Liverpool Echo Article

City's marathon to return in 08

Dec 13 2006

By Joe Riley Arts Editor, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL is bidding to host an international marathon.
Planners would like to see a big race in the city every year, starting in 2008.
Talks are taking place for Liverpool to join the exclusive list of global marathon destinations, along with London, New York and Rome.
But city council leader Warren Bradley told a Culture Company public briefing that the viability would "depend on a window being found in the calendar".
He told arts leaders at St George's Hall: "We are in negotiations for a Liverpool Marathon. But it would be more than a local event. It would be on the same scale as the New York Marathon, but as people come from all over the world to compete in such events, it would depend on finding a date that did not clash with marathons elsewhere."
A Liverpool marathon was first held in the 1930s. Another batch of marathons from 1984 to 1994 was abandoned because of sponsorship problems.
Delegates were told that more than 200 events planned for 2007, the city's birthday year, and the 100 so far arranged for Capital of Culture in 2008 were "only the beginning".
Culture company staff said Liverpool was well ahead of any former European Capital of Culture in planning its principal attractions.