Wartsila launches Guyana’s most lucrative Road Race

Feb 11, 2014 Sports

– $3.3M in individual cash and prizes up for grabs

Wartsila Operations Guyana Inc., yesterday launched its 20th Anniversary 20Km Road Race that is set to become the most lucrative road race in Guyana, doling out $3.3M in individual cash and other prizes for the March 2 competition, which starts at 6am.
The race will bring the curtains down on a week of activities, which will mark the company’s 20th year of supplying power to the national grid, during February 23-March 2. The contest is scheduled to commence at Paradise, East Coast and finish at Wartsila Headquarters, Kingston.

Wartsila’s Contract Manager, Arron Fraser (second, left) addresses the media in the presence of, from left, AAG President, Aubrey Hutson, Mayfield Taylor-Trim and the race PR, Edison Jefford yesterday at Olympic House.

“The genesis of this event is in the fact that we thought that we could make road race bigger. We wanted to do this to end our anniversary week with a bang,” Arron Fraser, the Contract Manager at Wartsila, told the media at Olympic House.
He said that the race is intended to attract international participation, hence the magnitude of the prize monies that are up for grabs. Further, Fraser pointed out that Wartsila is a “transnational” company, and as such the race should reflect international standards.
The head of Wartsila in Guyana informed that the preparations for the race are excellent and the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has been offering outstanding support. Apart from the competitive aspect of the race, Fraser said that there will be a ‘fun run’ for corporate Guyana and he encouraged other companies to take part in the anniversary race.
President of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson said the race will be “one of the best events we will ever have in Guyana”. He said the prize monies are impressive and called on local and international athletes to register for what promises to be a scorching event.
“The season is ripe for this race and we expect all the leading athletes to register. We also look forward to everyone coming out to participate in this mega race,” Hutson said, adding that the event will be staged according to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules.
Hutson thanked Wartsila for their contribution to the development of the sport, stating that their overall budget to host the race is in excess of $4M. In addition, Wartsila has sponsored the new road-race timing clock that the AAG will have in their possession.
The overall Male and Female prizes are: $300,000; $240,000; $200,000; $140,000; $100,000 and $50,000 for first to sixth places. There are other prizes for five other categories that include junior, youth and masters.