DG’s 5K Challenge Registration Now Open

Registration for the annual Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge Run/Walk is now open.  This annual event, celebrating its ten-year anniversary this year, brings together the civil service, private sector and fitness community in the interest of physical wellness and community development. 

The initiative, which is in its ninth staging, will be held in Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands on:

• Sunday, April 14 – Cayman Brac

• Sunday, April 21 – Little Cayman

• Sunday, April 28 – Grand Cayman

The 2024 Challenge will raise funds for three local charities – the Addison Kelly Memorial Scholarship Fund, Boyz 2 Men, and the NCVO. This year’s Challenge is being hosted under the theme – “Supporting Our Future Generations”.

Speaking on the vision behind the initiative, Deputy Governor, Honourable Franz Manderson stated that the main focus is to enhance the wellbeing of the community. “This challenge is for the benefit of our people. It’s about coming together to make a difference in our community, while getting some exercise, enjoying the natural beauty of our islands, and having fun connecting with friends and family”, Mr Manderson said. “The DG’s 5K Challenge is for everyone. It’s about inspiring fun, wellness, community support and camaraderie.”

Over the past nine years, the DG’s 5K Challenge has raised more than half a million dollars ($559,000) for various beneficiary charities through sponsorship and registration fees. Appleby, a leading offshore legal services provider, has returned as the platinum sponsor of the event, demonstrating their commitment to investing in the people of the Cayman Islands.

Managing Partner of Appleby, Norman Klein, explained that sponsoring the DG’s 5K Challenge is more than an opportunity for brand visibility. “This event, like all the partnerships under our community investment programme, is focused on connecting with the values of our clients and the local community. It is about building strong bonds in the communities in which we operate and supporting the initiatives that matter to them,” he said.

Online registration for all three events is now open on www.racecaribbean.net.  Registration fees are $25 for adults (18 years and older), while the fee for children under 18 years is $10.  Persons may contact DG5K@gov.ky to learn more.

Online registration closing dates vary – Cayman Brac closes Friday 12 April, Little Cayman on Saturday April 20, and Grand Cayman on Wednesday, 24 April. After online registration closes, persons who wish to participate in the Grand Cayman event will still be able to register on 25 and 26 April at the Government Administration Building. Participants should note that it pays to register before the online registration closes, as the fees to register in person on 25 and 26 April increase to $35 for adults and $20 for children, and on race day, 28 April the registration fee will be $45 per adult and $30 for children.

For this year’s staging, participants in all three islands will run and walk along the usual Challenge routes. In Cayman Brac, the start will be at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort, in Little Cayman the course begins and ends at the Southern Cross Club, and in Grand Cayman the event will start and finish at the Government Administration Building at 133 Elgin Avenue.  In the interest of minimising waste from these events, participants are asked to bring their own reusable water bottles.

Through its donations, the Deputy Governor’s 5k Challenge has supported various health, education and mentorship initiatives designed to help and support members of the community.

Last year for the 2023 staging of the charity event, the Challenge raised more than $80 thousand that was shared between three beneficiaries – Loud Silent Voices, Cayman Islands Red Cross and the United Against Bullying Foundation.