- World’s premier age group competition for marathon runners joins forces with global marathon tour operator
- 1,800 of the fastest age groupers in the world heading for Sydney
- More than 375 races worldwide now serve as qualifiers for annual championship
ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS (AbbottWMM) today announced Marathon Tours & Travel (MTT) as the new co-title sponsor of its Age Group World Rankings and Championship program.
The new sponsorship will see the program renamed the Abbott World Marathon Majors Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Rankings for the 2024 season that began on January 1.
MTT will also assume sponsorship of the forthcoming 2024 Age Group World Championship event.
The fourth annual championship race will take place within the 2024 Sydney Marathon and feature over 1,800 of the world’s best age group competitors, who qualified from over 350 races worldwide during the previous 2023 season. MTT will offer special VIP Packages specifically for Age Group World Championship athletes to include hotel accommodations, special social events including a welcome reception and pre-race dinner, transportation to the start and access to the VIP Finish Tent.
The current qualifying season features over 375 races across six continents with athletes striving for a place in the 2025 world championship.
“This partnership brings two brands together who are passionate about helping runners achieve their dreams,” said AbbottWMM CEO Dawna Stone.
“We are thrilled to have MTT on board alongside our wonderful title sponsor Abbott, and we look forward to the many ways we can use this relationship to elevate the experiences we deliver to our Age Group World Championship athletes.”
Jeff Adams, President of MTT said: “At Marathon Tours & Travel we pride ourselves on providing the best packages in the market for runners who are chasing their AbbottWMM stars, and we are now excited to be able to offer the same experiences to the best Age Group athletes in the world.”
Chris Miller, Divisional Vice President Global Brand Strategy & Innovation for Abbott said: “Training for a marathon embodies what you can achieve when you prioritize your health. We look forward to working alongside MTT to further enhance the runner experience during marathon weekend by providing a world class experience runners deserve after the amount of work they put in training for their race.”
NOTES:
About AbbottWMM
The Abbott World Marathon Majors series consists of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world: the Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America, TCS London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon.
AbbottWMM hosts a points competition across this series for elite open division and wheelchair athletes, as well as the Six Star program, which rewards any runner who finished all six with the Six Star Medal.
The Age Group World Rankings rewards athletes aged 40+ with the opportunity to compete against their peers for a place at the Age Group World Championship, and the Global Run Club provides a virtual running platform for the community to participate in challenges across a range of distances.
For more information visit worldmarathonmajors.com
About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com
About Marathon Tours & Travel
Founded by runner and travel visionary Thom Gilligan in 1979, Marathon Tours & Travel (MTT) is a longstanding recognized leader and innovator in the destination travel industry for runners and their supporters. With offices in Boston, Manchester, Adelaide and Shanghai, MTT is truly a global running travel company. Learn more at www.marathontours.com.cn