Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale

The Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale is an annual half marathon which follows a course from Marseille to Cassis in France during the last weekend in October. First organised by the SCO Sainte-Marguerite sports club in 1979, the event has grown into a large international competition, with around 12,000 runners competing every year.[1] The course distance of 20,308 metres falls slightly short of the true half marathon distance (21,097.5 m). However, the race is made more difficult by a long 327 m rise up a hill—the Col de la Gineste—at the mid-point of the course, which eventually follows back down into the port of Cassis.[2] The annual race is usually held in the month of October.

The course records were both set in 2011: Atsede Tsegay has the men's race record with 58:11 minutes, and Lydia Cheromei is the women's record holder with 1:08:23.[3]

There are also two other races which complement the main competition: first organised in 1990, the "L'Autre Marseille-Cassis" (The Other Marseille-Cassis in English) is a mountain hike which negotiates the Massif des Calanques area. The second complementary competition is a racewalk, launched in 2006, which seeks to celebrate the sports festival through an alternative sporting means.[4]

Past winners

Key:       Course record

Edition Year Men's winner Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Time (h:m:s)
1st 1979  Alain Angelvy (FRA) 1:15:54  Fabienne Rai (FRA) 1:34:45
2nd 1980  Jean-Michel Dirringer (FRA) 1:07:42  Fabienne Rai (FRA) 1:27:02
3rd 1981  Jean-Pierre Louvet (FRA) 1:07:56  Fabienne Rai (FRA) 1:22:30
4th 1982  Jean-Pierre Louvet (FRA) 1:07:56  Fabienne Rai (FRA) 1:31:00
5th 1983  Christophe Jalaguier (FRA) 1:07:56  P. Deneuville (FRA) 1:22:00
6th 1984  Jean-Pierre Louvet (FRA) 1:07:37  Roseline Vastine (FRA) 1:20:30
7th 1985  Tony Martins (FRA) 1:08:17  Frederique Voragen (FRA) 1:27:00
8th 1986  Tony Martins (FRA) 1:05:45  Fabienne Rai (FRA) 1:23:00
9th 1987  Nigel Adams (WAL) 1:04:20  Hassania Darami (MAR) 1:16:34
10th 1988  Michael Heilmann (FRG) 1:01:52  Hassania Darami (MAR) 1:16:49
11th 1989  Michael Heilmann (FRG) 1:03:21  Ceri Pritchard (WAL) 1:13:39
12th 1990  Tony Martins (FRA) 1:01:29  Ceri Pritchard (WAL) 1:12:57
13th 1991  Joseph Vibostok (TCH) 1:03:20  Heléna Barócsi (HUN) 1:11:23
14th 1992  Bruno Leger (FRA) 1:02:12  Olga Parluc (CIS) 1:13:19
15th 1993  Sammy Bitok (KEN) 1:02:55  Aléna Peterkova (CZE) 1:12:17
16th 1994  Bernard Mvuyekure (BDI) 1:01:13  Iulia Negura (ROU) 1:10:32
17th 1995  Laban Chege (KEN) 1:02:00  Marina Belyayeva (RUS) 1:12:54
18th 1996  Laban Chege (KEN) 1:00:54  Irina Kasakova (FRA) 1:11:00
19th 1997  John Gwako (KEN) 1:00:27  Alla Zhilyayeva (RUS) 1:10:34
20th 1998  Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) 1:00:36  Ruth Kutol (KEN) 1:10:33
21st 1999  Phaustin Baha Sulle (TAN) 1:00:24  Berhane Adere (ETH) 1:09:45
22nd 2000  David Makori (KEN) 1:00:49  Susan Chepkemei (KEN) 1:08:30
23rd 2001  David Makori (KEN) 1:01:11  Magdaline Chemjor (KEN) 1:09:52
24th 2002  James Kwambai (KEN) 59:01  Banuelia Mrashani (TAN) 1:08:38
25th 2003  Paul Biwott (KEN) 1:00:01  Teyba Erkesso (ETH) 1:10:07
26th 2004  Lawrence Kiprotich (KEN) 1:02:13  Marina Ivanova (RUS) 1:12:08
27th 2005  William Chebon Chebor (KEN) 1:00:37  Fatiha Fauvel-Klilech (FRA) 1:12:50
28th 2006  John Kyalo (KEN) 1:00:36  Martha Komu (KEN) 1:12:34
29th 2007  Wilson Chebet (KEN) 59:24  Anne Bererwe (KEN) 1:09:58
30th 2008  Wilson Chebet (KEN) 1:00:00  Ines Chenonge (KEN) 1:09:39
31st 2009  Dieudonné Disi (RWA) 1:00:21  Meseret Mengistu (ETH) 1:10:35
32nd 2010  Philemon Limo (KEN) 1:01:35  Diane Chepkemoi (KEN) 1:10:36
33rd 2011  Atsede Tsegay (ETH) 58:11  Lydia Cheromei (KEN) 1:08:23

References

  1. ^ Vazel, P-J (2008-10-24). Can Disi, fastest in the field, wrest title from Kenyans in Marseille?. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-22.
  2. ^ Vazel, P-J (2009-10-22). Disi, the pre-race favourite in Marseille - PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-22.
  3. ^ Vazel, Pierre-Jean (2011-10-30). Tsegay and Cheromei crush course records in Marseille-Cassis Classic. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-10-30.
  4. ^ a b Historique Il était une fois … (French). Marseille-Cassis. Retrieved on 2009-10-22.

External links

Annual half marathons in Europe
France
Lille Half Marathon • Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale • Paris Half Marathon
Netherlands
Portugal
Sweden
United Kingdom
Elsewhere
Berlin Half Marathon (Germany) • Budapest Half Marathon (Hungary) • Neujahrsmarathon Zürich (Switzerland) • Prague Half Marathon (Czech Republic) • Roma-Ostia Half Marathon (Italy) • Zurrieq Half Marathon (Malta) • Kärnten läuft (Austria)