JEDDAH: This year's Jeddah Mobily Marathon will be held on March 29 with a slightly altered course totaling 20 kilometers in length, organizers have said. This year's marathon, the eighth edition of the race, will feature the participation of international champions from Ethiopia, Kenya, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. New categories this year include the roller skate race, while international regulations require separate lanes for different categories with a single starting and finish line. Events held in tandem with the marathon include the Mobily Bazaar, held over five days at the Red Sea Mall with the involvement of health clubs and sports organizations. This year's course starts out at the Tahliya roundabout on the Corniche Road and proceeds northwards along the Corniche to the Globe roundabout before heading south to the finish line near the entrance to the Red Sea Mall on King's Road. Categories other than the main event include the under-18s, the six-kilometer roller skate race, the three-kilometer wheelchair race for persons with special needs, and the 500-meter race for autistic persons which will take place on King's Road. Chairman of the organizing committee Abdullah Bakhashab said over 5,000 competitors were expected to take part in five categories. The first winner of each group will get a cash prize and gold medals will also be awarded to each participant completing the race. “Runners have been invited from all over the world, and SR250,000-worth of prizes are up for grabs for the winners,” Bakhashab said. “Our aim for this marathon is to encourage charity work through a sporting activity. This race started from humble beginnings and to see it in its eighth year is a testament to how far it has come,” he added.
