Entries Open for 2017 Vitality Bath Half Corporate Challenge

Organisers of the award-winning Vitality Bath Half Marathon have announced that entries are now open for businesses and guests to take part in the race on Sunday 12th March 2017.

The Vitality Bath Half Corporate Challenge gives corporate teams the opportunity to get involved with one of the UK’s most popular city centre road races, whilst giving their business exposure at a major sporting event. With 500 places specifically reserved for entrants representing business teams, it provides a unique team building experience as well as a fantastic fundraising opportunity and a positive way to encourage fitness in the work place.

With places at the Vitality Bath Half Marathon selling out quickly each year – and thousands already sold with over six months still to go – teams are encouraged to secure their place at the 2017 Corporate Challenge soon.

The 2016 Corporate Challenge saw over 50 teams from diverse business sectors represented at the Vitality Bath Half. It provided healthy competition for teams as diverse as accountants, architects, lawyers, publishers and taxi companies, all of whom raised significant sums for charity.

The Vitality Bath Half Marathon is a superb platform for charity fundraising and has earned itself the position of one of the top three fundraising road races in the UK. This year, over £160,000 was raised by the Corporate Challenge alone, and the total race figure is expected to surpass the record £2.1 million raised in 2015.

The Corporate Challenge requires each entrant to raise a minimum of £175 for their charity of choice. There is no limit to the number of entrants in each team, but a minimum of five runners are required to score in the team results and to qualify for the separate men’s and women’s trophies. The team with the fastest combined time of the top five fastest finishers wins the Corporate Challenge title.

The 2016 men’s trophy winners were Running Bath with a time of 7 hours 14 minutes, and the women’s winners were Vitality with a time of 9 hours 7 minutes.

Traditionally, the Corporate Challenge is a perfect platform for inter-branch or inter-departmental challenges within businesses. Whether it’s management versus staff, HR against IT or head office versus the local branch, there is ample scope for competition under the same company umbrella. Guest runners are also welcome in the corporate teams, who are encouraged to invite clients, suppliers, friends and family.

The Vitality Bath Half Corporate Challenge also presents itself as a unique networking experience, with 15,000 runners and 30,000 spectators expected at the 2017 event. Sponsorship opportunities are available for business partners, alongside race day hospitality packages for runners and spectators.

Race Director Andrew Taylor from Running High Events commented: “We are delighted to welcome back the Vitality Bath Half Corporate Challenge for 2017 and are pleased to announce that registration is now open. The Corporate Challenge was a huge success at our race this year and the feedback we received from participating businesses was extremely positive. Having seen the benefit to so many companies of diverse backgrounds, we would encourage as many companies as possible to take on the 2017 team challenge. It is a fantastic team-building experience and helps to promote a healthy work force, which can only be a good thing!

“There are a great many businesses in the Bath and surrounding area, and we are hoping to see lots of healthy competition within companies as well as between companies before crowning the winners of our 2017 Corporate Challenge Competition. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and now is the perfect time to sign up your teams, designate your team captain and get training!”

Entries for the 2017 Vitality Bath Half Marathon are open and selling fast. General public places have sold out every year since 2000 and, as always, runners are being advised to secure their place early through the race’s website to avoid disappointment. Of the 15,000 places available for the 2017 race, 500 are reserved for the Corporate Challenge.

The Vitality Bath Half Marathon is one of the most popular road racing events in the UK. The two-lap 13.1 mile course is enjoyed for being fast and flat, making it an ideal event both for those starting out and for elite athletes looking for a PB. Each year the race attracts a strong British elite field and a large number of celebrities who are attracted by the stunning setting, fantastic crowd support and promise of a good finish time.

The Lead Charity for the 2017 Vitality Bath Half Marathon is Cancer Research UK, with Cancer Research UK Teens & Kids the official Family Fun Run Charity and Dorothy House Hospice Care the official Local Charity.  

Go to http://bathhalf.co.uk/the-event/corporate-challenge/ to register a team for the 2017 Vitality Bath Half Corporate Challenge.

Go to www.bathhalf.co.uk for further race details, like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/BathHalfMarathon and follow @bathhalf #bathhalf on Twitter to keep up to date with all the latest news about the Vitality Bath Half Marathon.