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Craving a new year challenge and want to start off 2012 as fit as possible? Then go for a run with Super Sports Dubai. The first event on their 2012 calendar for the Oakley Super Series - the Skins Super 8km and 4km Run - kicks off on January 7 for striders of all ages and levels, giving challengers a unique chance to enter a draw to win an all-expenses paid trip to the stunning Maldives.

The last run, which was held on November 12, saw Ali Boukelau dominate the Men’s 8km overall with a time of 27mins 07secs, and Ethiopian Martha Gebreegziabher cross the finish first in 37mins 01secs to lead the Women’s 8km category overall. Twelve-year-old Anna Knightley ran away with the Women’s 4km overall title, and in the Men’s category it was Anuj Aggarwal.

Who will clinch the titles in Race Three this coming Saturday? It could very well be you.

The Oakley Super Series offers popular back-to-back swim, run and cycle events for the community, such as the ZOGGS Mina Mile Open Water Swim Series, Skins Triathlon Series and the ZOGGS Aquathlon Series.

“Between October and December 2011, we have had over 1,100 competitors enter the four different events on offer in the Oakley Super Series,” said Warren Van Der Merwe, managing director, Super Sports Dubai.

“In the coming months, we are looking at tripling this number as more and more families, companies and individuals in the community become aware of these running, swimming, aquathlon and triathlon events.

“All events cater for juniors and adults of all ages and abilities, so it is never too late to give one of them a go, and who knows, maybe even win the lucky draw main prize of an all-expenses paid trip to the Maldives!”

Van Der Merwe said of the upcoming run, which starts at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel offering gorgeous views of the Burj Al Arab: “The Skins Super Run is the most popular of the events, and we regularly receive close to 300 entries for this run. It is very popular amongst the juniors, and we also have Emma Phillips - the top UAE lady in the 10km races.”

Competitors compete in a specified number of Super Sports organised events during the 2011/12 season to obtain a Series Ranking, and all those who obtain two, three or four respective Series Rankings will have all their corresponding lucky draw entries entered into a mega lucky draw, the winner of which will be determined at the end-of-season prize giving ceremony in May/June 2012.

That lucky (and clearly extremely fit) person will receive economy class airfare to the Maldives, plus airport transfers and three nights stay on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

There is still a chance for avid runners to enter the draw because in order to qualify for a Series Ranking competitors must compete in at least three runs out of the five taking place throughout the season, with the top four results counting towards the Series.

 If a competitor completes the race, he or she will receive one entry into the lucky draw.

Any competitor competing in all races of a respective Series, will receive 10 extra entries, and the higher you rank in your races and Series the more opportunities there are to enter your name in the draw.

The final two runs will take place on March 17 and May 5.

Were you born to run? Then hop to it. Entry for Race Three closes on Wednesday.

 

Where: Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

When: Registration and warm-up is from 6am. The 8km run starts at 7am and the 4km at 8am. The prize giving ceremony and lucky draw will kick off at 9am.

Registration: Sign up at www.supersportsdubai.com or www.premiermarathons.com now as the January 4 deadline is fast approaching.

Price: Dh125 for adults, Dh75 for kids under 18

Information: contact Bridgitte on 050-359 6372 or email events@supersportsdubai.com.