Johannesburg hosts Corporate Challenge on 4 March
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Johannesburg , 2 December 2003 - In March 2004, Johannesburg will earn its rightful place alongside the world's major financial centres when it hosts the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge® - the largest corporate running event in the world.

The 5,6 km road race will be held in Johannesburg on Thursday 4 March 2004 at 6:30 p.m., with a certified circular route passing through Melrose and surrounding areas, starting from and ending at The Wanderers Club. After the race, participants can relax and enjoy themselves in the Corporate Hospitality Village at The Wanderers Club, with live entertainment by “Mandoza,” awards ceremonies and other festivities.

“JPMorgan is very excited to welcome Johannesburg as the newest Challenge partner," said John Coulter, Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan South Africa. "By hosting the Challenge in Johannesburg, we underscore our commitment to South Africa as one of the leading emerging markets in which JPMorgan does business. The Challenge is about participation at all levels of seniority and fitness from the race to the party afterwards – and all with a charitable purpose.”

The JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge is a 3,5 mile (5,6km) road race open to full-time employees from all businesses, corporations and government agencies in South Africa . It is an all-inclusive event for employees, attracting both serious and amateur runners, joggers and walkers. The primary difference between this and other road races is that employees must enter as part of a corporate team and there is absolutely no limit to the number of employees a company can enter. In 2003, more than 200 000 participants from over 7 500 companies took part worldwide, with as many as 40 000 runners in a single race.

African Self Help Association to benefit from event

JPMorgan is also committed to supporting the communities in which it works. During 2003, JPMorgan, on behalf of the Corporate Challenge, donated over US$350 000 to worthy charities in Series cities. A donation from the 2004 Johannesburg event will proudly be made to the African Self Help Association (ASHA). ASHA provides community support through community leadership training and poverty alleviation programmes, supporting the child in the family and the family in the community. ASHA's centres are safe havens protecting children from abuse, providing exciting learning opportunities and helping to preserve vulnerable families.

In a strong display of its commitment to South Africa , global Investment Banking giant JPMorgan has decided to add Johannesburg to the hugely popular series from next year. Johannesburg will be one of the 15 cities to host the event in 2004, including Frankfurt , London , New York , San Francisco , Singapore and Sydney . With the addition of Johannesburg and Singapore in 2004, the event is now truly global, with events in six countries on five continents. Come October each year, the winning male, female and mixed four-member teams from Johannesburg will travel to New York City to compete in the Corporate Challenge Championship on Park Avenue against the top teams from the other Series cities.