People who choose to run a marathon on all seven continents are generally considered to be a part of the 7 continents club. However, there is some dispute over what counts for each continent, with specific issue being taken due to races being run in "Antarctica" that actually take place on outlying islands of the continent and not within the continent itself. Due to the extreme weather conditions in Antarctica, not all races are completed as promised. A notable example is 2001, the Antarctica Marathon in Antarctica had to be held on a boat.
There are 206 members of the 7 Continents Marathon Club as of February 14, 2017. This list only includes runners who have completed the Antarctica Ice Marathon.
The Intercontinental Marathon Club is composed of athletes who have run 7 Marathons on 7 Continents within 7 Days. This name is organized by Richard Donovan who also organizes The 7 Continents Marathon Club. There are 26 members of this club as of December 1, 2016.
Disputes over "7 Continents" Name
Because of the differing opinions on what constitutes a marathon in Antarctica, there are several companies and races that lay claim to the "7 continents" name. They also all run their own independent races in Antarctica and dispute over what races actually take place on the continent.
The 7 Continents Marathon Club
This club organized by Richard Donovan explicitly excludes races taking place on outlying islands:
6. For the avoidance of doubt, the South Shetland Islands, including its northernmost King George Island, and the Falkland Islands are not considered part of the continent of Antarctica. These islands are not located within the Antarctic Circle, they are not located on Antarctica's continental landmass, and they are not part of the Antarctica Tectonic Plate or geographic continental shelf. The South Shetland Islands are specifically located on the Shetland Plate while the Falklands are on the South America Plate. Both sets of islands also share a distinctly more moderate set of climatic conditions that sets them apart from the continent of Antarctica.
The Seven Continents Club
This is run by Marathon Tours and is a paid membership. They currently list 500 people that have completed the feat. This is the original "Seven Continents" club.
The Official 7 Continents Marathon, Half-Marathon & Ultra Club
This is run by a non-profit club. The club's charter is to compile the first comprehensive list of all runners who have completed marathons, half-marathons and/or ultra marathons on all 7 continents. The club does not exclude runners. They currently list 135 people that have finished the marathon distance.
Litigation
In 2014, Marathon Tours filed a UDRP against "The Official 7 Continents Marathon Club" alleging confusion over the official7continentsmarathonclub.com domain name. The court dismissed Marathon Tours' claim as the domain was not found to be used in "bad faith." In fact, the court went to the extreme measure of highlighting how Marathon Tours' complaint failed to meet all three prongs of the required legal standard, when failing to meet only one prong will result in dismissal." There is ongoing contention between the race operators to what is considered "Antarctica" and by extension the "7 continents club." However, scientific research shows that King George Island was once physically attached to the Antarctic Peninsula and that the so-called Shetland Plate is actually a fragment of the Antarctic Tectonic Plate that broke off as a result of tectonic and magmatic processes. Further, The Antarctic Treaty System clearly classifies the South Shetland Islands as part of Antarctica.
