On Sunday, May 4, 2025, 85 colleagues and friends from ETL GLOBAL across 12 countries joined forces in the spirit of sports and took on a unique challenge – the Wings for Life World Run 2025. This is an annual global charity run aimed at raising funds for spinal cord injury research under the motto: “We run for those who can’t.”
Celebrating 10 years of ETL Global
As part of celebrating the 10th anniversary of the ETL GLOBAL network, taking part in this special run was also the first attempt to bring together sports enthusiasts from various countries to participate in a truly global sporting event. Some ran solo in their local areas, accompanied by official Wings for Life music, while others organized to run or walk together in their favorite recreational spots.
Special rules for a special event
The Wings for Life World Run is a unique running experience – all participants worldwide start at the same time, but there is no traditional finish line. Instead, a “Catcher Car” starts 30 minutes after the runners and gradually catches up with them. The winner is not the first to cross a line but the last to be caught. This year, an impressive 310,719 runners from around the globe took part, covering a combined distance of 2,639,348 kilometers and raising over €8.6 million for spinal cord injury research.
ETL GLOBAL team achievements
Participants:
Among the 85 members of the ETL GLOBAL team, 52% were women, showing excellent motivation among female colleagues. The oldest participant competed in the M60 category, while the oldest woman was in F55. The youngest participants ran in the M18 and F18 categories.
Distance covered:
Together, under the ETL GLOBAL banner, runners and walkers covered 802 kilometers – 455 km by men and 377 km by women.
The team from the United Kingdom contributed the most kilometers (182 km), followed by Poland (168 km) and Germany (139 km). The Slovenian team Unija ETL achieved the fastest times in both the women’s and men’s categories!
Fastest women:
- Špela Moroz (Slovenia) – 18.2 km
- Adriana Grzybowska (Poland) – 17.6 km
- Anna Malkowska (Poland) – 16.7 km
Fastest men:
- Gašper Bertoncelj (Slovenia) – 31.6 km
- Jack Shute (UK) – 26.6 km
- Max Lukaweckyj (UK) – 21.1 km
The most dynamic ETL GLOBAL country? Without a doubt – Slovenia!
Almost triple the fundraising goal
Participants from ETL GLOBAL raised a total of €2,988.80 for spinal cord injury research – nearly three times the original target set by team leader Riccardo Benussi.
Heartfelt congratulations to all participants – together we prove that movement unites, inspires, and changes the world for the better! See you at the starting line in 2026!
