New route, $70k purse for full-scale StanChart races

As the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) returns fully to the roads in December, it will also feature a new route and $70,000 prize purse.

The organisers announced on Wednesday that the 2022 route will see the removal of the unsheltered stretch at West Coast Highway and will now also lead runners into East Coast Park at the 21km mark, before going through Gardens by the Bay en route to the finishing line at The Float @ Marina Bay.

Jeff Edwards, managing director of Asia for The Ironman Group, said: "The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is back in its truest form, as the region's leading marathon event.

"It is vital that we provide participants with a memorable race, while still keeping safety top of mind.

"This year marks the comeback of full-scale, mass participation events and we sincerely hope that everyone from runners, family and friends will be able to come together to challenge themselves and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit."

Up to 50,000 runners are expected as the event returns to its full physical format for the first time since 2019.

The 5km and 10km runs will take place on Dec 3 while the 21.1km half marathon and 42.195km race will run on Dec 4.

Before the pandemic, the annual marquee event typically saw about 50,000 local and foreign runners.

The hybrid format in 2021 - which had in-person and virtual races - drew about 15,000, with 4,000 competing in the Ekiden (team of four), 5km and 10km events at The Float @ Marina Bay for the first in-person mass participation event since the pandemic.

More competitive runners will get a share of the $70,000 prize purse this time, as the Ironman Group announced that the top five finishers for the marathon and half-marathon will be rewarded - only the top three won cash prizes in previous editions.

The fastest runners in the marathon and half marathon will be placed in Pen A and Pen B respectively, with the top finisher of the male and female marathon to win $10,000 each, followed by $5,000, $3,000, $2,500 and $2,000 each for subsequent placings.

The top five half-marathon finishers will walk away with $5,000, $3,000, $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000 respectively.

To qualify for Pen A, male athletes running in the marathon have to show proof that they have achieved a timing of three hours or under in a World Athletics or national federation-sanctioned marathon within the qualifying window period from the start of 2018 to Oct 31, 2022. Female athletes will need to have a timing of 3hr 30min or less.

For the half marathon, male and female athletes will need to have an official timing of 1hr 45min or less.

All qualifying times submitted will be subject to review and verification, and not all qualifiers will be automatically accepted or guaranteed entry.

Santoz Kumar, The Ironman Group's general manager of Singapore, said that the organisers "hope to ignite the competitive spirit of all participants - from recreational to the elite".

He added: "We look forward to an exciting race, and to end the year on a high."

Correction note: In our earlier version of the story, we reported that the race ends at the Esplanade. The organisers have clarified that it ends at The Float @ Marina Bay.