2nd Wings for Life World Run

 There has been an exhilarating start to the 2nd Wings for Life World Run in 35 locations across the globe today with a record of 101,280 athletes registered for the event.

The race started at 11am UTC with the Catcher Cars beginning their pursuit 30 minutes later as runners of all abilities and wheelchair athletes raise money for the Wings for Life Foundation which aims to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

The race is expected to reach its thrilling finale at around 4.30pm UTC. Thousands are seeking to emulate Ethiopia's Lemawork Ketema who was the last man to be reeled in by the Catcher Cars, after an astonishing 78.48km, to become the inaugural World Run champion 12 months ago. Norway's Elise Molvik won the women's first race in 2014.

Ketema started again at the race in Austria, this time alongside the man he held off in last year's dramatic climax, Peru's Remigio Quispe.

As well as the cream of the world's top runners, champions from other fields of action like World Cup ski champion Marcel Hirscher, and Formula One drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat are also taking part.

Follow at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com is a true live experience including live video streaming, live radio and ticker tape updates.

The Wings for Life World Run is not just a race in 35 locations but a truly global media event of epic proportions. More than 200 cameras follow the action as it takes place around the world.

Around 400 satellite segments are being used to bring the world's most unique running event to every living room around the globe. Furthermore a live radio stream at   www.wingsforlifeworldrunradio.com, interactive maps, race statistics and news are being provided as the action takes places.

All coverage can be found at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com and viewers are invited to join the conversation on Twitter (@WFLWorldRun, #WorldRun), Facebook (facebook.com/ WingsForLifeWorldRun), and Instagram (@wflworldrun).

Introduced in 2014, the Wings for Life World Run is a global running event on May 3, 2015. Athletes in 35 locations around the world start at precisely the same time, 11am UTC. As if that wasn't unique enough, the race has no finish line. Instead, the runners are followed by a Catcher Car, which takes off 30 minutes after the start at 15km/h and steadily increases its speed until the last athletes have been caught. Last year's global champion, Lemawork Ketema, was caught after more than 5 hours and 78 km. This year, the Wings for Life World Run App is ALSO available for training and registering for the Selfie Run. Learn more:  www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com

Worldwide, millions of people are dependent on a wheelchair after having sustained a spinal cord injury, most often as the result of a traffic accident or a fall. Wings for Life is a not-for-profit spinal cord research foundation with a mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Since 2004, Wings for Life has funded life changing research projects and clinical trials around the globe. While the cure is still to be found, steady progress has been made. The €3 million raised in the inaugural Wings for Life World Run and all future entry fees and sponsorship of this global running event will help work towards their ultimate goal. Every step taken at the Wings for Life World Run and in the Wings for Life World Run Selfie Run is a step in the right direction – www.wingsforlife.com