Ricciardo to challenge virtual catcher car in Melbourne in preparation for the Wings For Life World Race to be held on MAY 3rd 2015.
(Melbourne, March 10, 2015) – Only a few days before the new Formula One season, Infiniti Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo was getting used to the idea of having a car chasing him from behind. The Australian driver, who opens his Formula One campaign on his home track at Melbourne this weekend, has been preparing for the 2015 Wings for Life World Run by road testing a new App which simulates a Catcher Car helping your training sessions.
The Wings for Life World Run is a global running event on May 3, 2015 in which athletes in 35 locations start running at the same time. The race has no finish line but competitors are pursued by a Catcher Car, the last runner to be caught is the winner.
“They told me there was a driver who could beat me and the logical thing to think was: challenge accepted,” joked Ricciardo, who won three Formula One races in an outstanding 2014 season. Ricciardo, third in the world championship last year, was putting the App through its paces in a preparation session at the Tan Track venue in the Victorian capital.
Introduced in March 2015, the Wings for Life World Run App is the perfect way to prepare for race day as it simulates the Catcher Car following the runner. Voice cues tell the user that the Catcher Car has started and continue to update him or her about how far away the virtual car is.
“To say it’s fun would be an understatement. Once the app tells you that the Catcher Car is chasing you, it feels like the real thing. You almost look over your shoulder to see how far away it is from you,” said Ricciardo, who usually prefers cycling to running as a training routine.
Ricciardo and Surf Ironman champion Matt Poole were joined by Wings for Life World Run ambassadors Rhiannon Tracey and Josh Wood – two inspiring Australians – who suffered spinal cord injuries and joined the Wings for Life cause in the hope of raising awareness and funds for further research.
ABOUT WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUN APP
Available both for IOS and Android for free of charge in the stores to train for the Wings for Life World Run. It also includes the Selfie Run functionality for all those who can’t make it to one of the 35 official locations. The Selfie Run allows athletes to virtually participate in the Wings for Life World Run, but only runners in official locations can become global champions.
ABOUT THE WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUN
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.
ABOUT WINGS FOR LIFE
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.