By Mikhil Bhat/Doha
After a year’s absence from the calendar, the IAU 100km World Championships will be held tonight at the Aspire Zone bringing together some of the world’s top ultrarunners.
The International Association of Ultrarunners’ (IAU) event last year in Jeju Island, South Korea, was scrapped after a sponsor pullout. It was first time in 27 years that the race had been cancelled.
Given that the 100km event is recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and is IAU’s flagship event, it was a setback.
“The organisation was good; we had a few sight visits but at the 11th hour, despite the agreements we had with the organisers, they had to drop out due to the loss of one of their major sponsors,” IAU president Dirk Strumane said yesterday. “It’s always sad to see these things happen but we have to be realistic. And 100km is our most important event, sanctioned by IAAF, official distance, they keep world records.”
However, in January this year, Aspire Zone bid for the IAU 50km World Trophy Final, which was hosted three weeks ago, and the 50km World Championships. They were convinced enough to host the 100km event too.
“We met [Aspire Venues and Events director] Philip Templar and [Aspire Logistics Events manager] Abdullah al-Khater when they came to Monaco in January this year. Their main goal was 50km but we were able to convince them to host the 100km too. The international ultra-running community was eagerly waiting for this, for a new world championship,” Strumane added.
“There is relief and also hunger to compete once again. Because you can run the 10km or the 20km events every now and then but they are able to do 100km only a couple of times in a year.”
It is also a relief for Strumane to be working with Aspire for the event. “We are dealing with professionals here, in all aspects of the organisation. In medical, in protocol, etc. For us it is a relief to work with people who know exactly what they want to achieve and also to have the means to do so. We would love to continue this cooperation with Aspire,” he said.
Templar was positive that Aspire is looking for a partnership approach in hosting these events with IAU. “I think it is always difficult for a federation that is not football or one of those high profile ones to find quality events where athletes can get to relatively easily. It is a partnership approach that we have taken. They are obviously very keen, and very pleased that we have hosted the event with them. It definitely has helped them get the sport back on the map,” Templar said.
Hosting events in Doha has its advantages. “It is a very good place geographically. From Australia you don’t have to go to America and vice versa to get here. We are quite well placed,” Templar said.
Looking to the future, Strumane has a plan in mind to avoid any more cancellations a la 2013.
“We will organise the 100km World Championships and the Continental Championships for 100km in alternate years. And the 24-hour races will also be organised the same way, but the 100km and 24hr World Championships will not be in the same year. We want to avoid cancellation, and that is the main goal behind this,” Strumane said.
IAU is looking to increase its footprint in Asia, where, according to Strumane, they have 12-13 member federations.
Talking of Aspire Zone’s future with the sport, Templar said, “We have a three-year plan to have the 50km World Championship here (2015-17), and hopefully we will have repeat athletes and a growing sport in the region.”
Asked about hosting the flagship 100km event, Templar said, “The IAU like to take it around the world. We are very happy to host it again if they would like us to. But I know that next year is already committed. It might come back in the future, and who knows maybe we will also look at the 24 hours.”
International Association of Ultrarunners president Dirk Strumane.
