THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Organizers of the annual Laguna Phuket International Marathon have raised a massive Bt328,000 (about $US10,525) from the largest field of competitors to enter the event since it began five years ago.

Race director Roman Floesser said 4,665 people from 45 countries entered the event, which comprised a full marathon, a half marathon, a 10.5km (6.52 mile) run, a 5km (3.1 mile) family walk, and a 2km (1.24 mile) kids’ run, a five percent increase over last years field.

Mr. Floesser said money raised from entrance fees and sponsorship will be used to assist the marathon’s designated beneficiary, the Baan Jao Krua School in Phang Nga province, the current focus of Laguna Phuket’s Sustainable Schools program.

“We were delighted to see this overall increase in entries and continued enthusiasm for the event from overseas, despite the effects worldwide from the political turmoil in Bangkok [earlier in the year]”, Mr. Floesser said.

Two Thai nationals took the honors in this years full marathon, with Charkrit Boonkong winning the mens section in a time of 2:40:08, while Thanyathorn Samutnoi set a new women’s course record of 3:21:24.

Mr. Floesser said 634 competitors entered the full marathon, 876 the half marathon, 1,434 competed in the 10.5km run, 1,221 people in the 5km walk, and 500 youths entered the 2km kid’s run.

The annual Laguna Phuket Marathon is a prelude to an eight-day-long festival of grueling endurance events which will kick-off with the 17th Laguna Phuket Triathlon on Sunday, November 28, followed by the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship a week later on December 5.

More than 1,000 competitors are expected to take part in the two endurance events with the course record for the Phuket Triathlon set in 1996 by four times Olympic athlete Simon Lessing from England in a time of 1:52:56, while the women’s race record of 2:02:33, also set in 1996, is held by Zimbabwean-born athlete Paula Newby-Fraser.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for September 2, 2010