Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people laced up their trainers at the weekend and set off in unison when the Wings for Life World Run celebrated its 13th edition. Each and every participant, whether running, walking or traversing the course by wheelchair, was racing towards a not so distant future where spinal cord recovery is possible.

What is Wings for Life World Run?

The Wings for Life World Run is a global force, consisting of seven flagship runs and over 600 smaller runs taking place across 173 countries. The Red Bull sponsored event has been growing in popularity but this year it reached its peak with 346,527 registered participants.  Separated by borders, they may not have been racing beside each other but all were united by one common goal.

Record turnout at Lunar Cable Park

Leading the charge in Spain was the Lunar Cable Park in Cuevas del Almanzora. In its three years of hosting, the water sports centre has become the second most popular Spanish venue. Hundreds of athletes, both amateur and professional, showed up on the day, all eager and excited to be supporting such an influential cause. Prominent figures from the world of wake-boarding and wake-skating travelled to take part, including Ben Leclair, Red Bulls global ambassador and Telma Cester, four-time wake-skate world champion.

Almeria’s race began at 1pm. Some ran, some walked, some roller-skated and some raced the route in a wheelchair. Thirty minutes later, the virtual chaser car was deployed. The Wings for Life race is unique in that there’s no finish line. Instead, racers must outpace a chaser car which sets off at 14 km/h and gradually picks up pace. Once a racer is overtaken, they’re out.

Millions raised for spinal chord recovery research

The Wings for Life World Run is most notable, however, for the fact that all registration fees go towards funding spinal cord injury research and running clinical trials Since its inception, the race has raised €69.7 million, with the 2026 edition contributing €9.2 million. So far, the event has funded 344 projects and counting.

How to register for 2027

Under the slogan “race for those who can’t” the Wings for Life World Run is a triumph of an event. For anyone interested, registration for the 2027 edition will open on November 4, with sign-up available through wingsforlifeworldrun.com.

Thursday, May 7, was a truly remarkable day in Almería, as over one thousand people took part in the XVII Almería Donation Marathon, donating their time, blood and plasma to the crucially important cause

Mega blood marathon

Not just any blood drive, this was a “mega-marathon”. Organisers anticipated a big turnout and even hoped to eclipse last year’s campaign which attracted 868 donors, including 654 blood donors and 150 plasma donors.

In anticipation of the large-scale blood drive, over 55 healthcare professionals were mobilised to manage the donations and ensure participant’s comfort, and 26 specialist plasma donation machines were installed to improve efficiency.

Over 1,000 blood and plasma donations collected

The event began at 9.30am and by mid-morning more than 350 donors had already visited the blood drive. Long queues continued throughout the afternoon as local residents responded to repeated calls for support ahead of the busy summer period.

By the end of the day, the Donation Marathon surpassed one thousand donations for the first time ever. A total of 1,001 donations were collected, including 779 blood donations and 222 plasma donations, breaking the previous record of 989. Organisers described the achievement as a major milestone that further establishes Almería as one of Spain’s leading provinces for donation campaigns.

Why plasma donations are so important

This year’s campaign placed a special focus on plasma donation, with organisers keen to increase awareness of its life-saving role in modern medicine. Plasma is used to produce treatments that cannot be manufactured artificially and is essential for patients suffering from immune disorders, clotting conditions such as haemophilia, severe burns and other serious illnesses.

The 222 plasma donations collected represented a significant increase on last year’s figures, highlighting growing public awareness of its importance

Almería maintains strong blood reserves ahead of summer

Almería currently maintains high levels of blood stock, with reserves estimated at seven to eight days, above the national average of six days. Health officials say campaigns such as the Donation Marathon are vital in helping hospitals prepare for the summer months, when blood reserves often fall due to increased demand and fewer donors.

Medical professionals praised the generosity and solidarity shown by residents throughout the marathon. Thanks to the continued commitment of donors and healthcare staff, hospitals across the province are able to continue operating with strong reserves and without the need for urgent public appeals.