HONDA BECOMES L.A. MARATHON TITLE SPONSOR
By David Monti
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
In an announcement which comes late by industry standards, the
organizers of the City of Los Angeles Marathon have announced that
Honda has been elevated to the race's title sponsor (previously the
automobile and power equipment company had been a presenting sponsor of
the March 21 race). The race will now be known as the Honda Los
Angeles Marathon.
"It is a privilege to be affiliated with such an outstanding,
well-known company," commented Russ Pillar, President of L.A. Marathon
LLC, which owns and operates the race. "Honda's commitment to the
local community is both wide and deep, and having such a distinguished
title sponsor reflects the significant changes we've made to deliver a
great event for all of Los Angeles."
This will be the second edition of the Los Angeles Marathon which
Pillar's group has managed after buying the event from the financially
troubled Devine Sports. In 2009 Pillar moved the race to the Memorial
Day weekend in May, and race participation fell by 18% to 14,128
finishers. In 2007, when the race was still held on its traditional
first Sunday in March, 20,230 runners finished the race. This year's
race, to be held on a new point-to-point course which finishes near the
Pacific Ocean, has a 25,000 runner entry cap.
Honda has a long relationship with the race, going back 14 years.
"We've been honored to be affiliated with this great competition and
with the manner in which it brings together the entire greater Los
Angeles community, explained Tetsuo Iwamura, president and chief
executive officer of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The new course
shows off some of the best of what Los Angeles has to offer, and is
sure to make the Honda LA Marathon an outstanding, signature event for
the running world, for spectators, and for Southern California alike."
The agreement between Honda and the race gives the company naming
rights through 2012. Honda will have a major presence at the race
expo, throughout the course, and at the finish line festival near Santa
Monica pier.
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