| |
The Most Famous Race in Brazil: The Corrida de Sao Silvestre Sao Paulo
The Corrida de Sao Silvestre Sao Paulo is an annual event held on December 31st, in honor of the day of St. Silvestre, a former Catholic pope. The event was founded in 1925 by a millionaire who originally thought a race would be a great way to gain publicity for his newspaper – little did he realized that the race would continue for nearly a century after that first event! Unlike other sports events which have been interrupted by war or political strife, the race has never missed a year since its inception over 80 years ago.
Although originally restricted only to men, the Corrida de Sao Silvestre Sao Paulo finally opened to women in 1975, although a woman wouldn’t obtain victory until 1995. The race was also opened to people from outside of Brazil in 1947, making this an international event. The format also changed throughout the years as participation increased – at the first race in 1925, 48 people participated, while only 37 were counted in the final total of participants. The rules were that all runners must cross the finish line within 3 minutes of the winner in order to qualify under the official total.
Clearly, the race gained an immense boost in popularity and participation over the decades, because in 2004, approximately 13,000 men and 2,000 women were official participants in the Corrida de Sao Silvestre Sao Paulo! After all, if you win this race in Brazil, you instantly become an international celebrity – it’s quite the prestigious event in Latin America!
Up until 1988, the race was held at nighttime and usually began at 11:30pm – the idea was that the racers could cross the finish line at midnight of the new year. However in 1989, the Federation of Athletics called for new regulations to be introduced, and the race was started at 3pm for women and then 5pm for men. The distance of the course was also standardized at 15 kilometers, and the route marked out to ensure that the distance remained fair and correct.
The Corrida de Sao Silvestre Sao Paulo has remained a popular event in Brazil for over 80 years, primarily because of its historical value but also because of the intense competition that the race brings. The time of year in which the race is held is summer for Latin America, which means that runners are racing in an intense heat and along a course that takes advantage of Sao Paulo’s varying geography. As a result, it is a very difficult race to train for – but it also makes for an excellent challenge, and an even more satisfying finish at the end.
From corrida de sao silvestre sao paulo back to sao paulo attractions
|
|
