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Issue:- 12 December 2014
BTR
Liverpool Santa dash takes world title
Photos on this page by Patrick Trollope and the report is by BTR
Liverpool's Press Officer, Erica Dillon
IT'S OFFICIAL!!!!
Liverpool, UK, festive spectacle tops Las
Vegas, USA, on it's 10th Anniversary... Can they do it again next
year or will Liverpool's
BTRLiverpool.com Santa Dash hold firm?
Liverpool was awash with a sea of
red and blue Santa's for the City's biggest annual festive spectacle. A staggering 8,500 Santas defied
challenging weather conditions on Sunday, 7 December 2014, and took to
the streets of Liverpool for the 10th Anniversary BTR Liverpool
Santa Dash; winning back the world title honours from Las Vegas.
The event started at the Pier Head
on the City's world famous waterfront, under the gaze of the iconic
Liver Birds. A 5K route took the Santas through the City Center,
before finishing outside Liverpool Town Hall where finishers were
greeted by stilt walking characters and snow.
The Santas were given a lively
send off by Santa himself along with the Radio City's Breakfast Show hosts Leanne
Campbell and Dave Kelly; Lord Mayor of Liverpool Councillor Erica
Kemp; Liverpool Football Club legend Alan Kennedy; and
representatives from the 5 BTR Footsteps Fundraisers charities;
Radio City's Cash For Kids, Claire House Children's Hospice, Everton
in the Community, Jospice, and Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
Plus guests, which included Paul Simons and Joel Hicks.
The event also featured the
biggest ever Mini Dash 1K for youngsters aged 12 and under, with 750
youngsters enjoying their own race from Castle Street shortly after
the main 5K Santa Dash had been completed. Finishers in both fun runs
received a special 10th anniversary commemorative medal.
A huge boost on the day was the
breaking news that Liverpool had beaten Las Vegas in the World Santa
Challenge. The Vegas event took place the day before on Saturday (6
December) with less than 8,000 Santas taking part. Liverpool recorded 8,500; so have
regained the title, finally winning it back since last holding it in
2010. Official figures are in the process of being counted but the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash is now officially both the UK's and the
world's biggest festive fun run.
Santas had travelled far and wide
to take part. On home soil runners had come from the South of
England, the North East, Yorkshire and North Wales. They were joined
by a number of overseas participants travelling from America
(Pennsylvania, New York), Australia, Austria, Canada, France,
Germany, Ireland, Norway, Slovakia, South Africa and Switzerland.
Wirral Santas were even invited to
arrive in style with Mersey Ferries laying on 3 special early
morning services from Seacombe to the start line.
BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell,
creator of the Liverpool Santa Dash, commented:- "It's been a
fantastic 10th anniversary event. All our Santa Dashers really got
into the spirit of the day, with some very creative costumes. Seeing
the Pier Head and City covered in a sea of Santas is just the most
amazing sight. It is very fitting that we have regained the
World Santa Challenge title on our 10th anniversary. We are
absolutely thrilled and we could not do it without the support of
our thousands of Santas; they are all what make this day so special.
We are now not only the UK's biggest festive fun run; but now also
the world's. That's quite a coup! Well done Liverpool, you have done
yourselves extremely proud. The BTR Liverpool Santa Dash
continues to increase in popularity and has firmly become the City's
largest Christmas spectacle. It not only attracts thousands of
participants from across the country and, indeed from overseas, but
a large number of spectators travel into the City to enjoy the day.
The participants and spectators together generate a huge economic
impact for Liverpool City Region. We even have a number of
Santas who have supported the event from year 1 and have now taken
part in every Liverpool Santa Dash since. See you on 6 December next
year to do it all again when we try to keep that title where it
belongs."
Entries are now being taken for the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 2015, which will take
place on 6 December 2015! Full details about this and
other BTR Liverpool Encents can be found online at:-
BTRLiverpool.com.
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