No Decision Yet on Fate of the Long Beach Inline Marathon

Race Official Says Continuing the Event May Not Make Sense Given Loss of Sponsors

By Robert "The Vultures Are Circling" Burnson

Members of the company that puts on the Long Beach Marathon plan to decide in the next few weeks whether to continue the inline portion of the race.

"We have to look at the financial aspect of the race," said Blair Cohn, the director of race operations for the marathon. "We like the event. But it comes down to whether it makes sense to do it, given the drop in sponsorship."

Bumpy Road

The six-year-old Long Beach Inline Marathon has been skating on bumpy pavement almost from the start. Despite its location, it has never been able to attract the large number of skaters that show up for the big marathons, like the Berlin, Northshore and Disney events.

It has averaged about 650 skaters a year, and the numbers may even be declining a little, Cohn said.

Elbowed Out by Runners, Cyclists

Meanwhile, the marathon continues to attract more and more runners and bicyclists. (The bicyclists participate in a scenic "tour," rather than a race.) The 2004 event drew 9000 runners, 2400 bicyclists and about 640 skaters.

"We've been doubling the number of cyclists for each of the last two years," Cohn said. "So the skating event gets in the way if it's not taking care of itself."

The company that puts on the marathon, International City Racing, relies on sponsors to help put on the event. But last year, two of its big inline sponsors, K2 and Salomon, both struggling with declining skate sales, pulled their support.

So far, no new sponsors have come forward to take their place, Cohn said. And no one, it appears, is doing much about it! Dan Joyce, the long-time inline race director, is busy with his new company, Rubber Sidewalks, and hasn't had time to drum up new sponsors. And, according to Cohn, no one has stepped up to take his place.

Cohn said that if it were up to him, he would probably can the inline race. "It hasn't grown, and we have these other events that need the elbow room," he explained. But he added that the decision is not his to make, but will be made by the company chairman, Bob Seagren, the 1968 Olympic poll vault champion.

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Talk About this Article ... Can the Long Beach Marathon Be Saved?

Links:

• Long Beach Marathon May Get the Axe

• Interview with Dan Joyce

...

Copyright © 2006 by Robert Burnson