Avon International Marathon
Avon International Marathon | |
---|---|
Location | Various |
Event type | Road |
Distance | Marathon |
Established | 1978 |
Course records | 2:26:26, Julie Brown (1983) |
The Avon International Marathon was an annual women's marathon event that was held at various locations from 1978 to 1984. Sponsored and organised by Avon Products, a beauty and household goods company, it was the longest distance race within the , which was created with the aim of promoting elite and grassroots road running for women.[1] The circuit was headed by former runner Kathrine Switzer, whose efforts had led to the formal acceptance of women at the Boston Marathon.[2]
The International Olympic Committee required the participation of a minimum of 25 countries in international competition in order to accept new events to the Olympic schedule, thus Avon focused on attracting runners from many nations.[3] The series was successful in its aim of establishing the marathon as a women's discipline, led by the ,[4] with the inaugural women's marathons at the 1982 European Championships and 1983 World Championship preceding the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984.[5] The 1983 Avon International Marathon took place in Los Angeles, where the Olympic marathon race was hosted the following year.[6]
Although the Avon marathon was exclusively hosted in North America and Western Europe, its international focus was a boost to elite women's running outside of these regions – the Tokyo International Women's Marathon was established as the first women's race to receive sanction by the International Amateur Athletic Federation in 1979.[7]
The competition was one of several initiatives for women's sport by Avon during the period, which also included the .[3]
Winners[]
Edition | Year | Date | Participation | Location | Winner | Time (h:m:s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | 19 March | 136, 9 nations[8] | Atlanta, United States | Marty Cooksey (USA) | 2:46:26 | |
1979 | 22 September | 250+, 25 nations[9] | Waldniel, West Germany | Joyce Smith (GBR) | 2:36:27 | |
1980 | 3 August | 155[10] | London, United Kingdom | Lorraine Moller (NZL) | 2:35:11 | |
1981 | 23 August | 340[11] | Ottawa, Canada | Nancy Conz (USA) | 2:36:46 | |
1982 | 6 June | 477[12] | San Francisco, United States | Lorraine Moller (NZL) | 2:36:13 | |
1983 | 6 June | 936[13] | Los Angeles, California | Julie Brown (USA) | 2:26:26 | |
1984 | 23 September | [14] | Paris, France | Lorraine Moller (NZL) | 2:32:44 |
References[]
- ^ Hamilton, Michelle (2014-03-18). Kathrine Switzer Launches Race Series. Runner's World. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ Cunningham, John (1980-08-01). Avon calling as 200 runners join women-only marathon . The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ a b Avon, Women & the Olympics: Driving a Marathon Revolution. CSR Wire (2012-07-31). Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ The first London Marathon. Run Young 50. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ Cooper, Pamela (1998). The American Marathon. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815605737.
- ^ Levin, Richard (2 June 1983). "The marathon women". The San Francisco Examiner. p. F5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lovett, Charlie (1997). "The Fight to Establish the Women's Race". Excerpted from Olympic Marathon: A Centennial History of the Games' Most Storied Race. Web Marketing Associates (WMA). Retrieved 2008-11-17.
- ^ 1978 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ 1979 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ 1980 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ 1981 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ 1982 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ 1983 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ 1984 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- Editions
- International Marathons. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- Avon Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- Women's marathons
- Recurring sporting events established in 1978
- Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1984