City2Surf (Sydney)

City2Surf (or City to Surf) is a popular road running event held annually in Sydney, Australia covering a 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) course. The event is a "fun run" as well as a race, attracting both serious runners and community participants who can choose to run or to walk. The largest timed running race in the world,^[1] the event attracts more than 80,000 entrants who start in staggered groups based on previous running times and early entry.

History

The Sydney City2Surf has been held as an annual event since the first run on 5 September 1971. It was conceived by the staff of The Sun and inspired by the Bay to Breakers event in San Francisco. The first event was jointly organised by the Amateur Athletic Association of NSW and the NSW Women's Amateur Athletic Association and attracted just over 2,000 competitors, most of whom were registered athletes belonging to the many Registered Athletic Clubs that were part of these two bodies.

Since 1973 it has been held on the second Sunday in August, except for the race held in 2000, moved to July due to the Sydney Olympics in August.^[2]

When The Sun ceased publication in 1988, the sponsorship of the event passed to the new Sunday tabloid The Sun-Herald.

In recent years, over 60,000 people have entered. In 2010, on the event's 40th anniversary, a record 80,000 participants ran, making it the largest run of its kind in the world.^[3] It is still primarily sponsored and organised by The Sun-Herald.^[4]

The course record is 40:03, set by Steve Moneghetti in 1991. The women's record is 45:08 minutes, set by Susie Power in 2001.^[5] Non-Australian athletes have typically won the race in recent years, including repeat winners Laban Chege (1999–2000), Patrick Nyangelo Lusato (2003–2005), and Dickson Marwa (2006–2007).^[2] In 2008, Martin Dent became the first Australian winner since Lee Troop in 1997.^[6] Marwa was competing in the 2008 Olympics.^[7]

As of 2010^[update], the course starts in several groups in order to give preference to faster runners. There are invitation-only seeded and preferred runner groups, followed by runners with previous race times under 75 minutes, runners with previous race times under 100 minutes, an open entry running group, an open entry jogging group, and finally an open entry "Back of the Pack" group for walking, using a wheelchair or pushing child strollers. Entry to all groups is limited to a certain number of competitors and, except for the invitation-only groups, allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Route

The 14 km route taken by the participants passes through the suburbs of Kings Cross, Rushcutters Bay, Double Bay, Rose Bay, Vaucluse, Dover Heights and Bondi Beach. The most difficult part of the course is "Heartbreak Hill" at the halfway mark, a 2 km long steep ascent from Rose Bay to Vaucluse along New South Head Road.^[8]

Features en-route include many amateur bands performing along the suburban roads, and many City2Surf participants dressed in novelty themed costumes.

Winners

Male

Female

Notable events

Deaths during the race have occurred several times. In both 2000 and 2008 a competitor died of a heart attack close to the finish line of the race.^[9][10] After the 2008 death, medical academic Michael O'Rourke noted that a runner developing arrhythmia and cardiac arrest happens most years but that the sufferer is usually revived.^[11]

References

External links

• Official website
• City swell carries African to his hat-trick
• City to Surf - Blue Mountains Family History
• What does it take to be a City2Surf Legend?