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London Marathon Signs with Virgin Group

Posted May 16th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Margarine and skimmed milk are out and airplanes and financial services are in, at least at the London Marathon.

Beginning in 2010 Virgin Group, the diversified conglomerate founded by Sir Richard Branson, will be the title sponsor of the London Marathon, led by their Virgin Money financial services division.

“I’m delighted that Virgin will be sponsoring the London Marathon,” Branson said through a media release. It’s an epic and inspirational event and raises a fantastic amount of money for great causes. It’s the single biggest fundraising day on the planet and we want to make it even bigger, our aim is to help runners smash the £1/4 billion in five years.”

Over £400 million has been raised for charity by London Marathon fun runners since the race began back in 1981, organizers said.

Flora will remain as the title sponsor for the 2009 edition of the race next April, after which Virgin will take over. The Virgin sponsorship will run for five years.

“I cannot think of a better and more appropriate sponsor for the 2010 London Marathon than Virgin,” said race director David Bedford. “I am delighted that the event has developed to a level where such a high quality company has agreed to be our new Sponsor. I am expecting a very exciting and stimulating future for the event.”

With Flora’s cash and Bedford’s expertise, the London Marathon has blossomed into the world’s top spring marathon with 34,417 finishers. Although the course is not as flat as Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago or Rotterdam, incredible times have been achieved at London on the strength of incredible head-to-head competition and aggressive pacemaking. Indeed, five of the top-10 men’s marathon times and four of the top-10 women’s times –including the absolute and all women’s world records– have been achieved at London.

The event will roll-out a new website, http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com, on April 26, 2009.