Nhan Dan Online – The Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2014 will take place in Lao Cai province’s Sapa district form September 20-21, promising to be the biggest international marathon event ever in Vietnam with the participation of nearly 500 runners from 40 countries around the world.
This information was confirmed at a press conference held in Hanoi on June 25 by the Danish Embassy in Vietnam.
The two-day event, held by the Danish Embassy and Topas Ecolodge, offers runners four distance choices, 10km (Sapa mountain run), 21km (half marathon), 42km (marathon) or 70km (ultramarathon).
Each route will encompass challenging climbs, exhilarating descents and a true glimpse of local life through the rice fields and ethnic minority villages.
Danish Ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen, who is an experienced marathon runner, will continue his participation in the 2014 race. “Vietnam Mountain Marathon is spectacular, unique and breathtaking,” he said after his debut in last year’s event.
Nielson expressed hopes that more Vietnamese people will join this year’s run. As many as 10 Vietnamese runners have registered in the 70km race, nine more than the 2013 figure, he revealed.
The mountain marathon not only aims to promote Vietnam’s spectacular natural beauty and highlight the message of healthful lifestyle but also aims to help support local people in the Sapa mountain area, according to the ambassador.
Accordingly, each runner joining the marathon will donate US$20 as part of their race entry fee to a local charity organisation named “Sapa O’Chau” that provides education opportunities to young local minority groups in the Sapa region who have not finished school.
Novo Nordisk, the world leading pharmaceutical company, is sponsoring and supporting the event together with The Vietnamese Association of Diabetes & Endocrinology under the headline ‘Changing diabetes’, to raise awareness of the fast growth of diabetes in Vietnam.
VAN TOAN
Đăng ký: VietNam News