The organisers of the Run Sunderland Festival have announced the first details of the 2018 event, which will once again feature the Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon and 10K. Siglion, the development partnership which is carrying out major regeneration projects on the Vaux site and at other locations in the city, will once again sponsor both races and has extended its support for an additional three years, through to 2021. A partnership between Events of the North, Sunderland City Council and Active Sunderland, the races will be held on Sunday 13 May.
The Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon and 10K will start and finish in Keel Square, a site that has become a symbol of Sunderland’s renewal and regeneration. Runners and spectators will be able to see for themselves the latest developments in the area, including the recently laid Keel Line. Among the participants in the 10K will be a group of young sail trainees, who have ambitions to join a crew at Tall Ships Races 2018 in Sunderland. Events of the North has provided free places in the race for up to 20 trainees, to help them prepare for the event later the same year.
Now a well-established major city centre event, the Run Sunderland Festival will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2020. Thanks to the ongoing support of Sunderland City Council and Siglion, both the half marathon and 10K races have grown in popularity in recent years, with athletes from all over the North East, and further afield, taking part. Among the competitors last year were marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe and local athletics star Aly Dixon. The extension of Siglion’s sponsorship will allow Events of the North to develop new ideas for showcasing the city centre to visitors and ensuring that all runners and spectators experience a rewarding and enjoyable day in Sunderland.
Steve Cram, event founder and race director, comments: “2018 will be our third year based at Keel Square and it has been fantastic to witness the ongoing transformation of the site. The Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon and 10K offer a brilliant opportunity to share some of the most exciting developments taking place in the city with both local residents and a wider audience. Siglion clearly recognises the value of that and we’re absolutely delighted to extend the sponsorship to beyond the event’s tenth anniversary.
“We look forward to working closely with Siglion and Sunderland City Council to make sure that we make this event better every year. Sunderland is a really vibrant and ambitious city and has a lot of very exciting plans in the pipeline. The Run Sunderland Festival intends to be at the heart of those.”
John Seager, CEO of the Siglion Partnership, comments: “Siglion is delighted to reaffirm its commitment to Run Sunderland, by extending our sponsorship until 2021, when hopefully the city will have been crowned UK City of Culture.
“This event is fast establishing itself as one of the great UK city centre sporting events and gains in popularity every year, reflecting what is happening elsewhere in the city with increased development and exciting new businesses arriving every day.
“I would urge all runners, both keen and enthusiastic participant, to sign-up and sample one of the best race-day atmospheres going and pit themselves against a course that takes in a host of Wearside’s many wonders.”
Sunderland City Council Portfolio Holder for Public Health, Wellness and Culture Councillor John Kelly, adds: “Our city has a lot to look forward to, and the growing popularity of the Run Sunderland Festival is a fantastic example of what has been, and can be achieved, when we all work to promote what Sunderland has to offer in hosting top class sporting and cultural events.
“My thanks to all our partners helping us to stage these events, and showcase Sunderland as a city with an exciting future in which everyone is invited to play their part.”
Events of the North is offering a discount on entry fees for both the Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon and 10K, until midnight on Thursday 30 November. Runners affiliated to a club can enter the half marathon for £29, while the price for unaffiliated runners is £31. The early bird prices for the 10K are £20 and £22 respectively. From Thursday 1 December, the entry prices for the half marathon will be £33/£35, and for the 10K they will be £23/£25. For more information about the 2017 events and to book a place on one of them visit www.sunderlandcity10k.com.