Avon International Marathon Explained

Bgcolour:
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Location:Various
Type:Road
Distance:Marathon
Est:1978
Folded:1984
Record:2:26:26, Julie Brown (1983)

The Avon International Marathon was an annual women's marathon event that was held at various locations from 1978 to 1984. Sponsored and organised by Avon Products, a beauty and household goods company, it was the longest distance race within the Avon International Women's Running Circuit, which was created with the aim of promoting elite and grassroots road running for women.[1] The circuit was headed by former runner Kathrine Switzer, whose efforts had led to the formal acceptance of women at the Boston Marathon.[2]

The International Olympic Committee required the participation of a minimum of 25 countries in international competition in order to accept new events to the Olympic schedule, thus Avon focused on attracting runners from many nations.[3] The series was successful in its aim of establishing the marathon as a women's discipline, led by the International Runners' Committee,[4] with the inaugural women's marathons at the 1982 European Championships and 1983 World Championship preceding the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984.[5] The 1983 Avon International Marathon took place in Los Angeles, where the Olympic marathon race was hosted the following year.[6]

Although the Avon marathon was exclusively hosted in North America and Western Europe, its international focus was a boost to elite women's running outside of these regions – the Tokyo International Women's Marathon was established as the first women's race to receive sanction by the International Amateur Athletic Federation in 1979.[7]

The competition was one of several initiatives for women's sport by Avon during the period, which also included the Avon Futures Tennis Championships.[3]

Past events

class=unsortableEditionYearDateParticipationLocationclass=unsortableWinnerTime (h:m:s)
1st1978 19 March 136, 9 nations[8] Atlanta, United States2:46:26
2nd1979 22 September 250+, 25 nations[9] Waldniel, West Germany2:36:27
3rd1980 3 August 155[10] London, United Kingdom2:35:11
4th1981 23 August 340[11] Ottawa, Canada2:36:46
5th1982 6 June 477[12] San Francisco, United States2:36:13
6th1983 6 June 936[13] Los Angeles, California2:26:26
7th1984 23 September [14] Paris, France2:32:44

References

Editions

Notes and References

  1. Hamilton, Michelle (2014-03-18). Kathrine Switzer Launches Race Series. Runner's World. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  2. Cunningham, John (1980-08-01). Avon calling as 200 runners join women-only marathon . The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  3. https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/34430-Avon-Women-the-Olympics-Driving-a-Marathon-Revolution Avon, Women & the Olympics: Driving a Marathon Revolution
  4. https://runyoung50.co.uk/the-first-london-marathon/ The first London Marathon
  5. Cooper, Pamela (1998). The American Marathon. Syracuse University Press. .
  6. News: The marathon women . Levin . Richard . . 2 June 1983 . F5 . Newspapers.com.
  7. Web site: Lovett. Charlie. The Fight to Establish the Women's Race. Excerpted from Olympic Marathon: A Centennial History of the Games' Most Storied Race. Web Marketing Associates (WMA). 1997. 2008-11-17 .
  8. https://more.arrs.run/race/16005 1978 Avon International Marathon
  9. https://more.arrs.run/race/16006 1979 Avon International Marathon
  10. https://more.arrs.run/race/16007 1980 Avon International Marathon
  11. https://more.arrs.run/race/16008 1981 Avon International Marathon
  12. https://more.arrs.run/race/16009 1982 Avon International Marathon
  13. https://more.arrs.run/race/16010 1983 Avon International Marathon
  14. https://more.arrs.run/race/15787 1984 Avon International Marathon

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