World Runners Association

World Runners Association
FormationOctober 1, 2014; 11 years ago (2014-10-01)
TypeNonprofit NGO
Members7
President
Phil Essam
Websiteworldrunnersassociation.org

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".[1] As of April 2024, the group has seven members all of whom have successfully completed a circumnavigation of the world on foot.[2]

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.[1]

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".[1]

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.[1][3]

Name Country Date Completed Kms run Continents crossed
Phil Essam (President) AUS - - n/a
Jesper Kenn Olsen[4] DNK 2005
(21 years ago) (2005)

2012
(14 years ago) (2012)

26,232
  • Europe,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America,
  • Africa,
  • Asia
Rosie Swale-Pope[5] GBR 2008
(18 years ago) (2008) 		32,187
  • Europe,
  • Asia,
  • North America
Tom Denniss[6] AUS 2013
(13 years ago) (2013) 		26,232
  • North America,
  • South America,
  • Europe,
  • Australia
Tony Mangan[7] IRE 2014
(12 years ago) (2014) 		50,000
  • North America,
  • South America,
  • Australia,
  • Asia,
  • Europe
Kevin Carr[8][9][10] GBR 2015
(11 years ago) (2015) 		26,232
  • Europe,
  • Asia,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America
Serge Girard[11] FRA 2017
(9 years ago) (2017) 		26,245
  • Europe,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America
Marie Leautey[12][13] FRA 2022
(4 years ago) (2022) 		28,249
  • Europe,
  • Australia,
  • North America,
  • South America
Tom Fremantle[14] GBR 2023
(3 years ago) (2023) 		17,615 Honorary member[Notes 1]

Records

Fastest Circumnavigation of the Earth on Foot

Date Runner Duration Kms run Record
Men
April 8, 2017
(9 years ago) (2017-04-08) 		Serge Girard 434 days 26,245 km 🏆
Women
September 1, 2022
(3 years ago) (2022-09-01) 		Marie Leautey 825 days 28,249 km 🏆

Longest Circumnavigation of the Earth on Foot

Date Runner Duration Kms run Record
Men
October 26, 2014
(11 years ago) (2014-10-26) 		Tony Mangan 1,461 days 50,000 km 🏆

Most Circumnavigations of the Earth on Foot

Date Runner Circumnavigation count Record
Men
July 28, 2012
(13 years ago) (2012-07-28) 		Jesper Kenn Olsen 2 circumnavigations 🏆

Youngest to Circumnavigate the Earth on Foot

Date Runner Average age Record
Men
October 23, 2005
(20 years ago) (2005-10-23) 		Jesper Kenn Olsen 33 years, 147 days 🏆

Oldest to Circumnavigate the Earth on Foot

Date Runner Average age Record
Men
April 8, 2017
(9 years ago) (2017-04-08) 		Serge Girard 62 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.[2][17] 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".[2] 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".[18]

Notes

  1. ^ Tom Fremantle, honorary member world-walk affected by Covid-related issues (The Plan, Oxford University Press, retrieved 2024-02-10)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Is this the world's most exclusive travel club?". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  2. ^ a b c Braidwood, Jamie (2024-04-08). "Row erupts over Hardest Geezer's claim of 'record' run of Africa". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  3. ^ "World Runners Association". World Runners Association. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  4. ^ "Profile - World Run Projekt". www3.worldrun.org. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  5. ^ "Rosie Swale Adventurer and Motivational speaker". Rosie Swale. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  6. ^ "Fastest round the world runner nears Sydney Opera House finish line". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 2013-09-13. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  7. ^ "theworldjog.com – blog » Blog Archive » World Runners Association Press Release". Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  8. ^ "The Devon man who ran the world | The Exeter Daily". www.theexeterdaily.co.uk. 2015-04-09. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  9. ^ "The Devon man who ran the world | The Devon Daily". www.thedevondaily.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  10. ^ "New Record For Fastest Run Around the World". Runner's World. 2015-04-09. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  11. ^ "The challenge". Run Around the Planet. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  12. ^ à 15h48, Par Frédéric Durand Le 19 septembre 2022 (2022-09-19). "À Rouen, la marathonienne de l'extrême boucle son Tour du monde". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Lootie-Run – My run around the world". Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  14. ^ "The Plan – Tom's World Walk". tomsworldwalk.com. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  15. ^ Kelly, Guy (2024-04-08). "How the 'Hardest Geezer' ran across Africa straight into an unlikely feud". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  16. ^ Mather, Victor (8 April 2024). "Guns, Machetes and Illness: The Perils of Running the Length of Africa". New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  17. ^ Kelly, Guy (2024-04-08). "How the 'Hardest Geezer' ran across Africa straight into an unlikely feud". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  18. ^ Somerville, Ewan (2024-04-08). "Guinness to hand 'Hardest Geezer' world record for Africa run". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-04-13.

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