Registration Now Open For Kiwis To Join The Largest Running Event In The World

Join the hundreds of thousands globally who will share their joy and achievement in the Wings for Life World Run 2024. People of all fitness levels can sign up – and no matter where in the world they participate, they’ll be heading toward a cure for spinal cord injury.

• The Wings For Life World Run is a global run where thousands around the world will run at the exact same time for those who can’t to raise awareness and vital funds for spinal cord injury research
• New Zealanders can register to join the run at 11pm on Sunday, 5 May 2024, at the Auckland event or via the App in any location
• It is for anyone and anyone – from amateur runners to professionals to those in wheelchairs

 For anyone who’s ever wanted to be part of something truly global: Now is your chance. Registration is officially open for the 11th edition of the largest and most inclusive running event in the world, the Wings for Life World Run. On Sunday, May 5, 2024, runners and wheelchair users on every corner of the planet will feel the connection as they participate simultaneously in a fun, unique format. And while each will set their own pace, with their own goals, they’ll all be helping to find a cure for spinal cord injury, because 100 percent of entry fees and donations goes to vital spinal cord research.

“I’m so excited that registration is opening for 2024! In the previous edition of the Wings for Life World Run we had a record number of participants, and our goal is to see even more people on the starting line next May,” says Colin Jackson, the British hurdling legend who is the event’s International Sports Director. “We’re thrilled that this is the largest running event in the world, and we’re extremely proud of our participants, because each new registration brings real hope to everyone affected by spinal cord injury.”

Last year, a local run was held at Westhaven Marina in Auckland bringing hundreds of people together. Three ambassadors were also on board to help raise awareness and encourage participants to get involved in the run and wheel their way to a cure: Brad Smeele, Bailley Unahi and Gareth Lynch.

A great day out and so much more

Whether they run, roll in a wheelchair, jog or simply walk, every participant in the Wings for Life World Run starts at exactly the same moment: 11:00pm, Auckland, New Zealand. But they don’t run toward the finish line – they run away from it. Participants are chased by the event’s signature “Catcher Car,” which gives them a 30-minute head start. When this moving finish line passes them, they’ve successfully completed their race, until the last man and woman to be caught are named the global champions. The Catcher Car format means that everyone, no matter their fitness level, can be sure of finishing the race. But that’s only part of the appeal.

Over 40 locations already open for registration – with more to come

The Wings for Life World Run is so accessible because each person can choose not only where, but also how they want to participate, and their results count equally on the global leaderboard. The Wings for Life World Run App makes it easy to run just about anywhere, chased and motivated by a Virtual Catcher Car that’s voiced by a famous name. For those who prefer to set their own course, the Wings for Life World Run App makes it possible to start wherever they happen to be. A popular option for those who want to use the App but don’t want to run solo is an App Run Event. Organized locally from Australia to Brazil, from Japan to Slovakia, and in lots more countries right around the world, there are already over 30 App Run Events available to join, with many times that number to be added before Race Day.

Yet another option: In seven destination cities spanning Austria, Croatia, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland and – new this year – the Netherlands, thousands of participants will start shoulder-to-shoulder and will be chased by a physical Catcher Car with a celebrity driver at the wheel.

In a first for the event and as part of a new partnership with leading sports brand adidas, everyone who registers – no matter where or how they choose to run – will receive the official Wings for Life World Run t-shirt to help them get ready to race. The special commemorative design from adidas will let everyone know the wearer is running for those who can’t.

A big impact keeps getting bigger

Since the first Wings for Life World Run in 2014, the event has so far raised over 43.8 million euros, with 1,293,716 registered participants covering 11,839,989 kilometers in over 195 countries across all seven continents. The 2023 edition alone drew a re https://bulldrive.redbull.com/fl/OZR0pjYRYM cord 206,728 participants, and the aim for 2024 is to surpass that benchmark with even more people taking part. As always, 100% of their entry fees will go to spinal cord research. The event is the primary fundraiser for the not-for-profit Wings for Life foundation, which funds promising spinal cord research and clinical trials. Breakthroughs from these studies are already changing lives, so going for a run on a single day in May really can make a difference in the search for a cure.

The Wings for Life World Run starts simultaneously around the world at 11:00 am UTC / 11.00pm NZST on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

For more information and to register: www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com

About the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation

Worldwide, millions of people are dependent on a wheelchair after having sustained a spinal cord injury, most often as the result of a traffic accident or a fall. Wings for Life is a not-for-profit spinal cord research foundation with the single mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Since 2004, Wings for Life has funded life-changing research projects and clinical trials around the globe. While a cure is still to be found, steady progress has been made. Every step taken at the Wings for Life World Run is a step in the right direction, because 100% of entry fees and donations goes to spinal cord injury research: www.wingsforlife.com.

About the Wings for Life World Run

Once a year, the Wings for Life World Run takes place around the globe. All participants start at the same time worldwide and run either individually with the Wings for Life World Run App or together in several Flagship Runs. The best part is that any form of the run is all about being there. It doesn't matter how well, fast or far you run, whether you're a professional athlete, a hobby runner or an absolute beginner. It is all about having fun while running. For this reason there is no traditional finish line. Instead, 30 minutes after the start, either a virtual or – in the case of the Flagship Runs – a real Catcher Car picks up the chase and overtakes one runner after another. Results aren’t measured in time, but in distance achieved. Best of all: 100% of entry fees and donations goes directly to spinal cord research. In the editions of the Wings for Life World Run that have been completed to date, a total of 1,293,716 registered participants from 195 nationalities ran, walked and rolled on all seven continents and together raised a total of €43.8 million to find a cure for spinal cord injury. www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com

About adidas

adidas is a global leader in the sporting goods industry. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany, the company employs more than 59,000 people across the globe and generated sales of € 22.5 billion in 2022.

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