Bermuda’s touchstone sport participation event the May 24 Marathon Derby race is to link-up with its spiritual home of Court Street this year.

Organisers of one of the oldest annual running events in the world intend to bring an expected 800 or more people to the Court Street area to celebrate the 97th running of the Island’s signature race this May.

While the race will follow its normal route from Somerset to Bernard Park, a special enhanced and expanded prize-giving ceremony — that will for the first time include a random prize draw for all finishers and feature “big prizes” — will be held the day after the race.

And it has been decided the gathering for award and prize-giving, as well as a music and entertainment celebration of the race, should be held near Court Street where the race so often finished in bygone years.

Dr. Gina Tucker, president of Bermuda Marathon Derby, has also revealed other changes to this year’s event including a $10 extra fee for entrants that will go directly to the chosen official race day charity. Charities that would like to benefit from the thousands of dollars likely to be raised have less than a week to get their applications in.

It is hoped that new incentives for first-time runners, the new “all-included” prize draw event, a pre-race pasta party, high-value prizes for the first man and woman to cross the finish line, and the introduction of an official race charity will boost the profile of the Island’s biggest running event as it approaches its centenary year.

It is the race committee’s ambition to see race numbers reach 1,000 for the 100th running of the race in three years’ time.

Full details of the new innovations to Marathon Derby can be found in the sports pages of today’s Royal GazetI>.