2014 Soochow Ultra Marathon Certified with IAU Golden Label

The 2014 Soochow University Ultra Marathon has been officially certified with a Golden Label approved by the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), the world’s sole official organization of marathons, marking another feat of Soochow University’s (SCU) world-renowned yearly event since its first race was held in 1999 as a challenge to human physical limits.

 This formal certification of IAU Golden Label to the school’s 2014 International Ultra Marathon was notified by the Chinese Taipei Association of Ultrarunners (CTAU) as a remarkable honor proudly felt by all the students, faculty and staff of SCU.

The accomplishment was made possible by the fulfillment of five runners in the 24-hour race finishing with world-class records recognized by the IAU: 240 km for a male runner and 220 km for a female runner in 24 hours. This year’s five outstanding performers included four males: Yoshikazu Hara (285.366 km) and Ryoichi Sekiya (241.099 km) of Japan, Ivan Cudin of Italy (255.499 km) and Florian Reus of Germany (253.899 km), and one female: Mami Kudo of Japan (222.431 km), who had set the women’s world record twice in previous SCU Ultra Marathon events. This year Yoshikazu Hara also set Asia’s best record for men in any 24-hour race and the all-time second best record for men in SCU Ultra Marathon events.

Characterized by students’ warm reception and loud cheers to runners, Soochow University International Ultra Marathon has earned a worldwide reputation in the arena of marathons. In 2012, with six of the runners surpassing the threshold of international level records, the event became Taiwan’s first and only and the world’s second ultramarathon certified with an IAU Golden Label. Arguably the best in the history of SCU Ultra Marathons, this year’s race received the recognition once again while Soochow University vowed to repeat the honor next year and to spare no effort to make the event the best marathon in the world.

Criteria for the Certification of an IAU Golden Label

The International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) awards the certification of its Golden Label to a 24-hour race in a marathon where at least a total of five runners (men’s and women’s groups combined) finish with international level records: 240 km for a male runner and 220 km for a female runner in 24 hours.