Westpac Whippets win fourth Bloomberg Square Mile Relay in Sydney

113 companies and organizations from across Sydney took on the one-mile (1.6km) course around Barangaroo Reserve at the annual Bloomberg Square Mile Relay event yesterday. The race has gone from strength to strength over the years with the event being oversubscribed for the first time this year, having grown rapidly since it launched in Sydney in 2016.

Over 1,100 runners in teams of 10 from 63 companies raced their way around the specially designed course with Westpac Whippets taking this year’s title of ‘fastest firm in the city’, completing their ten laps of the one-mile course in a time of 54 minutes and 59 seconds.

Lachlan Oakes, team captain of Westpac Whippets said: “We knew that Macquarie would be the team to beat, we know a few of their guys and we know they’ve got a lot of quick runners, but we had good depth so we knew it was always going to be close. It’s a great race and we are really happy to come away with the win.”

In second place was Macquarie with a time of 56 minutes and 27 seconds closely followed by Moelis Australia with a time of 58 minutes and 40 seconds. Matt Hudson from Macquarie was the fastest runner on the night, sprinting his way around the one-mile course in 5 minutes, setting the bar high for the rest of the global race series.

To support female participation across the series, the ‘Fastest Female Team’ category was launched this year, and the inaugural award in Sydney was won by Westpac Financial Women in a time of 1 hour 25 minutes and 46 seconds. In the highly popular Mixed Team category Consolidated Press Holdings beat 26 other teams to clinch the title in a time of 1 hour 2 minutes and 31 seconds.

It was the first time a team from Westpac has won the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay Sydney.

This year, 25 percent of each team’s entry fee was donated to our designated charity partner, Coaches Across Continents, through The Extra Mile Program with AU$30,467.90 being committed to address social challenges in the city. Coaches Across Continents will use the power of sport and physical activity to address the winning cause, Inclusion, chosen by our runners across a year-long funded programme that will deliver lasting impact, long after the race has finished.

Heena Chakravorti, Head of Oceania, Bloomberg L.P. said: “It’s so exciting to see so many diverse teams come together to make this the biggest ever Bloomberg Square Mile Relay in Sydney. It’s a city with some of the fastest runners in the Global Series and we look forward to making it even more competitive each year.”

Over 1,400 runners, supporters, friends and family enjoyed the hospitality and entertainment in the Race Village, before concluding the night at The Argyle, for the official after party.

James Hassett, Managing Director of the event organiser Square Mile Sport, said: “This year marks a huge milestone for us in Sydney, with 113 teams participating in the sell-out event, it shows what an important fixture the race has become in the business calendar. Thank you to our portfolio of sponsors and partners that make this incredible event possible and we look forward to another sell-out event in 2020!”

In addition to Bloomberg as headline sponsor, other main sponsors and partners include Fitness Partner Virgin Active, Race Partner 2XU, Beer Supplier Pure Blonde, After-Party Venue The Argyle and Timing Supplier Results Base.

Headline sponsor Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, has supported the event since it began in the heart of London’s business district in 2007. This year the global series will grow to 12 cities worldwide, with inaugural races taking place in Paris and Mumbai, and will see a variety of companies in each city network, bond and collaborate outside their working environment.