World Runners Association Explained

Type:NonprofitNGO
Membership:7
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Phil Essam

The World Runners Association (WRA) is a small group of ultra-runners which aims to provide a consistent set of rules for athletes attempting to complete a pedestrian circumnavigation, as well as to ratify and record attempts completed as per these rules. The BBC describes the WRA as "a small-scale operation that functions as a de facto governing body of the extremely niche sport of world running". As of April 2024, the group has seven members all of whom have successfully completed a circumnavigation of the world on foot.

History

The World Runners Association (WRA) was established on October 1, 2014 and is a not-for-profit organization. Jesper Kenn Olsen and Tom Denniss created the World Runners Club, a subsidiary organisation under the umbrella of the World Runners Association.

They set out to offer a common and consistent set of rules, as well as a ratification process based on review of evidence.[1] The BBC describes the WRA as "a small-scale operation that functions as a de facto governing body of the extremely niche sport of world running".

Members

Membership is gained by completing a successful circumnavigation of the world on foot based on WRA's rules or by special invitation. The current president of the WRA is Phil Essam.[2]

style=width:100%+NameCountryDate CompletedKms runContinents crossed
Phil Essam (President) Australia--n/a
Jesper Kenn Olsen[3] Denmark26,232
  • Europe,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America,
  • Africa,
  • Asia
Rosie Swale-Pope[4] United Kingdom32,187
  • Europe,
  • Asia,
  • North America
Tom Denniss[5] Australia26,232
  • North America,
  • South America,
  • Europe,
  • Australia
Tony Mangan[6] 50,000
  • North America,
  • South America,
  • Australia,
  • Asia,
  • Europe
Kevin Carr[7] [8] [9] United Kingdom26,232
  • Europe,
  • Asia,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America
Serge Girard[10] France26,245
  • Europe,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America
Marie Leautey[11] [12] France28,249
  • Europe,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America
Tom Fremantle[13] United Kingdom17,615Honorary member[14]

Records

Fastest Circumnavigation of the Earth on Foot

DateRunnerDurationKms runRecord
Men
Serge Girard434 days26,245 km'
Women
Marie Leautey825 days28,249 km'

Longest Circumnavigation of the Earth on Foot

DateRunnerDurationKms runRecord
Men
Tony Mangan1,461 days50,000 km'

Most Circumnavigations of the Earth on Foot

DateRunnerCircumnavigation countRecord
Men
Jesper Kenn Olsen2 circumnavigations'

Youngest to Circumnavigate the Earth on Foot

DateRunnerAverage ageRecord
Men
Jesper Kenn Olsen33 years, 147 days'

Oldest to Circumnavigate the Earth on Foot

DateRunnerAverage ageRecord
Men
Serge Girard62 years 315 days'

Controversy

In 2024 the WRA disputed Russ Cook's claims of being the first person to run the full length of Africa. The disputes center on differing routes and semantics.[15] The WRA agreed Cook is the first to run from Africa's southernmost to northernmost point[16] but claims WRA member Jesper Olsen is the first to run the full length in 2010, running from Taba, Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa as part of a world run.[17] [18] According to The Independent Nicholas Bourne, whose 1998 run starting in Cape Town, South Africa and finishing in Cairo, Egypt, was certified by the Guinness World Records in 2000, stated "disputes often arise around ultra-running records because there was no governing body to oversee and set criteria for long-distance challenges". According to Guinness World Records they have no official record for the first man to have run the length of Africa because "there is no recognised standard for the route, distance or time taken".[19]

Notes

  1. Web site: Is this the world's most exclusive travel club? . 2024-02-26 . www.bbc.com.
  2. Web site: World Runners Association . 2024-04-16 . World Runners Association . en.
  3. Web site: Profile - World Run Projekt . 2024-02-26 . www3.worldrun.org.
  4. Web site: Rosie Swale Adventurer and Motivational speaker . 2024-02-26 . Rosie Swale . en.
  5. News: Press . Australian Associated . 2013-09-13 . Fastest round the world runner nears Sydney Opera House finish line . 2024-02-26 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  6. Web site: theworldjog.com – blog » Blog Archive » World Runners Association Press Release . 2024-02-26 . en-US.
  7. Web site: 2015-04-09 . The Devon man who ran the world The Exeter Daily . 2024-02-26 . www.theexeterdaily.co.uk . en.
  8. Web site: The Devon man who ran the world The Devon Daily . 2024-02-26 . www.thedevondaily.co.uk.
  9. Web site: 2015-04-09 . New Record For Fastest Run Around the World . 2024-02-26 . Runner's World . en-US.
  10. Web site: The challenge . 2024-02-26 . Run Around the Planet . en-US.
  11. Web site: à 15h48 . Par Frédéric Durand Le 19 septembre 2022 . 2022-09-19 . À Rouen, la marathonienne de l'extrême boucle son Tour du monde . 2024-02-26 . leparisien.fr . fr-FR.
  12. Web site: Lootie-Run – My run around the world . 2024-02-26 . en-US.
  13. Web site: The Plan – Tom's World Walk . 2024-02-26 . tomsworldwalk.com.
  14. Tom Fremantle, honorary member world-walk affected by Covid-related issues ()
  15. News: Kelly . Guy . 2024-04-08 . How the 'Hardest Geezer' ran across Africa straight into an unlikely feud . 2024-04-11 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  16. Web site: Mather . Victor . 8 April 2024 . Guns, Machetes and Illness: The Perils of Running the Length of Africa . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240408184823/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/sports/russ-cook-africa.html . 8 April 2024 . 9 April 2024 . .
  17. News: Braidwood . Jamie . 2024-04-08 . Row erupts over Hardest Geezer's claim of 'record' run of Africa . 2024-04-09 . . en.
  18. News: Kelly . Guy . 2024-04-08 . How the 'Hardest Geezer' ran across Africa straight into an unlikely feud . 2024-04-13 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  19. News: Somerville . Ewan . 2024-04-08 . Guinness to hand 'Hardest Geezer' world record for Africa run . 2024-04-13 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.

References

  1. Web site: Is this the world's most exclusive travel club? . 2024-02-26 . www.bbc.com.
  2. Web site: World Runners Association . 2024-04-16 . World Runners Association . en.
  3. Web site: Profile - World Run Projekt . 2024-02-26 . www3.worldrun.org.
  4. Web site: Rosie Swale Adventurer and Motivational speaker . 2024-02-26 . Rosie Swale . en.
  5. News: Press . Australian Associated . 2013-09-13 . Fastest round the world runner nears Sydney Opera House finish line . 2024-02-26 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  6. Web site: theworldjog.com – blog » Blog Archive » World Runners Association Press Release . 2024-02-26 . en-US.
  7. Web site: 2015-04-09 . The Devon man who ran the world The Exeter Daily . 2024-02-26 . www.theexeterdaily.co.uk . en.
  8. Web site: The Devon man who ran the world The Devon Daily . 2024-02-26 . www.thedevondaily.co.uk.
  9. Web site: 2015-04-09 . New Record For Fastest Run Around the World . 2024-02-26 . Runner's World . en-US.
  10. Web site: The challenge . 2024-02-26 . Run Around the Planet . en-US.
  11. Web site: à 15h48 . Par Frédéric Durand Le 19 septembre 2022 . 2022-09-19 . À Rouen, la marathonienne de l'extrême boucle son Tour du monde . 2024-02-26 . leparisien.fr . fr-FR.
  12. Web site: Lootie-Run – My run around the world . 2024-02-26 . en-US.
  13. Web site: The Plan – Tom's World Walk . 2024-02-26 . tomsworldwalk.com.
  14. Tom Fremantle, honorary member world-walk affected by Covid-related issues ()
  15. News: Kelly . Guy . 2024-04-08 . How the 'Hardest Geezer' ran across Africa straight into an unlikely feud . 2024-04-11 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  16. Web site: Mather . Victor . 8 April 2024 . Guns, Machetes and Illness: The Perils of Running the Length of Africa . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240408184823/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/sports/russ-cook-africa.html . 8 April 2024 . 9 April 2024 . .
  17. News: Braidwood . Jamie . 2024-04-08 . Row erupts over Hardest Geezer's claim of 'record' run of Africa . 2024-04-09 . . en.
  18. News: Kelly . Guy . 2024-04-08 . How the 'Hardest Geezer' ran across Africa straight into an unlikely feud . 2024-04-13 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  19. News: Somerville . Ewan . 2024-04-08 . Guinness to hand 'Hardest Geezer' world record for Africa run . 2024-04-13 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.

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