Sport

Dublin Marathon to guarantee entry for some past participants

Organisers have made the change after initially saying it would purely be a lottery

A view of runners going through the Phoenix Park during the Dublin marathon. Photo: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Ian O'Riordan's face
Ian O'Riordan
Thu Oct 31 2019 - 12:19

Such was the apparent unease at the widespread move to a lottery entry system, organisers of the KBC Dublin Marathon will now guarantee a race entry for the 2020 event for anyone who participated in the last three editions.

The online lottery entry, announced on Tuesday, was initially intended to apply to all applicants, whether or not they’d competed before. Only now, in response to the unease aired in the immediate aftermath, runners wishing to return for the 2020 race will be guaranteed an entry provided they have entered one or all of the previous three editions.

In a statement, the organisers still stood over the decision to apply the lottery for remaining race entries, in part to gauge the exact demand, but that certain return entries were now guaranteed.

“The KBC Dublin Marathon Race organisers, aware of the concern caused by the changes to the entry process to regular participants in the KBC Dublin Marathon, have made the decision to guarantee a race entry for anyone who has participated in one of the last three editions, namely, the 2017, 2018 or 2019 event.

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“Eligible participants will be able to guarantee their place in the 2020 Dublin Marathon provided they enter within 72 hours of receiving a unique URL enabling them to do so. The URL will be issued at 12 noon (tomorrow) Friday November 1st”.

After demand once again fast-outpaced supply for this year’s race, the 40th edition of the event, the organiser felt the lottery entry system was the better option for next year’s race which is set for Sunday October 25th, 2020. While rolling back a little on this, remaining race entries will be decided on a lottery.

“The Dublin Marathon Race organisers can confirm that a significant factor in the move to the lottery system for the 2020 KBC Dublin Marathon in addition to the increased demand experienced over the last number of years, is to gauge the total level of interest in participation in the Dublin marathon. This is to enable the Dublin Marathon Race organisers to prepare a strategic plan for the future development of the event in consultation with the event’s multiple stakeholders.

“Moving to a lottery system will allow the Dublin Marathon race organisers determine the overall interest levels from the amount of lottery registrations as opposed to the current system where applications cut off as soon as the 22,500 capacity is reached. Based on the experience of recent years, the Dublin Marathon organisers expect total interest to exceed capacity and the lottery is seen as a fair way to determine participation where interest exceeds capacity.”

As already announced a number places have also been allocated to the Athletics Ireland membership as the race also serves as the Athletics Ireland National Marathon Championships. Application for these places will open on 1st April 2020 and will be allocated in accordance with the Dublin Marathon Good for Age standards. Applicants must have a valid Athletics Ireland membership to be eligible.

“The Dublin Marathon Race organisers can confirm that about 18 per cent of participants amounting to approximately 4,000 runners partake in the KBC Dublin Marathon in consecutive years.”

The remaining entry lottery will be open from November 1st to November 30th 2019. There will be a registration fee of €15 per lottery entry, which will be fully refundable if the applicant is not successful and fully redeemable against entry fee if the applicant is successful. Registrants will learn their entry status via SMS and email between January 3rd to January 10th. Successful entrants will have until January 31st 2020 to redeem the offer.

Any initial places not redeemed by January 31st 2020 will be re-allocated by lottery to entrants who were not successful. The applicants will learn their entry status via SMS and email between the February 4th to February 7th 2020. These offers must be redeemed by February 14th 2020.

Like this year, a maximum of 22,500 places available for the 2020 KBC Dublin Marathon. although it was slightly surprising that of those 22,500, only 17,937 actually started last Sunday’s race - with 17,605 finishing, eclipsing the previous highest numbers of finishers (16,762) from 2016, although still well short of the event was cleared to cater for.

A refund option will also open from June 2nd to June 15th, 2020. A refund of 70 per cent of the entry fee will be returned once your application has been accepted. The refund will be available on “Manage My Bookings” from your entry confirmation link. This will be the only opportunity to avail of a refund for 2020.

Any unallocated numbers to be offered to any unsuccessful lottery applicants on July 1st -July 7th, 2020 with offers needing to be redeemed by July 14th.