BMW Berlin Marathon 1981 ballot: 8th edition, 2,567 finishers
On 27 September 1981 the 8th Berlin Marathon left the Grunewald forest for the first time and ran straight through the streets of West Berlin, starting at the Reichstag and finishing on the Kurfuerstendamm.
What made 1981 notable
1981 is the year the Berlin Marathon became a Berlin marathon. After seven editions looping the Grunewald forest, race co-founder Horst Milde pushed the course into the heart of West Berlin, an idea so bold the city's chief of police reportedly called him a madman. On 27 September the field gathered in front of the Reichstag and ran 42.2 kilometres through the streets, partly alongside the Berlin Wall, finishing at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on the Kurfuerstendamm. 3,486 runners from 30 nations started. Ian Ray of Great Britain won in 2:15:42, the race's first non-West German champion, and Angelika Stephan took the women's title in 2:47:24. The city course launched Berlin toward becoming one of the world's biggest marathons.
Finishers over time
Good-for-age standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:45:00 | 3:10:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:45:00 | 3:10:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:45:00 | 3:10:00 |
| 45-49 | 2:55:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 50-54 | 2:55:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 55-59 | 2:55:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 70-74 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 75-79 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 80-84 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 85-89 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 90+ | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
Questions about the 1981 ballot
Why was the 1981 Berlin Marathon historic?
It was the first edition run through the city streets of West Berlin. After seven years in the Grunewald forest, the 1981 course started at the Reichstag and finished at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on the Kurfuerstendamm.
Who won the 1981 Berlin Marathon?
Ian Ray of Great Britain won the men's race in 2:15:42, the first non-West German champion in the event's history. Angelika Stephan of West Germany won the women's race in 2:47:24.
How many runners took part in 1981?
3,486 runners from 30 nations started and 2,567 finished, comprising 2,418 men and 149 women.
Are ballot application numbers public for Berlin in 1981?
No. SCC EVENTS does not publish total entries, only finisher counts. The finisher figure is the only participation number available for 1981.