Runners on the Mont-Blanc bridge in 2009

Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Geneva is gearing up for its annual marathon but this year’s competition is unlike any of its previous versions. For starters, three more courses have been added, two for children and one for women only. In addition, participants will have another incentive for running: raising funds for Unicef’s water projects.

Benjamin Chandelier, director of the Geneva marathon, said to GenevaLunch that the partnership with Unicef, which begins this year, will help the intergovernmental organization raise funds to buy water pumps for communities-in-need around the world.

“The organizing committee has decided to transfer 5 percent of the registration fees to Unicef, plus the whole amount of the registration fees for the children’s races,” he says.

In turn, Unicef will help the marathon by “setting up a progressive and ambitious development plan, and by promoting  Geneva and its marathon in bordering countries.”

Chandelier believes this is the only way to significantly improve “runners’ participation in upcoming years,” and guarantee the survival of this sporting competition.

This summer the organizers, with city and cantonal authorities, plan to consider changes to the course. “The long term objective is the introduction of a single 42km-loop for marathon runners.” Currently, athletes run two loops around Geneva.

The idea, Chandelier says is to “register the event in the circle of the top-15 European marathons by 2015.”

Tesfaye Eticha celebrates his third consecutive win in Geneva

About the marathon

When: Marathon for Unicef 8 and 9 May. Attention, several roads around canton Geneva will be closed Saturday and Sunday.

What: A 6km run reserved entirely for women takes place Saturday 8 May. Children ages 6 to 13 compete in two categories on the same day: 500m and 3k. Sunday is fully dedicated to traditional half- and full-marathons.

Although the race promises fun for everyone, competitors in the full marathon are required to complete the course within six hours.

Marathon winning times

In 2009, Tesfaye Eticha from Ethiopia won the marathon for the third year in a row with a time of 2:18.

His fellow countrywoman Elfenesh Melaku won the women’s competition with a time of 2:43.

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