But the Jersey Hash House Harriers say they have been using the name for ten years and reject assertions that there can be any confusion between the Island event and the huge race around the streets of Newcastle.The BUPA Great North Run – itself a half-marathon – attracted 47,000 entrants last year and the woman’s race was won by multiple world-record holder Paula Radcliffe.
The Jersey race, due to take place on 23 May this year, attracted 350 entries last year, of whom about 120 came from the UK.The organiser of the Jersey race, Paul Raimbault, said that the club received a letter from lawyers a few weeks ago.
‘It was a complete surprise,’ he said.
‘The letter demanded that we cease referring to Jersey’s Great North Run, or face court action and pay costs.’It was written on behalf of Nova International Ltd and GR Events Ltd, who own the rights to the BUPA Great North Run.
It implied that our race was somehow affecting their business.
Quite how anyone is going to be confused between the two, we do not know.’The fact that the Jersey Total Sport Half-Marathon has been known as the Great North Run for a decade made the club unwilling to just accept the threats, insisted Mr Raimbault.
‘The Jersey race starts on Route du Nord in St John and winds through the northern parishes to St Ouen’s Bay, so the race has also been aptly known for a decade as Jersey’s Great North Run,’ he said.However, the local race organisers have proposed a compromise which they hope will be acceptable to the legal experts.
‘We have proposed only referring to Jersey’s Great North Run locally and not in any advertising in the UK, which this year consists of a website – www.jerseyhalf.com – and some adverts in Runners’ World,’ Mr Raimbault explained.
However, he insisted that the Jersey race organisers maintain the right to mention the Island’s warm climate, its uncrowded scenic country lanes and its panoramic sea views, which form the backdrop for this early summer race.No response has yet been received to the compromise proposal.
