The Race Organizing Committee of the VPBank Hanoi Marathon, Vietnam's leading professional race, will scale down the size of the upcoming March 6, 2022 competition, in both the competing distances and the number of runners, at a request from the municipal authority to ensure safety amid the pandemic for the whole community.

The request was made by the Hanoi Culture and Sports Department, the licensing agency, as the number of new COVID-19 infections in the capital remained high, hovering at about 3,000 cases per day and this complicated development is not expected to end soon. Therefore, the plan of organizing for 10,000 marathoners to run through 5 inner city districts would pose many potential risks to the community and the pandemic prevention drive.

Following the above request, according to the new organizational plan developed with the Vietnam Athletics Federation's assistance, only 1,000 runners will compete in the Full Marathon (42.195 km) on March 6, 2022 at the Formula 1 (F1) track in My Dinh, Hanoi. This complicated change requires a great effort by the Race Organizing Committee (ROC) because, having completed planning for 10,000 marathoners, it now has to adjust the location, the route and also the number of runners.

The new running track is also the venue for the marathon at the 31st SEA Games, including part of the F1 track and nearby streets.

The scaled-down marathon organization not only ensures the safety requirements against the COVID-19 pandemic, but also demonstrates the ROC's responsibility to the running community and meets the urgent requirement of selecting the Top 200 runners to implement a national mission to accompany the 31st SEA Games held in Vietnam.

The ROC understands that all runners are deserved and have the right to compete at the VPBank Hanoi Marathon, but given this scaled-down size, the ROC is forced to set criteria and select runners for the upcoming competition day.

Runners please refer to the detailed criteria for recruiting 1,000 Full Marathon runners for the VPBank Hanoi 2021, as well as the route and starting time in Section 1 below.

All the registered athletes who are not qualified to compete on March 6, 2022 will have their full rights reserved when participating in the 2022 marathon, scheduled to take place in October 2022. In addition, each runner who will not compete on March 6, 2022 will receive a discount voucher for registering the Bib for the 2023 race.

Details of benefits for runners who have to postpone competition to the 2022 race are described in Section 2 below.

SECTION 1: For runners competing in FM on March 6, 2022.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING THE TOP 1,000 RUNNERS COMPETING IN THE

FULL MARATHON AT THE VPBANK HANOI MARATHON 2021

The VPBank Hanoi Marathon 2021 ROC will recruit 1,000 runners based on their best achievements. Runners' achievements are selected from top to bottom.

1. Number and conditions of admission

- Runners who have registered for the VPHM 2021 Full Marathon

- Total number of runners to be selected: 1,000 people (both men and women) to compete in 42.195 km, including 750 men and 250 women.

- Runners who are Vietnamese citizens, who are not in the period of facing any disciplinary measure, aged 16 years or older (up to the date of competition).

- Runners are responsible for understanding and complying with the rules of the race, any violations will lead to disqualification.

2. Races and results for selection

- All the races in 2021 which were supervised by the Vietnam Athletics Federation, having the 42,195-km track certified within the selection period.

- Results should be made in the period from March 4, 2021 to December 31, 2021.

- If the result does not belong to the list of the races supervised and certified by the Vietnam Athletics Federation, the individual needs to provide the result via the Strava link.

Note: Applicants are solely responsible for the truthfulness of the submitted results. The ROC will process complaints within 72 hours after the preliminary list of qualified runners is published.

3. Regulations on COVID-19 prevention

Runners are required to have received at least 2 doses of vaccine, with the latest injection taken no longer than 6 months before the race date, or who have recovered from COVID-19 no more than 6 months before the race date.

Runners have no symptoms of coughing, fever, sore throat or shortness of breath.

Runners participating in the race are required to take a quick test, which will be arranged by the ROC on March 5, 2022 upon receiving the Race Kit (the cost for the test is fully covered by runners).

Runners should wear a mask, keep their distance, disinfect their hands and make a medical declaration upon receiving the Race Kit on March 5, 2022, and at the Start/Finish area on March 6, 2022.

Runners must receive Race Kit by themselves, as the ROC does not accept any case of receiving it by proxy.

4. Competition time and venue

- Departure time: 5:00 a.m. on March 6, 2022.

- The route is the official route for the marathon content at the 31st SEA Games.

Around the My Dinh National Sports Complex and to the Finish line inside the stadium.

5. Cut-off time: 5h00

6. Running and Route Map

- The competing distance: 42.195 km.

- The running route: is the route used for SEA Games marathon.

The route is fully located in Nam Tu Liem district including: in the field and in My Dinh stadium campus, part of the F1 Racing road and routes: Do Xuan Hop, Tan My, Le Duc Tho, Le Quang Dao.

- Description of the route: Departure to the gate of My Dinh stadium on Le Duc Tho Street - Le Duc Tho - Le Quang Dao - turning around in Le Quang Dao street (crossing the road near Le Quang Dao - Me Tri Street) - Le Quang Dao - F1 Racetrack - Do Xuan Hop - Tan My - Le Duc Tho - via the XP gate (1st loop completed) - Running for 8 loops. Once completed, turn right to run into My Dinh stadium - 1 round along the pitch line - running to the Finish line at the 100-m marker on the pitch line in My Dinh stadium.

7. How to register

Runners meeting the requirements in sections 1, 2, 3 above and wishing to participate in the March 6 race must fill out the following link. The deadline is February 19, 2022.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1faipqlscysjej5ls4f27xpc9fzruvfzjo0s5hwcifn3tq87ruxnfc5w/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

The ROC will conduct a preliminary selection and notify by email to a qualified runner no later than February 25, 2022.

Note: When a runner receives the admissions notification email, it means the 2021 Bib has been used and the runner no longer has the right to reserve in any situation. Runners must consider thoroughly before filling out the application form. The ROC is not responsible for any false declaration of information by runners in the above form to select the Top 1,000 runners.

 

SECTION 2: For runners who are not joining the March 6, 2022 race

1. Benefits for the runners who have registered for a VPBank Hanoi Marathon 2021 Bib but do not compete on March 6, 2022:

Runners who are not competing on March 6, 2022 (all the runners who have registered for 5 km, 10 km, half marathon and also the FM runners who are not in the 1,000-runner selected group) will have all the benefits reserved to participate in the 2022 season, expected to take place in October 2022.

In addition, every runner in the above mentioned group will receive a discount voucher when registering for the 2023 Bib, with the following discounts corresponding to the registered distances as follows:

FM - 500,000-dong voucher

HM - 400,000-dong voucher

10 km - 300,000-dong voucher

5 km - 200,000-dong voucher

The ROC will send the earliest notification by email to the runners as soon as the Super Early Bird registration for the 2023 race begins.

2. Q & A about Bib reservations

Q1: Given a change in the race schedule because of force majeure, we understand and sympathize with the Race Organizing Committee (ROC), so do we need to do anything for our reservation for the 2022 race?

A1: Thank you runners, who have sympathized with this difficult decision of the ROC. You don't need to do anything, your Bib and information are automatically reserved to the next race. As soon as registration for the 2022 marathon begins (slated for the end of March 2022), the ROC will email to runners the new Bib number and other information for the 2022 race.

Q2: Due to the change in the schedule, I wish to change the distance, transfer Bib, what procedures I need to do? When can I start doing this and what's the deadline?

A2: As soon as registration for the 2022 race begins (slated for the end of March 2022), the ROC will email to runners the new Bib numbers and other information as well as runners' benefits in the 2022 race, especially details on how to change information, distance, or transfer Bib as well as the deadline for making such changes. Runners please wait for the ROC's email and track the marathon's Facebook fan page to avoid missing relevant information.

Q3: Due to the changed schedule, I could not arrange time and wish to refund. Does the ROC have any mechanism for this?

A3: In the competition charter, and at runners' registration for the race, it is stated clearly that the ROC does not refund in any case. The ROC is expected that runners understand the postponement of the marathon is due to a force majeure and the authority's requirements to ensure safety for the community and for runners themselves.

Besides, the ROC will still support the runners who could not arrange time for the race to transfer the Bib. Please refer to Q2/A2 for more information on the Bib transfer.

Q4: For the Bibs which are gifts in the gratitude programs for clubs and volunteers, if they are shifted to the 2022 race, would it be possible to change information, distance and transfer the Bib and any fee applied?

A4: The Bib gifts as mentioned above will automatically be reserved for the 2022 race. The Bib gift represents the ROC's gratitude to the runners who always love and are devoted to the marathon. In order to limit Bib trading that led to situations when Bib prices became uncontrollable as in the past and in contrary to the meaning and principle of the ROC's program, the Bib gifts are those the owners of which cannot changed information, distance or transfer. However, in case the race is postponed to the 2022 marathon, the ROC decides to support runners more by allowing them to change information, the distance and transfer the Bib gift. For details on how and when to implement these changes, please refer to Q2/A2 above.

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Held annually since 2018, the VPBank Hanoi Marathon has become Hanoi’s official race and won recognition to be a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) since 2019, with a running track standardized by AIMS experts and the Vietnam Athletics Federation. Runners’ results, in addition to be qualified for competing in the 31st SEA Games, are still recognized to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon. The VPBank Hanoi Marathon has joined the Age Group Ranking System of Abbott World Marathon Majors, counting from 2022.

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New Race Date: March 6, 2022

Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/VPBankHanoiMarathon

Should you have any question about the VPBank Hanoi Marathon, please email us at: hanoi.marathon@dhavietnam.vn.

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The Heritage Race system, owned and organized annually by DHA Vietnam, comprises of the VPBank Hanoi Marathon in October, the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon in November and the Can Tho Marathon - A Heritage Race in December.