Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) 2015 today announced the world’s first digital queue for a mass participation sporting event, allowing participants to register for the SCMS using social media. The new social initiative, which will be launched on 1 July, is designed to boost interaction with Singapore’s running community.

The more retweets, comments and likes participants share with SCMS-related content, the more they climb the digital queue. Winners have a chance to win free registration slots and even the possibility of front row positions at the event Start Line on 6 December 2015.

SCMS Digital Queue

Interested runners can join the digital race by sharing content and posts from the official SCMS pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – using the hashtags #SCMS2015 and #DIGITALQUEUE. Participants have eight days to respond to the SCMS organiser’s daily challenges, which require them to share their favourite SCMS memories, post their own running throwback, and submit creative picture captions – to name just a few. Participants move ahead in the digital queue by posting on social media about SCMS, and generating the most interest with their retweets, comments and likes.

The top 100 ranked participants in the digital queue will be able to register for their chosen SCMS category for free, while the top 10 entries for the full marathon will get to rub shoulders with elite runners at the highly-coveted front pen at the Start Line. This is an exclusive privilege which will be made available to non-elite runners for the first time in the event's 13-year history.

The Golden Bib

Besides the digital queue, aspiring runners can also join the SCMS launch event on 9 July at Plaza Singapura where the first 200 registrants will receive a commemorative Golden Bib. The Golden Bib offers a 50% discount off SCMS registration fee across all categories for the IAAF Gold Label Road Race in December.

With social media and mobile apps already an integral part of the distance running experience, the digital queue initiative is designed to ensure that Singapore’s largest mass participation event of the year continues to move with the times, as Chris Robb, CEO of Spectrum Worldwide, SCMS 2015 event organiser explained,

"With the ever-growing reach of digital media into our lives, we want to ensure that Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore utilises technology in both a fun and useful way for today’s running community. The digital queue is certainly a first for Singapore and a great way to share content with friends and fellow runners, as well as to secure a starting number for Asia’s marquee road running event. I’m sure Singapore’s running community will embrace the concept, which is just one of many exciting new initiatives planned for SCMS 2015."

As the nation’s marquee sporting event, SCMS also marks Singapore’s Jubilee year by getting participants and supporters to come together under the banner of “This year, we race as one”.