Allwyn Sponsors Wings for Life World Run
Allwyn UK has announced that it has partnered with the Wings for Life World Run. The incoming National Lottery operator has signed a three-year deal with the non-profit research foundation to act as a principal partner for its fundraising race. The research foundation’s mission is to fund research and ultimately find a cure for spinal cord injuries.
The Wings for Life foundation has so far raised €38.3 million for spinal cord injury research.
©Run 4 FFWPU/Pexels
Spinal Cord Injury Research
Allwyn UK has been named as a principal partner of the Wings for Life World Run. The European lottery giant has agreed to support the event as part of an exciting new three-year deal. Allwyn employs more than 6,000 staff across Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus and the UK.
Announcing the news, it stated that it would encourage its colleagues to join together and help raise funds for the worthy cause. This year’s race will take place on May 7th at a variety of locations all around the world. 100% of all entry fees will go towards funding spinal cord research.
The non-profit research foundation was set up in 2004 after the son of one of its founders suffered a life-changing event. Hannes Kinigadner was just nineteen years old when a tragic accident at a charity race left him paraplegic from the shoulders down. His father, two-time motocross world champion Heinz Kinigadner, whose brother was also left in a wheelchair after an accident, dedicated himself to finding a cure for traumatic spinal cord injuries.
Heinz and his friend and founder of Red Bull, Dietrich Mateschitz, invited leading scientists from across the world to Salzburg to see what they could do to help. At that meeting it soon became clear that there was legitimate reason to be hopeful that spinal cord injuries could be cured.
There is evidence that injured nerve cells in the spinal cord are capable of regeneration. The problem was that research into spinal cord injury was grossly underfunded. It is estimated that 50, 000 people in the UK are living with a spinal cord injury and at least 250, 000 acute spinal injuries happen every year. However, paralysis is not regarded as a widespread condition. Investing millions to help a relatively small number of people has previously been considered an unprofitable endeavor.
A Race with a Difference
Undeterred, Kinigadner and Mateschitz set up the Wings for Life research foundation. The non-profit now funds cutting-edge scientific research and clinical trials around the world in its search for a cure. 100% of every donation to the foundation goes towards funding its vital work, as Red Bull pays the administrative costs of the foundation.
The Wings for Life World Run is unlike any other charity race. Individuals of all abilities are invited to participate, from professional runners to fun runners, wheelchair users and complete beginners. Races are run at a wide number of locations across the globe, all beginning at the same time: 11:00 am UTC.
The race has no finish line. Instead, a Catcher Car begins its pursuit of contestants thirty minutes after the race has begun. Runners must run as far as they can before being overtaken by the Catcher Car, which in some locations is virtual. The Catcher Car initially sets off at a pace of 14 kilometers per hour, gradually increasing its speed until the athletes have been caught. This makes it the only race in the world where everyone finishes.
For fun runners that may mean setting a goal of five kilometers. Professional athletes can take things up a notch, running over sixty kilometers. Those who sign up to run the race can set their target on the Wings for Life World Run website, where they can measure how much time they have to run a distance before being caught.
The global race is now in its tenth year, after its first competition was held in May 2014. In 2021 it was the largest running event, with 184, 236 participants. The race has helped the foundation to fund 276 research projects so far. Seventeen countries have participated in research for Wings for Life and 679 experts have reviewed its projects.
Positive Partnership
Last year’s event saw 161, 892 runners from 192 nations take part at events in 165 countries worldwide. Together, they helped to raise €4.7 million for Wings for Life. In Japan, Jo Fukuda achieved his first global win, reaching 64.43 kilometers. In the women’s competition, California’s Nina Zarina ran for 56 kilometers to win for the fourth consecutive time.
To date, the foundation has raised €38.3 million in donations, all of which has been invested in research. Speaking ahead of this year’s race, CEO Anita Gerhadter explained how much progress Wings for Life has made in its mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury since the first race was run in 2014. Gerhadter stated:
“Even though there will never be a wonder pill that cures all cases, great progress has been made over the past few years. There has been a whole host of interesting developments. For some time now, it has no longer been a question of whether there will ever be a cure but rather when this will be. The Wings for Life World Run is playing a key role here by raising both awareness and valuable donations.”
The CEO was delighted to welcome Allwyn to the annual event as a global partner. She said that the partnership would have a positive impact and help to raise funds for many people around the world. Gerhadter added that she was particularly attracted to Allwyn’s slogan “where we all win”, which resonates with the foundation’s own ethos.
For Allwyn, which won the UK’s National Lottery contract to commence next year, supporting good causes is a top priority. Alongside its subsidiaries, Allwyn last year helped to direct more than €32 million to good causes. As a leading lottery provider, it is one of the largest taxpayers in each of its markets. It has returned more than €2 billion to governments in taxes and lottery duties.
