At the recent IAAF meetings in Helsinki, Finland, the IAAF Council approved the marathon route, entry standards and the Local Organization Committee's proposals for the opening ceremony and more. Helsinki - the site of the first World Track & Field Championships - will host the 10th edition from August 6-14, 2005.

The marathon course will begin in the heart of Helsinki, the capital city, at the marketplace and end at the Olympic Stadium, site of the 1952 Olympics. The marathon will be run in the streets of Helsinki along a 10K (6.2 mile) loop which will be run 3.5 times. On-site, spectators will see the runners several times, while the TV viewer will see the sights of Helsinki along with the competition. The Men's marathon will be run on August 13 and Women's competition on August 14.

"The course will show the runners and the TV audience a greater part of the most beautiful parts of Helsinki. The aim was to build an interesting route serving also the public on location and in front of televisions," said Competition Director Pekka Paakkanen.

On the eve of the World Championships on Friday, August 5, the Helsinki City Marathon will be staged.

The marathon entry standards for the 2005 World Championships were also set: 2:18:00 (men) and 2:42:00 (women). Performances must be run on record standard certified courses (1m/km drop or less). The qualifying window is from January 1, 2004 to July 25, 2005. Overall, organizers expect more than 1,800 athletes at the Helsinki World Championships.

The IAAF Council also approved the concept for the opening ceremony. On Saturday August 6, the official opening ceremony will be held before the start of the evening session and the second part of the ceremony offering a show will start right after the last event of the day.

For more information on the 2005 IAAF World Championships, visit the host's website at: www.helsinki2005.fi.