North Pole Marathon

The North Pole Marathon is run over the classic 42.195 km (26.2 miles) marathon distance at the North Pole. The race is run on small, 2.62-mile loop about 10 times over hard snow or the frozen ice of the Arctic Ocean.[1] There are individual competitions with male and female divisions, and a team competition for teams of three or more. There is also an option to run a half marathon.

The North Pole Marathon has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the "Northernmost Marathon on Earth".[2]

History

The first unofficial North Pole Marathon was a 'solo' run by Richard Donovan on April 5, 2002 in a time of 3:48:12. Richard won the first South Pole Marathon ten weeks previously and became the first marathoner at both poles by completing the North Pole Marathon.

The first official exploratory competitive race held on April 17, 2003, and was operated jointly by several entities with 10 competitors. The winner was Martin Tighe (GBR) with a time of 5:02:10 in temperatures of −29 °C and difficult snow conditions throughout much of the course.

In 2005, the North Pole Marathon was cancelled due to a dispute between French and Russian logistics operators.

Results

2014

Men's Marathon 1. Michael Wardian (USA) 4:07:40 2. Luke Wigman (GBR) 5:03:55 3. Patrick Cande (TAH) 5:46:19

Women's Marathon 1. Anne-Marie Flammersfeld (GER) 4:52:45 2. Anna Wester (NED) 7:57:50 3. Shona Thomson (GBR) 9:09:22

Team Competition 1. UVU Racing Team (Wardian, Flammersfeld, Hinett) 16:41:01 2. Team EEK (Dorran, Hunt, Kemp) 25:25:44

Men's Half Marathon 1. Ian Egan (IRL) 3:41:07 2. Paul Langan (IRL) 4:18:00 3. Yusuke Mamada (JPN) 4:29:10

Women's Half Marathon 1. Pia-Margit Hegner (SUI) 3:42:00 2. Mary Grealish (IRL) 4:23:27 3. Orla Murphy (IRL) 5:41:14

2013

Men's Marathon 1. Gary Thornton (IRL) 3:49:29 2. Renaud Michel (FRA) 4:34:29 3. Willy Steinskog (NOR) 5:04:07

Women's Marathon 1. Fiona Oakes (GBR) 4:53:10 2. Stephanie Gicquel (FRA) 5:48:56 3. Anna Chernova (GBR) 7:27:09

Team Competition 1. UVU Racing Team 14:22:53 2. Green Monday / Convoy Hong Kong Team 21:20:57

Men's Half Marathon 1. Jeremy Cashen (NZL) 3:27:17 2. Dennis Andrade (USA) 4:17:26

Women's Half Marathon 1. Elaine Barrett (IRL) 4:54:16

North Pole Ski Marathon 1. Miguel Caselles (ESP) 6:54:20

2012

Men's Marathon 1. Andrew Murray (GBR) 4:17:08 2. Luis Alonso Marcos (ESP)4:19:38 3. James Matthews (GBR) 4:41:01

Women's Marathon 1. Demelza Farr (AUS) 6:06:36 2. Rebecca Newman (GBR) 6:11:39 3. Julie Brailsford (GBR) 6:14:40

2011

Men's Marathon 1. Istvan Toth (HUN) 4:54:03 2. John Braun (LUX) 5:05:50 3. Dmitry Mamadaliev (RUS) 5:05:53

Women's Marathon 1. Richelle Turner (AUS) 6:03:06 2. Sharyn Fitzgerald (AUS) 6:28:16 3. Sue Bradford (GBR) 7:14:24

Team Competition 1. The Arctic Challengers (Great Britain)

2010

Men's Marathon 1. Joep Rozendal (Netherlands) 5:00:58 2. Rik Vercoe (Great Britain) 5:07:30 3. Yen-Po Chen (Taiwan) 5:29:47

Women's Marathon 1. Emer Dooley (Ireland) 5:56:54 2. Julia Tizard (Great Britain) 7:31:05 3. Sarah Oliphant (USA) 7:58:14

Team Competition 1. Team Centrepoint (Great Britain) - Carnie, Boyne, Bolton

Records

The men's record of 3:36:10 was set by Thomas Maguire (IRL) in 2007.

The women's record of 4:52:45 was set by Anne-Marie Flammersfeld (GER) in 2014.

Two guided blind athletes, Mark Pollock and Jamie Cuthbertson, completed the race in 2004 and 2010, respectively.

In 2007, William Tan - a wheelchair competitor - completed a marathon distance on the aircraft runway.

References

  1. ↑ "North Pole Marathon: Adventure Racing at the Top of the World". Men's Fitness. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "For the Record". Guiness World Records. Retrieved 7 September 2014.

External links