Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 77, December 2015 | Page 34

2015 CMA SPONSORS’ CONFERENCE The CMA hosted its annual Sponsors’ Conference at the Tsogo Sun Golden Horse Casino in Pietermaritzburg in October. The CMA General Manager, Chris Fisher, opened the proceedings by spotlighting the values of and vision for the Comrades brand, and then several key representatives delivered informative presentations, focusing on the synergy and significance of brand affiliation with the Comrades Marathon. Sponsors who put their weight behind the CMA, including Nedbank, Old Mutual, Toyota, SABC and Modern Athlete, contributed to establish the gravitas of the conference. Tourism Kwazulu-Natal underlined the positive economic impact of the Comrades Marathon for the province, while the City of Durban accentuated how the City is aiming to evolve and grow in cooperation with the Comrades Marathon. Delegates were also privileged to meet 2015 Comrades Marathon Winner Gift Kelehe, who happily availed himself for pictures and autographs. The conference was followed by the prestigious Old Mutual Spirit of Comrades awards. CMA ELECTS NEW BOARD MEMBERS The CMA held its Annual General Meeting on 28 October and elected four new Board members in compliance with its Constitution. The four new members elected are: Craig Dennill, Alen Hattingh, Isaac Ngwenya and Adrian Stowell. The remaining Board members are Macdonald Chitja, Cheryl Winn, Jeff Minnaar, Terrence Hoskins and Dave Dixon. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson will be elected at the next Board Meeting, where two more Board members may be co-opted at the discretion of the Board. With the CMA being founded as an Association, the main function of the Board is to formulate the strategic policies of the organisation and to ensure the sustainability of The Ultimate Human Race. Importantly, the Board is further tasked with retaining the ethos and traditions, synonymous with this iconic event. The electoral process was overseen by the CMA auditors, BDO South Africa. LAST CHANCE FOR COMRADES ENTRIES! November was the final month for 2016 Comrades Marathon entries, so if you missed out, your last chance to get into the 2016 edition of the Ultimate Human Race will be during the Substitution window from 1 to 21 April 2016. Remember that qualifying for the 2016 Comrades will be applicable from 30 August 2015 till 2 May 2016, and runners are reminded that the 2015 Comrades Marathon will not be an automatic qualifier for next year’s race. Please visit www.comrades.com for more information. SHARE YOUR COMRADES STORY COMRADES MARATHON ONLINE www.twitter.com/@ComradesRace 34 ISSUE 77 DECEMBER 2015 / www.modernathlete.co.za www.facebook.com/ComradesMarathon Images: Courtesy CMA Every Comrades runner has a story to tell, including who motivated you to be part of it, what inspired you to keep going, and how the race humbled you. Send your Comrades Marathon story in no more than 250 words to [email protected] and we’ll share it with the whole Comrades community. www.comrades.com