Third La Paz 3600 Race coming up

(La Paz, October 12, 2011).- In defense of sport at the altitude of the capital city, the La Paz 3,600 race will be held for the third consecutive year, over a 10 kilometer circuit through several parts of the city.

The announcement was made at a press conference by the CAF director representative in Bolivia, Emilio Uquillas, and executive secretary of La Paz City Government, Luis Lugones.

CAF - Latin American development bank - and the La Paz City Government (GAMLP) are organizing the competition to promote and encourage physical activity, and defend the right to do sport in the place where you are born, which is why mass participation by all the people of La Paz is anticipated.

The CAF director representative said sport was a fundamental social rescue tool for human development, which is essential for achieving integrated and sustainable development. "CAF and the La Paz City Government want to give the city a competition in line with international standards aimed not only at elite athletes but also at amateur runners and sports fans, in the context of a festival full of surprises and first class facilities for participants," he said.

Luis Lugones asked the people of La Paz and other localities to join in the event. "It will be a way of defending our right to practice sport at high altitudes." He thanked CAF and private enterprise for making this sports fiesta possible for the last three years. This year Lugones predicted the race would host over 8,000 runners.

The categories for athletes and amateurs, male and female, are as follows: high school students, under 35s, 36 to 45, over 46, people with special needs (wheelchair). The new feature this year is the participation of Special Olympics athletes who will compete in the last kilometer.

The race will start at Plaza Villarroel and end at Puente Libertad (Puentes Trillizos). There will be several hydration stations along the route, enlivenment activities for runners and the public every kilometer, and special refreshments for athletes at the finish, the organizers said.

Prizes

The first three positions in each category will receive US$200, US$100 and US$50. In addition, CAF will present the overall winners – men and women – with their plane fare, registration fee, lodging and travel expenses for participation in the CAF Caracas Marathon 2012 to be held on February 5.

Other incentives will be presentation of 5,000 T-shirts with the competition motif to the first athletes to get to the starting area on race day, and 5,000 commemorative medals to the first runners to cross the finish line.

Registration

Free registration will be available from October 13 on presentation of a photocopy of birth certificate or identity card.

Then registration sites are the Municipal Sports Department (Municipal Technical Building, Colombia esq. Mariscal Santa Cruz, House 11); Obrajes (Calle 11) and Orkohauira (Pasoskanki bridge) municipal pools; Luis Lastra Sports Palace (end Presbítero Medina); and Munaypata Sports Palace (Av. Naciones Unidas).

In 2009 in the first La Paz 3600 race, 4,970 runners competed, while last year 7,500 athletes ran. This year over 8,000 participants are expected.

Since the race is coordinated with the Municipal Athletics Association, the competition is part of the official running activities taking place in the city. For the future, it is planned to register the race as an international circuit and competition.