The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, also known as AIMS, is an association of the organisers of long-distance road running races. It was founded in 1982 at a private meeting in London of marathon race directors. After that, the first open Congress of AIMS was held in Tokyo in January 1983, and since then 21 more AIMS World Congresses have been held, the latest of which was the 22nd AIMS Congress held on 6-9 September 2018 in Tallinn, Estonia.
AIMS WORLD CONGRESSES:
- 1st AIMS Congress: Keio Plaza Hotel, Tokyo JPN; January 1983
- 2nd AIMS Congress: Sheraton Bal Harbour Hotel, Miami USA; 5/6 January 1984
- 3rd AIMS Congress: Intercontinental Hotel, Berlin GER; 26/27 September 1985
- 4th AIMS Congress: Manila PHI; 16/17 February 1987
- 5th AIMS Congress: Melbourne AUS; 05/06 October 1988
- 6th AIMS Congress: Rotterdam NED; 18/20 April 1990
- 7th AIMS Congress: Bangkok THA; 25/27 November 1991
- 8th AIMS Congress: Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, Lisboa POR; March 1993
- 9th AIMS Congress: Macau MAC; December 1994
- 10th AIMS Congress: Barcelona ESP; 13/14 March 1996
- 11th AIMS Congress: Dish Hotel, Enschede NED; 07/08 June 1997
- 12th AIMS Congress: Hotel Slovan, Kosice SVK; 01/02 October 1999
- 13th AIMS Congress: Star Hotel Majestic, Torino ITA; 30/31 March 2001
- 14th AIMS Congress: Sheraton Hotel, Niagara Falls CAN; 24/26 October 2002
- 15th AIMS Congress: Hotel NH Las Artes, Valencia ESP; 17/19 February 2005
- 16th AIMS Congress: International Seaside Hotel, Xiamen CHN; 28/30 March 2007
- 17th AIMS Congress: Mercure Grand Hotel Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo BRA; 2/4 April 2009
- 18th AIMS Congress: Athens, GRE; 28-30 October 2010
- 19th AIMS Congress: Prague, CZE ; 10-12 May 2012
- 20th AIMS Congress: Durban, RSA ; 29-31 May 2014
- 21th AIMS Congress: Athens, GRE; 10-12 November 2016
- 22nd AIMS Congress : Sokos Hotel Viru Tallinn Estonia 6/9 September 2018.
The next, 23rd AIMS Congress will be hold on 23-26 April 2020 in Batumi, Georgia and the topic will be “Enhance race experience through technology”, how modern technologies improve runners‘ experience and help organisers in staging an event.
Also on the business day, certain formalities will be observed:
The Treasurer is obliged to present audited accounts since the previous World Congress.
Short reports are usually presented to attending members concerning membership and technical matters, and any specific issues of concern that have arisen since the previous Congress (or are ongoing).
Attending members select candidates to fill positions falling vacant on the Board. Each full member can cast as many votes as there are vacancies, and those candidates receiving the most votes are elected.
Attending members determine the venue and the date of the following World Congress, after presentations from interested candidates. Each full member casts one vote in each ballot, and the candidate venue receiving least votes in each round is eliminated. The balloting continues until one candidate venue has a simple majority.