The inaugural Ballarat Marathon, set to transform the city on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April , is exceeding its registration expectations with four weeks to go.
Supported by the Victorian Government's Regional Events Fund, the event has more than 3,000 eager runners already signed up, smashing its initial participation goal.
Event co-creator and Ballarat local, Adam McNicol, said: "As one of the state's largest regional cities, we have a rich sporting and cultural history and an even richer community of passionate runners. The funding from the Victorian Government, alongside the support of the City and our official event partners, will ensure we deliver the world-class running event we set out for.
"When we first conceived the idea of bringing a premium running festival to Ballarat, we knew we had a captive audience, but the outpouring of interest and support, from grassroots community groups all the way up to the state government, has been remarkable. As a result, we have hit our initial registration goal with four weeks, and hopefully a lot more sign ups, to go. We can't wait to show everyone what our beautiful city has to offer."
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, said: "Runners are ready to take their marks and Ballarat is ready to welcome visitors from far and wide for the inaugural Ballarat Marathon, supported by the Allan Labor Government. The weekend will showcase the beauty of Ballarat to participants and their families while supporting local businesses and jobs across the region."
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson, said: "It's incredibly exciting to be getting so close to the Ballarat Marathon event and I can't wait to see thousands of people tying up their laces and hitting the track. We know Ballarat is a city that has such a strong connection to running and it's great to see so many registrations already flowing through. Even if you aren't running, I encourage everybody to
