United Airlines Guam Marathon announces exciting additions

TUMON, Guam—Guam Sports Events Inc. (GSE), along with title sponsor United Airlines and gold sponsors the Guam Visitors Bureau and Pacific Islands Club, announced at last Thursday’s press conference exciting additions to the United Airlines Guam Marathon. Sam Shinohara, United’s managing director of Operations Asia/Pacific, and Nathan Denight, president and CEO of the Guam Visitors Bureau, joined GSE managing director Ben Ferguson to discuss event updates and benefits for Guam.

The 5th Annual United Airlines Guam Marathon offers 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon races on April 9. Organizers said $3 from every registration will go toward the Guam Fire Department, Guam Police Department, Islandwide Beautification Task Force, Tourism Education Council, and USO Guam.

“We are thrilled to support these five event beneficiaries on behalf of participants of the United Airlines Guam Marathon,” Ferguson said. “We are working hard to ensure that participants and the community can enjoy and be proud of this event. We want everyone to have a Håfa Adai experience to remember.”

Registered participants can enjoy Eat.Shop.Run., a new runners perks program from April 3 to 16. Runners can redeem special offers at popular restaurants and stores by providing proof of registration.

The running event features three days filled with festivities. On April 7 and 8, the Håfa Adai Expo will serve as the festive location where participants can pick up packets. The expo will be open not only to participants but also to the public. The expo will feature food and beverage concessions, live entertainment, vendors and a running clinic by Olympic gold medalist and international race ambassador Naoko Takahashi.

Event organizers are bringing back popular traditions, such as the post-race Tumon Bay Dip. After crossing the finish line, runners can take off their shoes and dip their feet into Tumon Bay.

The new post-race BBQ Beach Party will take place at the Gov. Joseph A. Flores Memorial Park (Ypao Beach). Participants and the public can enjoy free food, drinks, and live entertainment.

“The Håfa Adai Expo and BBQ Beach Party are open to local residents because we appreciate the community’s support in hosting an international event of this caliber and scale,” Denight said. “The United Airlines Guam Marathon is making strides in boosting tourism, which helps make Guam a better place to live, work and visit.”

The United Airlines Guam Marathon, in its fifth year, is organized by Guam Sports Events Inc., a nonprofit organization that hosts annual running and cycling events to promote Guam’s Hafa Adai spirit to grow sports tourism on Guam.

Guam’s first IAAF approved marathon race will take place on Sunday, April 9, 2017. Considered Guam’s premier running event, the UGM includes 5K, 10K, half marathon (13.1 miles) and marathon (26.2 miles) race distances. All courses have been officially certified by the IAAF (International Association of Athletic Federations) and AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races). This designation means that marathon runners may use this as a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon. Complete event details and registration can be found on the official event website at unitedguammarathon.com. The UGM is also sponsored by the Guam Visitors Bureau and the Pacific Islands Club. (PR)