UAE runners gear up for the Greatest Race on Earth

The Greatest Race On Earth, into its third year, is a test of nerves for even seasoned runners. A relay race featuring four established marathons in Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong, the Greatest Race represents some of the toughest running conditions in the world.

Teams from the UAE consisting of Standard Chartered employees will be among hundreds of runners battling heat, humidity, altitude and terrain to achieve glory in a race that covers two continents and four countries.

The Greatest Race On Earth is set to start in Nairobi on 29 October and will move on to Singapore and Mumbai before it concludes in Hong Kong, where the last leg of the race features a five kilometre climb to the finishing line.

'At Standard Chartered, we uphold the values of courage, commitment and internationality, and the Greatest Race On Earth is a great way of underlining our support for communities that we work with,' said Niall McLoughlin, Regional Head of Corporate Affairs.

'There is a fantastic link between staff involvement and the community and our support for GROE teams is in line with our international positioning within the communities we serve.'

The race is open to teams of four, with each runner covering one of the four marathons. Standard Chartered will be sending five teams to this year's race. Although the race is gruelling, winners this year stand to benefit from a cash pool of USD $1.5 million, the biggest in world athletics.

The 2006 Greatest Race On Earth will also feature one team from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), who are entering the race to raise funds in support of the people of Lebanon rebuild their lives after the recent conflict.

The series of events that make up the Greatest Race are part of a series of initiatives launched by Standard Chartered aimed at improving basic health standards of communities worldwide. They complement the 'Seeing is Believing' campaign, designed to restore the sight of one million people globally.