Marathon majors aim for season-ending race

NEW YORK, May 24 (Reuters) Organisers of the world marathon majors are considering launching a season-ending race that would bring together all the top marathoners for an annual big-money showdown.

Mary Wittenberg, chief of the New York City Marathon, said a season-ender over a distance such as a half-marathon could make the calendar as soon as next year.

''We recognize in the world marathon majors that as we continue to build our sport and build a fan base around these athletes, we would be best served with an annual culmination point,'' Wittenberg told Reuters.

''And with an event in which the athletes all actually race against each other - because if you look at the major marathons, never do they all race each other.

''The Olympics only takes the top three in each country, and from Kenya and Ethiopia that's missing several top guys. And there are five (major marathon) races so they divide up among them,'' she said about the Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathons.

''If we had a season-ending championship in December or January at a shorter distance and you invited the top finishers from the major events you could actually get to where they could race each other.'' Organisers agreed to pursue the idea at their winter meeting in Tokyo in February and Wittenberg said plans could come together quickly.

''As soon as the right opportunity comes about,'' she said. ''I do think there are countries and cities that would be interested in hosting that.'' The world marathon majors series pays 500,000 dollar each to the top man and woman annually from a points list based on their major marathon finishes over a two-year period.

The first million-dollar payout will come after this November's New York City Marathon. Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya, holder of the Chicago and Boston marathon titles, currently leads the men's standings. New York champion Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia leads the women.

Reuters RN DB2341