Wave start planned for the Athens Marathon
Organizers of the 28th Athens Classic Marathon (ACM), scheduled for October 31, announced on Friday the race will have a new system for its starting process, to accommodate the high number of participants. The organizing committee has opted for the so-called «wave start,» with seven blocks of starting athletes across a new line measuring a width of 250 meters, replacing the original one of just 14 meters. As a result, the starting process will last at least 20 minutes, given than as many as 12,500 runners are entering the 42,195-meter race, against just 4,500 last year. The first block will consist of the elite foreign and Greek athletes as well as those taking part in the Military World Championship (CISM). The ACM will also maintain its reputation as one of the most environmentally friendly marathon races around the world, having managed to collect 80,000 plastic bottles last year and to recycle 1 ton of plastic with its 75 volunteers dedicated to this process, according to Giorgos Kazantzopoulos, who is responsible for the race’s environmental action. «This year, these numbers will be far greater, as we have many more entries compared to last year,» said Kazantzopoulos. What is more, this year, the ACM forms part of the United Nations’ Climate Neutral Network.
