombing of Treviso, his birth city. Since that day in 1944, peace has been the main topic of his works, almost an obsession.
Frankly, in the very beginning, we thought about a fresh subject. But we realized immediately that the old Nena wanted to offer us what he could do at his best. The medal 2012 is a summa of the artist’s thoughts about us, about you runners, about this millenary city. Struggling hard to get it is what we expect from you.

ROMAFUN – La Stracittadina (4 miles): 85,000 at START

REGISTRATION AND PROMOTIONS of “ROMAFUN”
Regarding the RomaFun, the non-competitive race of 4 km known as “The
Derby “, they expect over 85,000 participants. Pectorals and race packs (7 euro official Asics T-shirt) can be reserved and purchased not only at the Marathon Village, but at several officials sales points.
Sports Universe store in the mall Roma Est, from March 12 to March 19 you can purchase and withdraw directly the race pack. Until March 16, however, you can book (instead of the withdrawal will be at the Marathon Village) in the following sports stores: Calcaterra Sport, Cat Sport, Effetti Sport, Fashion Sport, Footworks, LBM, New Balance Store, Rome Corre, Todaro Sports.

MARATHON VILLAGE
The Marathon Village is at the Congress Palace in Eur (Piazza John F. Kennedy, 1).

Marathon Village - Palazzo dei Congressi

15,000 square meters(7,000 covered and 8,000 uncovered seats) for the accommodation of more than 80,000 people that will visit the over 100 stands. Three days, from Thursday 17 to Saturday, March 19 (from 10 to 20), during which will be programmed  a number of happenings.
Admission is free. Conferences, shows, the path to health, sports demonstrations, signature panel, music, children’s entertainment, games, gadgets, official merchandise, will be the center attraction of the day before the marathon. The Marathon Village is home to the entry-RomaFun the derby (cost: € 7, with bib and T-shirts Official Asics).

INTERNATIONAL FOLK MUSIC & DANCE FESTIVAL (Directed by Chiara Bettinali)

MANY EVENTS FOR TOURISTS AND CITIZEN represents a marvelous outlook on folklore, culture and traditions of the world’s peoples. It promotes solidarity and peace, in a trip through all the continents.
The ACEA Rome Marathon as usual is not only a great sporting event. Along the route the race develops “A city in celebration”, a cultural, artistic and musical offering to the public moments of fun and reflection. The topics chosen this year for the festival are the water and the fight against Racial Discrimination. The first issue will be addressed with an exhibition of paintings curated by the students of The Ripetta Art School, which will be exhibited at the Marathon Village in the days before the race.
Then the traditional Festival International Folk dances and ethnic music that ake place in Piazza Madonna di Loreto.

Guests:

Transilvania orchestra – Gipsy Music
Hold Times Music & Beyond – Mariano De Simone – Music from North America
The group of African percussion by Jack Tama
La chiarantana,  by Chiara Bettinali
Il cerchio dell’Amicizia, by Paola Pagliani – Israel Dance
Scuole di Eduardo Rocha  with the participation of Attilio Celona al “cajón” – Flamenco
Accademia Ellenica,  by V. Polizois Grecia
Kaustubha, Danza Indiana, by Giovanna Leva Joglekar 
Le Ali di Iside, Egitto, by M.Teresa Habara
Rincigi Linne, by Maria Matricardi – Irish Dances
Alpa Sumac, Ecuador, by Julio Palacio
Kayumanggi Dance Co.  Dulcie Mendoza – Fhilippine
Ensemble Venezuela, by Luzmarina Davila Castro
Shamsa, by Daniela Santonico accompanied by a group of Tango Argentino
Capoeira “Ginga Carioca”, by Mestre Paulinho – BrasileOrchestès
Danza, by Maria Luisa Sales – Middle Eastern dances
La Pizzica, by Maria Grazia Floridia – Italian folk dances
Sol, Lluvia y flores e Mariachi Guadalajara, by Chiara Bettinali – Mexico

Then there will be bands and brass band music of Vigili Urbani di Roma, Guardia di Finanza, Marina Militare, Polizia Di Stato, Carabinieri, Granatieri Di Sardegna e Arturo Toscanini, which will be placed in Piazza di Spagna, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona, Piazza San Pietro,  Piazza Venezia, Porta San Paolo, the Capitol, Colle Oppio, Largo Magnanapoli. Finally, from 10 to 17 will take place in Piazza Navona “The memory of the street games” tug of war, the launch of tumbles, pins, bell cap cycle, bowling, sack race, tug of war, tambourine, skipping, pot, nice, top, circle, indoboard, tennistranier, carts, rollerblades, scooters, rubabandiera, etc..

For more info visit: http://www.maratonadiroma.it

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