The Great Relay, conceptualised and co-organised by well-known trail ultra runners Vlad Ixel and Eti Rodriguez, is a rather unique team trail running race – and it will be making its Singapore debut on 13 June this year.
The Great Relay comes to Singapore.
(Photo credit: The Great Relay).
Vlad and Eti are both successful trail runners in their own right. Some of Vlad’s accomplishments include winning The North Face 100km in 2013 and 2014 as well as a victory at Hong Kong’s TransLantau 50km event. Eti’s accolades include victories at The North Face 50km event in 2013 and 2014 as well as the Stampede 50km race in New Zealand in 2014.
The Great Relay event made its inaugural debut last year in Hong Kong and was well received throughout the running community there. Said Vlad, “We released a survey there after the event and the responses were very positive. But there are a few areas that we can improve on, and we look forward to delivering an even better event in Singapore.”
Why was Singapore picked as the venue for the second race? Said Vlad, “Singapore was always going to be our first or second event, primarily because of the great running community. But we’d love to develop a series within the next year or so, with up to five races in different locations with a combined ranking system.”
A relay race comprising of teams of either two, four or six runners
As the name of the event suggests, The Great Relay Singapore will take place in a cumulative relay format comprising teams of either two, four or six runners. They will take turns to collectively run a combined distance of either 50km or 100km depending on their choosing.
Runners can choose to join the race as part of an all-male, an all-female or a mixed team – where at least 25 per cent of the team members must comprise of the minority gender.
Said Vlad, “Our ambition for The Great Relay in Singapore is quite simple: To put on a great event that helps to make participants happy, an event that participants can enjoy with their friends, family and colleagues.”
Photo: The Great Relay Singapore.
Race Day Format
For the race format, the first team member will take the baton and complete one loop of the race course. Then he or she will pass the baton to the second team member, who will do likewise. Once every team member has run the route, the first member will take the baton again and this will continue until the team has clocked the running distance they have selected.
Event Location
The location of the event will not be released until a few weeks before race day, according to Vlad. He said, “We’d like to have some suspense and mystery and keep participants guessing!”
Added the co-organiser, “But what we will say is that the layout of the event gives you and your team the opportunity to cheer on the runners at the baton exchange. If you’re in a competitive team, you can watch the electronic leaderboard intently. Otherwise, sit-back while you’re not running, and enjoy the festivities: music, food and drink, and lots of atmosphere.”
Race Entry Fees
Entry fees per team start from $100 and these will vary, depending on what team category and distance you choose. Here is a full list of entry fees.
Photo: The Great Relay.
Where To Register
Early Bird Registration is currently open till 1 May and you can sign up or seek more information at the race website, http://www.tgrsg.com.
For enquiries on The Great Relay – or if you are seeking team members or a team to participate in this event – you may contact the event organisers at info@tgrsg.com
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