BIG 25 Berlin

The BIG 25 Berlin (German: 25 km von Berlin) is an annual road running competition over 25 kilometres that takes place in Berlin, Germany in early May.

BIG 25 Berlin
The entrance to the Olympiastadion, which is the start and end point of the race
DateEarly May
LocationBerlin, Germany
Event typeRoad
Distance25 km
Primary sponsorBIG
Established1981
Course records1:11:18 hours (Dennis Kimetto)
1:19:53 hours (Mary Keitany)
Official siteBIG 25 Berlin

The competition was created in 1981 by the French Forces in Berlin stationed in West Berlin and was titled the "25 km de Berlin". The soldiers were able to block the roads from traffic for the event and this allowed the race to become Berlin's first ever mass race to be held in the city centre. Under a similar agreement, the Berlin Marathon took place in the city that same year. The course for the BIG 25 Berlin runs on major streets of the city and passes some of the city's most prominent landmarks, including the Berlin Victory Column, the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, Friedrichstraße and Kurfürstendamm. The course begins at Olympischer Platz and the finishing line is placed on the track within the Olympic Stadium.[1]

It is one of the most high profile annual international races to be held over the 25 km distance and has been the site of six world records for the 25 km (five by men and one by a woman).[2] The current course records are both the current world records: Dennis Kimetto set the men's record of 1:11:18 hours in 2012, while Mary Keitany holds the women's record of 1:19:53 hours set in 2010.[3]

In the first edition, 3250 runners started the event and ten years later this had grown to over 14,000 runners, making it the most popular road running event in Germany at that point.[4] In the years since then, the event has expanded its programme and now includes in-line skating races and a half marathon. A total of 10,478 people took part at the 2012 edition of the event.[3] The elite aspect of the main 25 km race has attracted top level national and foreign runners since its inception. On the women's side, past winners include marathon world record breaker Christa Vahlensieck, world road running champion Lornah Kiplagat and 1988 Olympic marathon champion Rosa Mota. Past men's winners include Olympic medalist Markus Ryffel, Boston and New York marathon winner Rodgers Rop, and marathon world record holder Patrick Makau Musyoki.[5]

Originally organised by the Berlin Athletics Association (Berliner Leichtathletik-Verband), the organising duties were passed to Gerhard Janetzky (the Internationales Stadionfest director) and Christoph Kopp (a former association president) in 2007. The competition is colloquially known as "the French course", due to its origins, and has also been named the "Berlin Läuft 25km" and "Run Berlin".

Past winners
Katrin Wessel won twice in a row in 1991 to 1992.
Peninah Arusei is a three-time women's race winner.
Former marathon world record holder Patrick Makau won in 2006 and 2007.

Key:   Course record   Course shorter than 25 km

Edition Year Men's winner Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Time (h:m:s)
1st 1981  Mehmet Yurdadön (TUR)
 Mehmet Terzi (TUR)		 1:16:59  Joëlle Audibert (FRA) 1:36:35
2nd 1982  Radhouane Bouster (FRA) 1:15:48  Patricia Deneuville (FRA) 1:32:33
3rd 1983  Ahmet Altun (TUR) 1:16:23  Christa Vahlensieck (FRG) 1:27:28
4th 1984  Pierre Levise (FRA) 1:15:11  Joëlle De Brouwer (FRA) 1:24:06
5th 1985  Dominique Chauvelier (FRA) 1:16:30  Christa Vahlensieck (FRG) 1:26:44
6th 1986  Ralf Salzmann (FRG)
 Herbert Steffny (FRG)		 1:14:33  Kerstin Pressler (FRG) 1:26:22
7th 1987  Markus Ryffel (SUI) 1:15:04  Kerstin Pressler (FRG) 1:26:18
8th 1988  Bertrand Itsweire (FRA) 1:16:11  Ludmila Melicherová (CZE) 1:27:00
9th 1989  Dave Clarke (GBR) 1:15:07  Rosa Mota (POR) 1:25:46
10th 1990  Alfredo Shahanga (TAN) 1:15:09  Márcia Narloch (BRA) 1:27:20
11th 1991  Ivan Uvizl (CZE) 1:15:28  Katrin Wessel (GER) 1:26:48
12th 1992  Rainer Wachenbrunner (GER) 1:15:21  Katrin Wessel (GER) 1:24:41
13th 1993  Tendai Chimusasa (ZIM) 1:14:25  Lyudmila Matveyeva (RUS) 1:29:04
14th 1994  Tendai Chimusasa (ZIM) 1:14:45  Alena Peterková (CZE) 1:25:46
15th 1995  Elijah Lagat (KEN) 1:16:16  Alena Peterková (CZE) 1:25:51
16th 1996  William Musyoki (KEN) 1:15:32  Nadezhda Ilyina (RUS) 1:28:25
17th 1997  Kenneth Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:13:58  Lornah Kiplagat (KEN) 1:24:39
18th 1998  Isaac Chemobo Kipkoech (KEN) 1:14:16  Lornah Kiplagat (KEN) 1:26:15
19th 1999  Samson Kandie (KEN) 1:15:40  Susan Chepkemei (KEN) 1:24:29
20th 2000  Róbert Štefko (SVK) 1:15:30  Madina Biktagirova (RUS) 1:26:01
21st 2001  Rodgers Rop (KEN) 1:13:44  Magdalena Chemjor (KEN) 1:25:11
22nd 2002  Rodgers Rop (KEN) 1:15:48  Magdalena Chemjor (KEN) 1:26:15
23rd 2003  Jason Mbote (KEN) 1:15:07  Caroline Kwambai (KEN) 1:24:50
24th 2004  Paul Malakwen Kosgei (KEN) 1:12:45  Christine Chepkonga (KEN) 1:25:34
25th 2005  Luke Kibet (KEN) 1:13:51  Rose Cheruiyot Kosgei (KEN) 1:24:46
26th 2006  Patrick Makau Musyoki (KEN) 1:14:08  Peninah Arusei (KEN) 1:26:25
27th 2007  Patrick Makau Musyoki (KEN) 1:14:22  Filomena Chepchirchir (KEN) 1:25:38
28th 2008  Samuel Karanja Karuku (KEN) 1:13:50  Peninah Arusei (KEN) 1:24:10
29th 2009  Mathew Kipchirchir Koech (KEN) 1:13:24  Peninah Arusei (KEN) 1:22:31
30th 2010  Samuel Kiplimo Kosgei (KEN) 1:11:50  Mary Keitany (KEN) 1:19:53
31st 2011  Mathew Kipkoech Kisorio (KEN) 1:12:13  Filomena Chepchirchir (KEN) 1:23:22
32nd 2012  Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN) 1:11:18  Caroline Chepkwony (KEN) 1:22:56
33rd 2013  Richard Sigei (KEN) 1:13:34  Lucy Wangui Kabuu (KEN) 1:21:37
34th 2014  Abraham Cheroben (KEN) 1:11:47  Janet Rono (KEN) 1:24:37
35th 2015  Abraham Cheroben (KEN) 1:12:31  Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) 1:21:55
36th 2016  Benard Kiplangat Bett (KEN) 1:15:51  Viola Jelagat (KEN) 1:26:00
37th 2017  Mustapha El Ouartassy (MAR) 1:23:12  Lonah Chemtai (Korlima) (ISR) 1:28:46

References
  1. Berlin RUNS News Archived 2012-05-14 at the Wayback Machine. Berlin Läuft. Retrieved on 2012-05-06.
  2. World Best Progressions- Road. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2012-01-27). Retrieved on 2012-05-06.
  3. Kimetto breaks 25km World record in Berlin. IAAF (2012-05-06). Retrieved on 2012-05-06.
  4. 25 Jahre 25 km von Berlin Archived 2014-04-24 at the Wayback Machine (in German). Berlin 25K. Retrieved on 2012-05-06.
  5. Berlin 25 km. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2012-05-05). Retrieved on 2012-05-06.
List of winners
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