Avon International Marathon

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Avon International Marathon
LocationVarious
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Established1978
Course records2:26:26, 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[]

  1. ^ Hamilton, Michelle (2014-03-18). Kathrine Switzer Launches Race Series. Runner's World. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  2. ^ Cunningham, John (1980-08-01). Avon calling as 200 runners join women-only marathon . The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  3. ^ a b Avon, Women & the Olympics: Driving a Marathon Revolution. CSR Wire (2012-07-31). Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  4. ^ The first London Marathon. Run Young 50. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  5. ^ Cooper, Pamela (1998). The American Marathon. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815605737.
  6. ^ Levin, Richard (2 June 1983). "The marathon women". The San Francisco Examiner. p. F5 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 1978 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  9. ^ 1979 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  10. ^ 1980 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  11. ^ 1981 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  12. ^ 1982 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  13. ^ 1983 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  14. ^ 1984 Avon International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
Editions
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