Sponsored by
Leeds Half Marathon back on
LEEDS will host a half marathon this year after council chiefs performed a swift u-turn in the face of people power.
Just days ago the council announced it did not intend to hold the city's traditional and popular 13.1 mile race preferring instead to concentrate on the Jane Tomlinson Run For All 10k to be held in June.
The decision was made a few hours after the Yorkshire Evening Post forwarded over 100 emails sent via its website to the council who insisted the half marathon should go ahead.
The YEP quickly launched a campaign for the 2008 run to be reinstated and today council bosses said the event would be held in September, rather than its usual month of May.
In the long-term, council events managers say they will work with Jane's Appeal and the Leeds 10k management team to look at how to make the September half marathon a truly world-class event.
Coun John Procter, the council's executive member for leisure, said: "I was invited yesterday by the Scrutiny Board for Leisure and Culture to review the decision not to hold the Leeds Half Marathon in 2008.
"Having reviewed all the information I remain of the view it would not be appropriate to hold the half marathon in May, only a month apart from the Jane Tomlinson 10K Run for All. I am however delighted to announce the Leeds Half Marathon will be held in September 2008 with the support of the Run For All team.
"We were concerned that holding the half marathon in May so close to the Run for All was not in the best interest of the city. However, we have listened to the overwhelming response from runners and it is clear that there remains a desire for there to be a Leeds Half marathon this year.
"It was never our intention to end the race event, simply to postpone it this year while we considered it's long-term future.
"We therefore propose to hold the half marathon event in September 2008, which we feel will provide a more balanced running calendar for the city. We think it is important that we continue to consider the event's long-term future and we will liaise and work with the Jane's Appeal to see how a September event can built and improved on in future years."
Mike Tomlinson, Jane's Appeal, said: "We are pleased to hear that the Leeds Half Marathon will after all take place this year. Leeds has a comprehensive programme of quality events and the half marathon fits in well with this programme. It will hopefully continue to attract the full support of the local and wider running community.
"Jane's Appeal, together with the very successful Leeds 10k management team, has agreed to support the council with the 2008 Half Marathon in whatever way we can. We have also expressed an interest and willingness to take on more responsibility for the event as from 2009. We are excited about the prospects of working with the council to help make the event an even more attractive and exciting spectacle and to grow it to a size more befitting such a great city as Leeds."
Paul Napier, editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post said: "The council should be congratulated on making the right decision. Hundreds of Evening Post readers have made their views very clear - Leeds deserves a top flight half marathon.
"The initial decision to cancel this year's run was madness. Thankfully the council has listened and has put matters right."
Registration has already opened for the 2008 Run for All and for further details go to www.runforall.com. Registration details for the Half Marathon will be announced in the coming months.
To read the views that swayed the council, click here.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
