Brasher To Succeed Bedford At London Marathon

Entrepreneur will take over Europe’s largest road race in 2013.

Written by: David Monti
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Virgin London Marathon race director Dave Bedford announced today that Hugh Brasher had been appointed deputy race director for the 2011 edition of his race next April, and will succeed Bedford as race director in 2013.  Brasher is the son of the late Chris Brasher, a co-founder of the London Marathon in 1981 who famously paced Roger Bannister to the first ever four minute mile in 1954.

“There were a number of very strong applications for this role,” said Bedford, who spent the weekend in Chicago for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.  “However, Hugh Brasher through his business experience in sporting events and understanding of the sport from every angle, was head and shoulders above the other applicants.  Hugh has been involved in organizing road races for ten years, and has also been a director of the London Marathon since 2008.”

Brasher has run the London Marathon four times, the ING New York City Marathon three times, and already worked on 29 editions of the London race (his first assignment for the race was selling train tickets to competitors in 1981). Brasher is a successful entrepreneur; he is the CEO of Brasher Leisure Ltd., which owns the country’s largest running specialty chain, Sweatshop, with 32 outlets.

Under Bedford’s management, the Virgin London Marathon has grown to become Europe’s largest (the 2010 race had a record 36,550 finishers),  has the largest pro athletes budget of any marathon, and raises more money for charity than any running race.