'Surfing' through Sydney's attractions

SYDNEY - Australia’s vibrant city of Sydney has more to it than iconic landmarks like the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Queen Victoria Building, which is a shopping centre.

Sydney, Australia’s most populous city, also happens to be the venue for various mega events every year, drawing visitors from far and near, among them being City2Surf which is the world’s largest annual "fun run”, as tagged by the organisers.

First held 50 years ago, the fundraising event has been witnessing an increasing number of participants, with AirAsia X joining in as an airline partner in this year’s edition which took place here on Aug 11.

This writer was among the 90,000 participants from all over the world who took part in City2Surf 2024.

AN EVENT FOR ALL

The City2Surf run sets a standard distance of 14 kilometres for all participants regardless of their age, with the route starting at Hyde Park in the city centre and finishing at the famous Bondi Beach.

Since the run is open to serious runners as well as people who join in just for the fun of it, participants can come dressed in their regular fitness gear or in fancy or unique costumes. And, they can run, jog, walk or stroll through the course whilst taking in picturesque sights like the harbours at Rushcutters Bay, Double Bay and Rose Bay.

Six kilometres into the run comes Heartbreak Hill, a challenging uphill stretch that tests one’s stamina.

Professional runners wishing to compete for top positions and win cash prizes must, prior to the race, register themselves in the Elite Runner category. Those wishing to help raise funds for charity can register under the Charity Superstar category while those participating just for fun can join the Fun Run (Orange Wave) category.

For the Fun Run category, anyone can join, including those in wheelchairs, and mothers or fathers pushing their babies in strollers.

The participants have different starting times depending on which category they are registered in. For example, the Elite category’s start time is 7.40 am while Fun Run participants start at 9.34 am.

ORANGE WAVE

This writer chose to join the Orange Wave group, most of whom did not set a target finish time, as all she wanted to do was take a stroll and admire the beautiful city.

"We are just going to walk until the end. No pressure. We just want to have fun and join the crowd,” an Australian participant who only wanted to be known as Leia told Bernama as they headed to the starting line.

Leia was accompanied by her family and her father who was in a wheelchair.

The atmosphere was indeed lively and along the route, the runners were entertained by around 15 musical performances including by brass bands and orchestras. Even DJs (disc jockeys) were on site spinning music and playing songs.

The Orange Wave or Fun Run participants, who spent more time walking than running, naturally had more opportunities to enjoy the entertainment and take photos at various kiosks and Instagram-friendly spots along the route.

"I really enjoy running events like this and this is my first time participating in a race abroad. The vibe is completely different and incredibly lively,” said Malaysian actor Hariz Hamdan.

DRESSED AS SUPERHEROES

In keeping with the ‘fun’ theme, some participants came in the garb of hugely popular superheroes Spider-Man, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, all characters from American comic books.

A tourist from Japan Mai Nogami, 31, clad in a colourful tutu skirt, felt the fun run was a better way to experience the beauty of Sydney more closely compared to sightseeing in a bus.

"We usually don't run or do sports, but since we're here in Sydney, we didn't want to miss the chance to have fun with all the participants,” said Nogami, who was there with her friends.

Shutterbugs, too, had a field day aiming their camera lenses at participants dressed in unique costumes.

Being a fundraising event, proceeds from City2Surf were directed to several charitable organisations in the country.

In fact, along the route, charitable organisations had set up booths at specific stops, allowing runners to interact with potential beneficiaries including cancer patients and underprivileged children.

According to the official City2Surf website, the organisers successfully raised over A$3.8 million (about RM11 million) from this year’s event, which will benefit local charities such as the Australian Cancer Research Foundation and Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Some spectators also used the event to show solidarity with the people of Palestine.

PLEASANT WEATHER

August is a perfect time to host a running event in Australia. It is still winter but temperatures range from 12 to 18 degrees Celsius, and with the mild sunlight, the weather remains comfortably cool.

According to Shawn Pam, a Malaysian influencer who participated in City2Surf 2024, the weather helped him maintain his stamina. However, he noted the real challenge came from the sheer number of participants, which limited his movement.

"This is my first time participating in a race with such a large crowd. Initially, I aimed to run at a pace of at least three minutes 45 seconds per kilometre but I ended up at four minutes three seconds per kilometre,” said Shawn, who completed the race in 55 minutes. - BERNAMA