Thousands Running For Those Who Can’t
DATE: Wednesday 23rd April 2014
**GLOBAL SATELLITE FEEDS**
APTN GVW
DATE: WEDNESDAY 23RD APRIL 2014
TIME: 13:15 GMT
LOCAL ENDS: BGNG51
B-ROLL FOOTAGE: B-Roll Footage Available Free of Charge and Without Copyright Restriction, and Includes:
- GVs run preparation
- IVs David Coulthard, Formula One Driver
- IVs Mark Webber, Formula One Driver
- IVs Colin Jackson, Athlete
- IVs Lindsey Vonn, alpine ski racer
- IVs Orlando Duque, cliff diver
- IVs Antia Gerharder, CEO Wings for Life
Wednesday 23rd April: In just ten days history will be made when thousands of runners of all ages and abilities will take part in the first-ever Wings for Life World Run. Representatives from 136 nations will all set off at the same time at events in 32 different countries, across six continents.
Wings for Life aims to raise awareness of spinal cord damage and money for spinal cord research. Austria and Taiwan’s events are now at capacity however there are still places available at the remaining 30 Wings for Life events. The best male and best female runners, plus one randomly selected runner, will win a round the World trip of a lifetime.
What makes the Wings for Life World Run different from other running events is that a moving finish line will be chasing the runners from behind instead of the runners dashing towards a defined finish line. The run starts at precisely 10am UTC and will end hours later when the last male and female runners are reached by one of the Catcher Cars.
The winners of the first Wings for Life World Run will win an unforgettable highlight-filled journey featuring stops in Salzburg, Istanbul, Cape Town, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Sydney, Fiji, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro. At each destination, the winners will be given the red carpet treatment with priceless experiences ranging from aerobatic flights to meeting sporting and business legends.
One runner picked at random will also join the two winners on this trip of a lifetime – so everybody from amateurs to Olympians will know they are racing for an amazing prize and a good cause.
Although the run is open to participants 18 years or older of all shapes, sizes and abilities there are several favourites to win the race; Takahiro Sunada, a Japanese ultramarathon runner who holds the world record for 100 kilometers (6:13:33) and Italy’s three-time ultramarathon world champion Giorgio Calcaterra. Sunada will be running Austria while Calcaterra will run in his homeland but they will not be the only ones battling for a win.
Hundreds of top athletes have already signed up to support and take part including; Red Bull Racing’s three-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel (Germany), former Formula One team owner Eddie Jordan (Ireland), Alpine skiing champion Lindsey Vonn (USA), former Formula One drivers Mark Webber (Australia) and David Coulthard (Great Britain), Alpine skiier Aksel Lund Svidal (Norway), pole vaulter and Olympic gold medalist Steve Hooker (Australia), rugby legend Dan Carter (New Zealand), windsurfing hero Robbie Naish (USA), Red Bull Air Race World Champion Hannes Arch (Austria) and actor-model Wang Li Ya (taking part in Taiwan).
The Wings for Life World Run is above all about competing while raising funds for spinal cord research and awareness for spinal cord damage itself – “running for those who can’t”. Millions of people around the world are living with a spinal cord injury. Every year, at least 250,000 more sustain a traumatic spinal cord injury but advancement in spinal cord research is largely based on private initiatives. As a non-profit foundation, Wings for Life relies on donations. The foundation guarantees that 100 percent of all donations are used exclusively for research purposes.
With just 10 days left and some races already full it’s time to sign up at: www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com.
