Johannesburg, Wednesday, 19 April 2006 – In an intrepid move to improve on the organisation of the Nedbank City Marathon and Matha Series, Athletics South Africa (ASA) today announced that former Comrades Marathon race director, Cheryl Winn, will head up the Local Organising Committee (LOC) as new race director for the Series. Winn will work closely with ASA events manager, Phiwe Tsholetsane, to give the events the attention they deserve.
“South Africa has the talent, expertise, infrastructure and culture to be one of the strongest distance running nations in the world,” says Winn. “I'm honoured to take on the challenge of synergising the organisational structure of the Nedbank City Marathon and Short Distance Matha Series. My own experience has been that successful event management is contingent upon team effort, clear objectives, defined roles, positive attitudes, effective communication, coordinated effort, enthusiasm and above all - accountability. It is a culture I will endeavour to instil and achieve,” adds Winn.
Norrie Williamson will be appointed as technical director of the Nedbank Series. Williamson’s role will be to handle all technical aspects of the races, including route measurement. Williamson, who is the highest graded IAAF Route Measurer (and the only Grade A measurer) in the country, is also an AIMS (Association of International Marathon) and IAAF accredited Lecturer on route measurement.
Perspective Projects, under the leadership of Lynda Greeff, will continue with the logistical organisation of the Series, including administration.
Linda Ferns, ASA General Manager, said that they will stop at nothing to improve on the quality of all ASA events. She stated that ASA is depended on the resources of the clubs in the host provinces to work on the races. “It’s the very same clubs that organise other races every weekend that have been assisting us in the past and will continue to do so. Nothing will stand in the way of our commitment to organising great events. We have done it before in organising the World Cross Country Championships, and the World Cup in Athletics. We have an obligation to both our sponsors and our members, and we will deliver.”
A list of the clubs that have been appointed to work with ASA will also be made available to the media on a regular. ASA, however, will still take full responsibility for the Nedbank Series organisation. “Our partnership is with Nedbank, and we have a commitment to our athletes, and we will honour that,” said Ferns.
“Nedbank are delighted that ASA has taken these bold steps to improve on the organisation of the Nedbank Series. We remain confident that the series will go from strength to strength. We have every intention of being in this relationship for the long haul, and trust that any gremlins that have crept in the past, will be eliminated with this new structure”, said Andy Scott, Nedbank, head of sponsorship.
