Record-Breaking Wings for Life World Run: 310,719 participants raise €8.6 million in 2025

The 12th edition delivered unforgettable moments, as old records tumbled and new milestones were marked in the history books.

High-fives, laughter, and even a few happy tears – the 2025 Wings for Life World Run united 310,917 people across the globe in a powerful, joyous movement for a single cause: finding a cure for spinal cord injury.

Now in its 12th year, the Wings for Life World Run saw participants in seven Flagship Runs and 452 App Runs across 68 countries worldwide taking part in this incredible movement, reaffirming its place as the largest running event on the planet.

“This year’s Wings for Life World Run was another truly incredible event – it just keeps getting bigger, better and more inspiring,” commented Colin Jackson, Wings for Life International Sports Director. “We’ve broken even more records in 2025, with over 310,719 participants around the world, this year we raised over €8.6 million – an amazing result! What makes this event so special is that every single participant’s effort actually goes directly to spinal cord injury research and is actively bringing us closer to a cure. What we achieved today is genuinely going to change lives.”

From solo striders in Fiji to vibrant running crews rocking the heart of Rio de Janeiro, if you were a participant in this global movement, together with almost a third of a million runners from 191 nations, you moved together with one purpose; ultimately raising over a staggering – and record-breaking – €8.6 million, with 100% of the funds raised going to vital research and clinical trials to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

“Dr. Judith Fraussen, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Biomedical Research Institute at Hasselt University in Belgium, is leading research funded by the Wings for Life World Run. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in this year’s global event, emphasising the vital role your support plays in advancing her team’s work:

“Thank you for taking part in this unique event! Your participation not only raises vital funds but also gives encouragement to everyone dedicated to spinal cord research. Every step you take today supports hope for the future. As a researcher working on spinal cord injuries, it is important to me to participate in the Wings for Life World Run every year. Seeing so many people come together to raise awareness for those who live with a spinal cord injury and to collect funding for spinal cord injury research is incredibly motivating and highly needed. Thanks to events like this, we can keep making progress and work towards better treatments for people living with spinal cord injuries.”

This year, the records just kept tumbling. 249,444 runners, wheelchair users, joggers and walkers signed up for the 452 App Run Events – the most ever in a single year in Wings for Life World Run history. Kilometres were clocked in from all corners of the world, from the sun-soaked coastline of Cape Town to the icy trails of Tromsø, Norway in the Arctic Circle. Other locations included bayfront in Miami (USA),  Panama City (PAN), Cape Town (RSA), Madrid (ESP), London (GBR), Dubai (UAE), Tokyo (JPN), Sydney (AUS) and Rio de Janeiro (BRA).

The weather also added an extra challenge for some participants - according to the official race weather forecaster, UBIMET, the hottest temperature recorded was in Dubai at 41°C and the coldest 6°C in Stockholm. Participants in Almeria, Spain faced wind speeds of 76km/h, while the wettest conditions were recorded in the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria.

Adding to the electric atmosphere were the celebrity Catcher Car drivers who led the chase in the seven Flagship Runs around the world. In Austria, Anna Gasser, the snowboarding trailblazer shared the spotlight with Reini Sampl, a three-time Paralympian, bringing heart and high energy to the streets of Vienna.

Meanwhile, in Poland, national sports icon Adam Małysz –– one of the most decorated ski jumpers in history and now president of the Polish Ski Association — returned to Poznań as the Catcher Car driver, once again becoming the moving finish line and sharing in the energy and celebration as he chased down runners.

There was no shortage of celebrity athletes and sporting stars also taking part in the 12th edition of the Wings for Life World Run. Red Bull Head of Global Soccer Jürgen Klopp (GER) opted to take part using the Wings for Life World Run App, joining forces in a Wings for Life World Run team called Kloppo & Friends.
In Hawaii, surfing’s Carissa Moore (USA) joined an App Run Event in Honolulu, and Olympic beach volleyball champions Duda Lisboa and Ana Patrícia of Brazil ran in picture-perfect conditions in Brasilia. Other notable names running for those who can’t included skier Eileen Gu (CHN), and tennis players Dominic Thiem (AUT), hurdler Karsten Warholm (NOR), trials rider Fabio Wibmer (AUT), triathlete Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR), American football quarterback Arch Manning (USA), gamer Masato ‘Bonchan’ Takahashi (JPN), rally racing’s Sébastien Loeb (FRA).

When it came to the race for the Wings for Life World Run global champion title, limits were pushed, boundaries were broken, and new chapters were written. It was Japan’s Jo Fukuda who delivered a historic performance to claim his third title. With an astounding distance run of 71.67km, Jo not only shattered Tomoya Watanabe’s 2024 benchmark but also extended the world record by an incredible 1.58km.

I'm really happy I won because I was absolutely determined to win again this year!

And for the women, there was also a thrilling finish, with a historic breakthrough for Germany. In Munich, Esther Pfeiffer became the country’s first-ever women’s global champion in spectacular style. Clocking 59.03km, she also earned the accolade of becoming only the second woman ever to surpass the 59km mark, coming remarkably close to the women’s all-time distance record. It was a magical moment for Esther, who fought hard through the final kilometres to secure the win and her place in the history books. Esther’s husband Hendrik also finished his race as the men’s winner at the Munich Flagship Run, and achieved fifth place globally.

At every kilometre there were a lot of people who cheered for me, and that’s why I’m at 59km now! I think the highlight was the start, it was so crazy how many people run for those who can’t. It’s a really great event, really fun…

In just one day, this year’s Wings for Life World Run has achieved incredible success, bringing the total raised to €60.53 million since the first Wings for Life World Run in 2014. In 12 years of events, 1,870,253 registered participants from 191 nationalities have run, walked and rolled on all seven continents, funding 324 research projects and clinical trials.

Wings for Life CEO Anita Gerhardter was keen to underline the achievements of all who took part this year saying, “I am over the moon about the results of the Wings for Life World Run. One shared mission and so much love and energy from every corner of the world. With 310,917 world runners joining in, we raised 8.6 million euros for spinal cord research. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this day so special – whether you walked, ran, rolled, volunteered, or cheered us on. You’re the heartbeat of this movement. Together, we'll find a cure for spinal cord injury. Thanks again and see you at the start line next year!”

The 13th edition of the Wings for Life World Run will take place on May 10, 2026. Registration for 2026 – including numerous App Run Events (with more to follow), all Flagship Runs, and running individually with the Wings for Life World Run App – will open on November 5, 2025. For more information, to receive notifications and to register, sign up here.