Oz Day 10K Wheelchair Road Race is held on Australia Day in The Rocks, Sydney and is marquee event on the international wheelchair racing calendar, attracting prominent international and Australian athletes.

History

Sydney Rocks precinct where the annual OZ Day race is held

The inaugural race was held in 1990 around Centennial Park in Sydney amongst traffic travelling around the Park.[1] The inaugural race was the brainchild of Peter Trotter and Jeff Wiseman, two prominent wheelchair racers that trained at the Park.[1] Trotter a former 10 km road racing champion had competed in similar events throughout the world.[2] Their philosophy in creating the event was for disabled children to see elite wheelchair athletes in competition.[1] Sixty five athletes including sixteen international and eighteen interstate athletes competed. Australian cricketer Mike Whitney started the race and New South Wales Premier Nick Greiner and record breaking aviator Gaby Kennard presented the winners prizes which included prize money.[2] Over one thousand spectators watched the event.[2]

The race was moved to the Sydney Rocks area in 1991 and consisted of two 5 km laps.[1] Over the years, the organisers have encountered difficulties as major city roads need to be closed.[1] The race in normally held early in the morning to overcome the difficulties of road closures.

The race is supported by the Australia Day Council and Sydney City Council and managed by Wheelchair Sports NSW.[1] It is now an iconic event in Sydney on Australia Day.

Results

Kurt Fearnley racing at the Sydney Paralympics – a ten times winner of OZ Day 10k Wheelchair race
Louise Sauvage racing at the Sydney Paralympics – a ten times winner of OZ Day 10k Wheelchair race

Prominent international and Australian athletes have competed in the event and prize money is awarded. At the completion of the 2018 event, Kurt Fearnley had won the race eleven times and Louise Sauvage ten times.[3][4]

Senior Events

Year Men's Open Event Women's Event Men's T52 Event Women's T52 Event Men's T51 Event
1990Craig Blanchette  United StatesIngrid Lauridsen  DenmarkJan Owe-Mattson  SwedenNot heldHeinrich Koberle  Germany[3]
1991Craig Blanchette  United StatesJennette Jansen  NetherlandsJeff Worthington  United StatesNot heldHeinrich Koberle  Germany
1992Franz Nietlispach   SwitzerlandBarbara Maier  GermanyRick Reelie  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia[5]
1993Jim Knaub  United StatesLouise Sauvage  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaNot heldHeinrich Koberle  Germany
1994Paul Wiggins  AustraliaLouise Sauvage  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaNot heldHeinrich Koberle  Germany[6]
1995Paul Wiggins  AustraliaLouise Sauvage  AustraliaRick Reelie  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
1996Paul Wiggins  AustraliaLouise Sauvage  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
1997Jeff Adams  CanadaLouise Sauvage  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
1998Claude Issorat  FranceLouise Sauvage  AustraliaRick Reelie  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
1999Heinz Frei   SwitzerlandLouise Sauvage  AustraliaRick Reelie  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
2000Ernst van Dyk  South AfricaWakako Tsuchida  JapanClayton Gerein  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
2001Ernst van Dyk  South AfricaLouise Sauvage  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
2002Saúl Mendoza  MexicoLouise Sauvage  AustraliaRick Reelie  CanadaNot heldFabian Blattman  Australia
2003Ernst van Dyk  South AfricaLouise Sauvage  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaNot heldHeinrich Koberle  Germany
2004Saúl Mendoza  MexicoEliza Stankovic  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaLisa Franks  CanadaHeinrich Koberle  Germany
2005Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaEliza Stankovic  AustraliaSantiago Sanz  SpainNo competitorHeinrich Koberle  Germany
2006Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaEliza Stankovic  AustraliaSantiago Sanz  SpainSybilla Austin  AustraliaGlenn Bennett  Australia
2007Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaChantal Petitclerc  CanadaSantiago Sanz  SpainNo competitorGlenn Bennett  Australia
2008Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaEdith Hunkeler   SwitzerlandPeter Angel  AustraliaMichelle Stilwell  CanadaNo competitor
2009Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaChristie Dawes  AustraliaClayton Gerein  CanadaMichelle Stilwell  CanadaNo competitor
2010Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaEdith Hunkeler   SwitzerlandSantiago Sanz  SpainMichelle Stilwell  CanadaRichard Cordukes  Australia
2011Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaSandra Rush  United StatesPeter Angel  AustraliaNo competitorNo competitor
2012Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaMadison de Rozario  AustraliaSantiago Sanz  SpainMichelle Stilwell  CanadaStephen Osborne  United Kingdom
2013Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaMadison de Rozario  AustraliaNaoyuki Matsumoto  JapanMichelle Stilwell  CanadaNo competitor
2014David Weir  United KingdomManuela Schar   SwitzerlandNaoyuki Matsumoto  JapanMichelle Stilwell  CanadaStephen Osborne  United Kingdom
2015Kota Hokinoue  JapanManuela Schar   SwitzerlandJono Tang  AustraliaMichelle Stilwell  CanadaNo competitor[7]
2016Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaManuela Schar   SwitzerlandJono Tang  AustraliaMichelle Stilwell  CanadaNo competitor[8]
2017Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaMadison de Rozario  AustraliaNaoyuki Matsumoto  Japan-
2018Tomoki Suzuki  JapanMadison de Rozario  AustraliaNaoyuki Matsumoto  Japan-
2019Tomoki Suzuki  JapanMadison de Rozario  AustraliaNaoyuki Matsumoto  Japan-
2020Tomoki Suzuki  JapanMadison de Rozario  Australia---
2021Jake Lappin  AustraliaMadison de Rozario  AustraliaJono Tang  Australia--
2022Jake Lappin  AustraliaMadison de Rozario  AustraliaJono Tang Australia--
2023Sam Rizzo  AustraliaMadison de Rozario  AustraliaJono Tang  AustraliaSarah Clifton-Bligh Australia-

Junior and Masters Events

Year Junior Male U18/9 Junior Female U18/99 Masters
1990Paul Nunnari  AustraliaNot heldMike Nugent  Australia
1991Eric Neitzel  United StatesNot heldMike Nugent  Australia
1992Eric Neitzel  United StatesNot heldPaul Bowes  Australia
1993Eric Neitzel  United StatesNot heldPaul Bowes  Australia
1994Shannon Bates  AustraliaNot heldMike Nugent  Australia
1995Shannon Bates  AustraliaKerstin Rossek  GermanyJeff Wiseman  Australia
1996Todd Burmester  AustraliaChristie Skelton  AustraliaSteve Ellefson  Canada
1997Todd Burmester  AustraliaChristie Skelton  AustraliaSteve Ellefson  Canada
1998Todd Burmester  AustraliaChristie Skelton  AustraliaSteve Ellefson  Canada
1999Kurt Fearnley  AustraliaHolly Ladmore  AustraliaSteve Ellefson  Canada
2000Adam Sheppard  AustraliaKylie Gauci  AustraliaScott Parson  United States
2001Grant Buckley  AustraliaAngie Ballard  AustraliaScott Parson  United States
2002Grant Buckley  AustraliaJessica Matassa  CanadaScott Parson  United States
2003Marcel Hug   SwitzerlandJessica Matassa  CanadaHenri Frei   Switzerland
2004Marcel Hug   SwitzerlandJessica Matassa  CanadaHenri Frei   Switzerland
2005Patrick Baker  AustraliaKelly Darragh  AustraliaKenny Herriot  Scotland
2006Patrick Baker  AustraliaKelly Darragh  AustraliaKenny Herriot  Scotland
2007Xaxier Elsworthy  AustraliaLaura South  AustraliaBrett McArthur  Australia
2008Matthew Lack  New ZealandMadison de Rozario  AustraliaDenis Lemeunier  France
2009Matthew Lack  New ZealandMadison de Rozario  AustraliaBrett McArthur  Australia
2010Matthew Lack  New ZealandMadison de Rozario  AustraliaScott Parson  United States
2011Nathan Arkley  AustraliaNo competitorHeinz Frei   Switzerland
2012Nathan Arkley  AustraliaKristy Pond  AustraliaScott Parson  United States
2013Rheed McCracken  AustraliaSara Tait  AustraliaPierre Fairbank  France
2014Rheed McCracken  AustraliaSara Tait  AustraliaPierre Fairbank  France
2015Luke Bailey  AustraliaJulie Charlton  AustraliaErnest van Dyck  South Africa
2016Brad Pemberton  AustraliaJulie Charlton  AustraliaPierre Fairbank  France
2017Sam Rizzo  AustraliaJulie Charlton  AustraliaKota Hokinoue  Japan
2018Sam Rizzo  AustraliaNo competitorKota Hokinoue  Japan
2019Nathan Donaldson  AustraliaVictoria Simpson  AustraliaKota Hokinoue  Japan
2020Cory Crombie  AustraliaVictoria Simpson  AustraliaPierre Fairbank  France
2021Cormac Ryan  AustraliaSarah Clifton Bligh  AustraliaPaul Nunnari  Australia
2022Cormac Ryan  AustraliaNo competitorPaul Nunnari  Australia
2023Cormac Ryan  AustraliaNo competitorJun Hiromichi  Japan
  • 2021 event entries impacted by COVID-19 international and interstate restrictions. [9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Celebrating 25 Years of the Oz Day 10K". Vimeo. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Hamley, Margaret (March 1990). "The Qantas Oz Day 10K". Pusher's Post.
  3. 1 2 "Iconic wheelchair road race celebrates '25 years on the road'". Sydney Olympic Park website. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  4. "Kurt Fearnley Is Sensational In Historic OZ Day 10K Race Win". Huffington Post. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  5. Wiseman, Carol (March 1992). "The Qantas Oz Day 10K". Pusher's Post: 4–6.
  6. "1994 Qantas Oz Day 10K". Pusher's Post: 25–27. March 1994.
  7. "Hokinouestuns OZ Day 10k field". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 26 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  8. "Summer Down Under Series 2016 Official Results – GIO Oz Day 10K – Sydney, 26 January 2016" (PDF). Wheelchair Sports NSW website. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. "GIO OZ Day 10k (2021) / 10K Wheelchair Race / Overall". Oz Day 10k website. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.