By Mike RowbottomDave Bedford’s eventual successor as race director of the Virgin London Marathon has been named as Hugh Brasher, son of the event’s co-founder Chris Brasher.
Brasher will become deputy race director at the marathon from January next year, and is due to become joint race director in 2012 before taking over the main job when Bedford - as revealed earlier this year by insidethegames - switches to a part-time role.
"There were a number of very strong applications for this role,”"said Bedford, who has been involved in the London Marathon since 1985 and took over from Brasher senior as race director.
"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 organising road races for 10 years, and has also been a director of the London Marathon since 2008.
"He is also part of the advisor group to UK Athletics that set up runbritain."
Brasher has run the London Marathon four times, the New York Marathon three times, and already worked on 29 London Marathons, where he started by selling train tickets to competitors at the first race.
His company organises two of the largest road races in the country - The Reading Half Marathon and the Experian Robin Hood Marathon, now renamed Festival of Running.
Brasher is also chief executive of Brasher Leisure Ltd (Sweatshop), the UK’s largest specialist running retailer, with 32 shops around the UK.
A member of Ranelagh Harriers, he races motorbikes in his spare time.
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