Bloomberg Square Mile Relay to return to Sydney in 2020 as organisers announce headline sponsorship extension

The Bloomberg Square Mile Relay will return to Sydney for the fifth time on Thursday, 26^th March 2020, following a sold-out event in 2019. It was also announced by the organisers, Square Mile Sport, that headline sponsor Bloomberg, has extended its headline sponsorship agreement of the global series until 2025.

The internationally-renowned annual event, which also takes place in 11 other cities across the world, will see the city’s top businesses to come together, as teams of ten employees each take turns to run the unique one-mile (1.6km) route at Barangaroo Reserve, all in a bid to be crowned the fastest company in the city.

The focal point of the race is to make an important and meaningful contribution to the city in a bigger and better way, through the charity arm of the event called The Extra Mile. This year’s race saw over $30,000 donated to support inclusion programs through the event’s charity partner Coaches Across Continents, aimed at reducing inequality of youth from minority groups including immigrants. The 2020 event will see an equal amount donated to another important local cause, focused on using the power of sport to make a lasting difference to the lives of people in the city.

Runners at the start of the 2019 race on 4 April, 2019

With the event sold out for the first time this year and team entries up 20% on the previous year, some of the city’s major companies took to the start line including: Accenture, ANZ Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNY Mellon, Clifford Chance, J.P.Morgan, Macquarie, Mastercard, National Australia Bank and Susquehanna Pacific. Also taking part was Westpac, who amassed 13 teams in the race and the feedback was extremely positive:

A participant from Westpac said “The best event I have participated in, it was immaculately organized. Best of all the atmosphere, staff and crowd were amazing who really showed a lot of team spirit and were very encouraging to us participants.”

Inaugural Fastest All-Female Team winners, Westpac on the podium at the 2019 race.

2019 was a year of several firsts at the Sydney race, as the race became single-use plastic free for the first time ever and the global series pledging to be single-use plastic free on race nights by 2020. There was also the first Fastest All-Female Team award, introduced in each race in 2019 and in Sydney it was Westpac Finance Women who took home the title.

James Hassett, Managing Director of Square Mile Sport, the owners of the event, said: “We’re all really excited about returning to Sydney for our 5^th time as we love the city and how it’s embraced the relay has been fantastic! Corporate wellness is an increasingly important issue for corporations in the city and the fantastic energy and infectious enthusiasm the relay brings goes hand-in-hand with companies wanting to improve the wellbeing of their employees.”

“The commitment from Bloomberg to extend their headline sponsorship with us is fantastic news and allows us to not only increase our ability to promote corporate health and well-being, but crucially provides a commitment to our charitable program in the city, whilst delivering an exciting and fully sustainable event.

We are incredibly proud to be working alongside Bloomberg, positively impacting corporations and the community in Sydney.”