The SPAR Women's Races began in 1992 as a way to get women of all ages, shapes and sizes together to enjoy a safe 5km or 10km run and enjoy the day. The atmosphere is supportive and everyone is welcome to register and take part, regardless of whether they run regularly or are just starting out.
In 2007, a competitive element was added to the SPAR Women's Race with the introduction of the SPAR Grand Prix Series where professional runners were invited to take part in all of the regional races and compete for substantial cash prizes.
How the Grand Prix works
The top 10 runners in the open category and the first three in the four, age categories all receive cash prizes. Grand Prix points are earned from performances in each race, with the elite runners encouraged to enter as many races as their international programmes allow. Runners finishing in the top twenty places each receive points, with the winner earning 20 points and the 20th-placed runner one point.
As a further incentive, an age category runner can also earn points by finishing in the top five places in her category. This means that age category runners can compete on equal terms with athletes at the peak of their careers.
Fun Facts
Olympic marathon athlete, Rene Kalmer, has won more SPAR Women's Races than any other runner and has competed regularly since 1998.
Running veteran, Sonja Laxton, has run in 85 SPAR Women's Races (by end 2018) and is still going strong.
On average, 150 individual runners score Grand Prix points each year.