Canegrowers Great Barrier Marathon representatives Jess Coleman and Nick Carling recently travelled down to Sydney to showcase the November Marathon Festival at the April FILEX exhibition and convention.

With more than 300 exhibitors and 29,000 visitors over the three days, the pair were very optimistic about the success achieved at their unique display stand.

There was a huge array of stalls including various types of equipment, clothing stalls, fitness software, finance, personal training academies, nutrition, body building, modelling - you name it, if it was fitness industry related they were there!

The idea behind their presence at this prestigious exhibition was to promote the Canegrowers Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival to the most targeted audience possible to ensure the organisers reached their goal of attracting 1500 athletes for the 2013 Festival - double the entrants achieved for the inaugural Steve Moneghetti half marathon race back in 2011.

Pictured: Nick Carling is joined by Miss Carnivale, Emma Farrell, and Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas general manager, Lachlan Walker.

Future plans include attending the July Gold Coast Marathon, Townsville and Melbourne Marathon exhibitions to ensure as much of the Australian running fraternity know about this very special event in time to register their entry.

Online registrants can take advantage of the July early bird special being offered on the website greatbarrierreefmarathon.com.au.

Entries are currently coming in from all over the world and the organisers are justifiably confident that this new major event for both the running world and the local Douglas community will fulfill all ambitions.

Whilst in Sydney a competition was run from the stall for interested visitors, and the lucky winner was Todd Muller from Sydney who wins 5 nights at the Sheraton Mirage, Port Douglas with tours to the Mossman Gorge and a trip out on the reef with Sailaway/Poseidon.

For full race entry details visit greatbarrierreefmarathon.com.au