Registration Now Open for 2025 Edition of World’s Largest Running Event.
On May 5th, 2024, uniting in solidarity under the mantra “Running for those who can’t,” the Wings for Life World Run celebrated its 11th edition with unprecedented global participation. A staggering 265,818 participants from 192 nations, spanning professional athletes to novice runners to wheelchair users, set off simultaneously across 169 countries around the world all at the same time. As competitors raced to stay ahead of the Catcher Car, the moving finish line, Japan’s Tomoya Watanabe set an all-time record covering 43.55 miles (70.09km) to claim the men’s title, while Poland’s Dominika Stelmach secured her second women’s title by covering a distance of 34.19 miles (55.02km). In the U.S., Nicolas Friedemann was the top men’s finisher covering 26.40 miles (42.50km), while Jessica Gimbel logged 24.6 miles (39.68km) on the women’s side.
In the 2024 edition of the world’s largest running event, participants – both runners and wheelchair users – averaged an impressive 7.15 miles (11.5km) each, covering a total distance equivalent to nearly 50 times around the globe. However, beyond the distance, it was the camaraderie and collective spirit in joining together for a great cause that was felt the most. Notably, the event’s true impact lies beyond athletic triumphs as a new single-year record of over $8.7 million dollars was raised by all participants. As always, 100% of entry fees and donations goes directly to scientific research projects and clinical trials supported by the not-for-profit Wings for Life foundation toward the ultimate goal of finding a cure for spinal cord injury.
Wings for Life CEO Anita Gerhardter said, “When people join forces, incredible things happen! 265,818 World Runners from around the globe walked, ran, rolled, and raised over 8.7 million dollars for spinal cord research. Together, we have the power to rewrite medical history and find a cure for spinal cord injury. A huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone – World Runners, to the team and all volunteers and partners – who helped to create magic today. If you enjoyed the Wings for Life World Run as much as I did, I hope to see you at the start line again on May 4, 2025.”
Worldwide, participants ran individually with the Wings for Life World Run App or came together at one of 345 App Run Events (another record), which were held at stunning locations like the bayfront in Miami (USA), the Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City (MEX), the Bois de Vincennes in Paris (FRA), and Expo City in Dubai (UAE). Others took part in one of the seven Flagship Runs held in Vienna (Austria), Munich (Germany), Zug (SUI), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Zadar (Croatia), Poznań (Poland) and Breda (NED) – all of them joined by numerous high-profile sports professionals, artists, and influencers.
Numerous stars and athletes took part in the run here in the States, including freestyle skier Eileen Gu using the App, along with cliff diver Ellie Smart, kayaker Evy Leibfarth, BMX’er Nikita Ducarroz, snowboarder Luke Winkelmann and many more all lending their support at App Run Events to finding a cure for spinal cord injuries. Joining them in support around the globe were athletes such as football’s Neymar Jr (BRA), rugby’s Siya Kolisi (RSA), and MotoGP’s Marc Márquez (ESP).
While the run is a fun day out where participants of every level set their own goals, on the sporting side, yet another record fell. When Japan’s Jo Fukuda, who had been the men’s winner in the past two outings, failed to find the pace, his countryman Tomoya Watanabe made his own mark for Japan at the App Run Event in Fukuoka. After surpassing second place Guillaume Ruel of France and third place Valentin Poncelet of Belgium, Watanabe found yet another kick to achieve 43.55miles (70.09km), breaking the all-time record for the event and becoming the first ever to pass the 70km mark.
“We started the race at a fast pace – the leading group was really, really fast – but that kept me going. Wanting to beat the record was a big motivation also,” Watanabe said. “Winning this race today means a lot to me, and I will keep running and be ready for the event next year!”
The women’s competition saw a thrilling showdown between long-time sporting rivals Dominika Stelmach of Poland and Nataša Šustić of Croatia, as well as eventual third place finisherIngalena Schömburg-Heuck of Germany. In a remarkable return to the top, Stelmach – who was women’s Global Champion back in 2017 – kept pushing even after Šustić finished, to claim her second win and a new personal best with a distance of 34.19miles (55.02km).
An elated Stelmach, who conquered rain and heat at the Flagship Run Poznań, said: “Today I did it for those who cannot run, and also for those who don’t believe in themselves, because it’s very important to be strong.”
In the Wings for Life World Run, everyone worldwide starts simultaneously (4AM PT/7AM ET /11AM UTC) – and the participants experienced a variety of conditions. According to the official race weather forecaster, UBIMET, the coldest temperature recorded was in Québec City, Canada (41°F/5°C) and the hottest in Lucknow, India (105.8°F/41°C); while the sunniest runs were experienced in Zadar, Croatia and Cape Town, South Africa, and the wettest in San Francisco, USA.
Since its inception in 2014, the Wings for Life World Run has garnered participation from a total of 1,559,534 individuals, collectively raising $55.89 million USD. This contribution has supported 299 promising research projects and clinical trials selected through a rigorous vetting process.
Dr. Joshua Burda, based at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, USA, is among the researchers benefiting from funds raised through the Wings for Life World Run. He extends his heartfelt appreciation to the participants of this year’s event, stating, “Thank you so much for being part of this global movement, allowing me to continue my important research towards a cure for spinal cord injuries. Because of you and your involvement, we can continue giving hope to individuals and families affected by spinal cord injuries.”
The upcoming 12th edition of the Wings for Life World Run is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 4, 2025. Registration to run with the App is already open now, and registration to run at specific App Run Events and Flagship Run locations will open on November 6, 2024. For further details, notifications, and to register, visit www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com. Full results list, news and reactions are available at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com.
