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The New Marathon Course and the Brandenburg Gate

Already over 40,000 Registrations for the Race on the Postcard Course

2003-05-19

The changes that the organisers from SCC RUNNING have made in the course of the real,- Berlin Marathon in the anniversary year, especially the relocation of the finish from Kurfürstendamm / Tauentzienstrasse to the Brandenburg Gate, have received a positive echo worldwide and caused a “run“ on the BERLIN MARATHON.

To date, the organisers have received more than 40,000 registrations from 79 countries (runners, skaters, power walkers and wheelchair athletes). That is 13,800 more registrations than at the same time last year. Last years record total of 41,376 athletes will be passed by the beginning of this week.

The course has been “revised“ once more by the course scout John Kunkeler and changed according to the wishes of the police at a few spots.

The course now avoids Kochstrasse and Lindenstrasse, so that it runs directly from Friedrichstrasse into Torstrasse to Alexanderplatz, then via Heinrich-Heine-Strasse to Herrmannplatz. In Steglitz, the Schlossstrasse has been removed from the course so that it now leads directly from the Kaisereiche into Schmiljanstrasse to the Wilden Eber (Wild Boar Square).

"The course remains flat and fast and shows more of new and old Berlin,“ commented John Kunkeler.

“Seen from the perspective of the tourist attractions in Berlin, the course is a postcard course,“ said someone from the local television station RBB, who naturally has a different view for details than just that of the flatness and speed of the course.

"The tourist and political highlights of Berlin remain: The Siegessäule (Victory Column), the Technical University, the Federal Chancellery, the Reichstag, Friedrichstrasse and the Friedrichstadt Palast, Alexanderplatz with the TV Tower, the Schöneberg City Hall, Wilde Eber (Wild Boar Square), the boulevard Kurfürstendamm with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the famous department store KaDeWe, Potsdamer Strasse, the New National Gallery, the State Library, Philharmonics, Potsdamer Platz, the Bundesrat (Upper House of the German Parliament), Gendarmenmarkt with the Concert House, French and German Cathedrals, the Foreign Ministry, the Red City Hall, Marienkirche (St. Marys Church), the Berlin Cathedral, the boulevard Unter den Linden with the Lustgarten, Humboldt University, State Library, Staatsoper (State Opera), Neue Wache (Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), Pariser Platz (Paris Square) and the Brandenburg Gate.

The exact measuring of the course according to AIMS/IAAF regulations will take place on May 29, 2003. Should there be any deviations, minor course changes may be made.

The arguments of the Berlin police regarding the separate inline skate marathon on Saturday are not quite understandable. In the opinion of the police, “The skaters would disturb shopping for the stores on Long Saturday“. Despite the fact that for years “Long Saturday“ was initiated alone BECAUSE of the BERLIN MARATHON and all of the resulting tourists, this is now having a boomerang effect for the event.

The organisers have submitted a suggestion for a compromise to the police—a small change in course and a starting time of 4:00 p.m.—so that the entire Saturday will not have to be dedicated to the inline skaters.

This is the official course for the runners: Start: boulevard Strasse des 17. Juni (between Entlastungsstrasse and Siegessäule (Victory Column)) – (Technical University - Ernst-Reuter-Platz) – Marchstrasse - Franklinstrasse – Gotzkowskystrasse - Alt-Moabit – (JVA Moabit) – Willy-Brandt-Strasse – (Federal Chancellory and Reichstag) – Otto v. Bismarck-Allee – Konrad-Adenauer-Strasse – Reinhardtstrasse – Friedrichstrasse (Friedrichstadt-Palast) – Torstrasse – Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse – Memhardstrasse – Alexanderplatz – Alexanderstrasse – Jannowitzbrücke – Brückenstrasse – Heinrich-Heine-Strasse – Moritzplatz – Prinzenstrasse – Ritterstrasse – Reichenberger Strasse – Kottbusser Tor – Kottbusser Strasse – Kottbusser Damm – Hermannplatz – Hasenheide – Südstern - Gneisenaustrasse – Yorckstrasse – Goebenstrasse – Potsdamer Strasse – Grunewaldstrasse – Martin-Luther-Strasse – (Schöneberg City Hall) – Innsbrucker Platz – Hauptstrasse – Rheinstrasse –Schmiljanstrasse - Wiesbadener Strasse – Südwestkorso – Breitenbachplatz – Lentzeallee – Wilder Eber (Wild Boar Square) – Rheinbabenallee – Roseneck – Hohenzollerndamm – Konstanzer Strasse – Olivaer Platz - Kurfürstendamm – Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church - Tauentzienstrasse – Wittenbergplatz – Kleiststrasse – Nollendorfplatz – Bülowstrasse – Potsdamer Strasse (New National Gallery – State Library – Philharmonics) – Potsdamer Platz – Leipziger Strasse – Leipziger Platz (Bundesrat (Upper House of the German Paliament)) – Markgrafenstrasse – Gendarmenmarkt (German Cathedral – Concert House – French Cathedral) – Französische Strasse – Werderscher Markt (Foreign Ministry) – Rathausstrasse – (Berlin City Hall) – Spandauer Strasse – Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse – (Berlin Cathedral – Lustgarten) – Unter den Linden (Neue Wache – Staatsoper (State Opera) – State Library) – Pariser Platz – Brandenburg Gate – Platz des 18. März – Strasse des 17. Juni – The finish line is directly in front of the Soviet Memorial.

Long stands filled with cheering spectators along the final metres before the finish will assure the right atmosphere for the participants as they cross the finish line.

A unique atmosphere will also fill the lawn between the Federal Chancellery and the Reichstag. That is where the participants will find everything that they need to recuperate after the real,- BERLIN MARATHON.