Race Report: Cyprus 4 Day Challenge 2012

This report was sent to us by Yiota at Arena Sports, organisers of the Cyprus 4 Day Challenge:

The 8th edition of the 4-Day Challenge is now an unforgettable memory for both the runners and the organizers, and it is with great pleasure that we saw the participation number averaging at the same level as in previous years, with runners of various ages and standards as well as supporters escorting the runners, all from various countries such as UK, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Russia, France, Italy, Austria, Norway, Switzerland, and Cyprus.

For one more year, highlights of the event were the 11k Hill Run on day 2 of the race & the Half Marathon Multiterrain Run on day 3 of the race, both of which took place in the AKAMAS Nature reserve.

The 1/2 marathon started from Neo Chorio – Smigies Picnic Area, finished on the Beach of Toxeftra and took runners on one of the most scenic & spectacular routes on our island, if not on Europe.

The 11k Hill Run, started close by Toxeftra Beach, finished by the beautiful village square / church of Pano Arodes, and took runners on a climb where steep ascends took turns with short, sharp descents, to give a final gain of altitude of over 600m through alternating landscapes, including a forest, a moonscape like valley and vineyards!!!

Both AKAMAS routes on day 2 & 3 as well as the time trial on the first day and the 10k Paphos City Run on the last day, were dominated by Urs Jenzer from Switzerland who completed the event in 03:01:18 overall male category and by Stephanie Twell from Great Britain who completed the event in 03:22:28 overall female category.

Both overall winners of the race, received an award from the organizers of the Event, ARENA Sports, in which all expenses such as Hotel accommodation, car hire and participation at the Cyprus International 4-Day Challenge 2012 are covered, totaling cost of €1500.00 for each winner.

In the Team running, the first team was the SC Ainring Team from Germany, winning with a cumulative time of 09:45:33

Apart from all the runners who honored us with their participation in the Cyprus International 4-day Challenge, we would also like to say a big thank you to all our sponsors, the Cyprus Tourism Organization, Cyprus Airways, the Leptos Group, Rock FM, the Coral Beach Hotel & Resort, Europcar Rental the Iasis Hospital and Ambuline Services, who made the whole organization such a success. We would also like to thank the various authorities, the Paphos Police, the Forestry Dep., the Municipality of Neo Chorio, the Municipality of Arodes Village, the Environmental Authorities, the Archaeological Dep. and Air Vac., and we commit ourselves for an even better organization for the 2013 event, with even more runners thus promoting Sports tourism in our country.

For more information on next year’s event as well as our early booking offers (entry fee discount & complimentary room upgrade), please feel free to visit www.cypruschallenge.com and contact us through info@arena.com.cy or any of the event’s official tour operators abroad which can be found at www.cypruschallenge.com/TourOperators.aspx