• Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival hits 100 entries
• Hawaiian Ironman Mike Le Roux signs up
• Steve Moneghetti sends a message of support

Since the launch of the website just last month, the registrations for the Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival to be held on 12 November this year have been streaming in from around Australia.

With funding assistance from Cairns Regional Council preparations are well under way to welcome around 500 runners from across the world to Port Douglas in the far north of Queensland with many expected from Japan and New Zealand.

Port Douglas Event Managment Managing Director, Sam Cullen, said "We at PDEM are confident that this event will provide a significant economic boost to the region and with the Council's continued support, we will see huge benefits on an annual basis.”

Festival Ambassador, Steve Moneghetti, is confident that this inaugural Marathon Festival will quickly establish itself as a 'must do' on the marathon calendar.  

Monaghetti was thrilled to hear of the first 100 sign-ups and sent a message to the organisers, "Congratulations to our 100th registrant for the Great Barrier Reef Marathon in November; it is testament to the wonderful support and interest in the event to have achieved this milestone at such an early stage. I look forward to welcoming many more participants in the next few months."

PDEM Event Director, Bruno Bennett, said he is delighted that registrations are coming in so well.   

"Our aim for this first festival is around the 500 entrants and with the promotional team we are confident that this will be achieved having passed the first registration stage so quickly

"We always believed that this unique running festival would attract a whole range of enthusiasts to the festival.  It is a unique running experience combining the natural elements of the iconic Four Mile Beach and ancient rainforests.  

"A course that takes in the beautiful Mowbray Valley and historic Bump Track that was used to transport miners and their gold to and from the goldfields in the late 1800s.  The track runs alongside a sugar cane train and finishes with a breathtaking view at Rex Park looking out over the Coral Sea"

The six strong Great Barrier Reef Marathon team, captained by Nick Carling, competed very successfully in the USM Cairns Challenge Triathlon on 5 June which was run over a course that included the coastal road that hugs the Coral Sea from Cairns to Port Douglas.  

Several of the competitors from the Cairns Challenge including Hawaiian Ironman winner Michael Le Roux have confirmed that they will be joining Steve Moneghetti in running in the inaugural Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival.

Nick Carling said, "We are excited about running against world class athletes like Steve and Michael.  My team can learn so much from these guys and it’s great that it's all going to take place in our own beautiful back yard!"

The Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival includes an Ultra 74kms Marathon, The Steve Moneghetti Open Invitational Half Marathon, 10km fun run and Fundy 5000m charity event.

To register for any of these events and check out the itinerary and accommodation options visit the Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival website.