The CERN Relay Race celebrated its 50th edition on Thursday  9th June 2022 and saw a record number of participants from across the Lab (156 teams, over 1000 runners/walkers). For the first time ever, it included CERN Alumni participants running in locations across the globe in their own virtual Relay Race. 

This now legendary race first took place in 1971, with 5 runners per team running distances of 1500, 1000, 800, 500, and 300 metres respectively, for a total distance of 4100 metres. The first edition of the CERN Relay Race was won by the Focus Users Group in 12:42 (Stig Lindbäck, Mick Ferran, David Townsend, Mike Gerard, William Hart).  

Following the relay race’s success, subsequent races were organised the following years. In 1973 A film was made of the race and was shown in the Main Auditorium, followed by a debate on whether the current race format was the best one, and if the race should be held twice per year instead of once. In the 1974 edition, a ladies’ race was planned where they would have run three legs of 300 m, but no teams entered. It was also specifically mentioned in the rules that any lady running in a team in the main race would cause that team to be disqualified! For the first time in 1975, four ladies’ teams took part. Their teams were composed of 2 runners, and distances of 500m and 300m, which followed the last 800 m of the men’s race, starting at the moment when the leading team men’s completed its first 500 m leg.

In 1976, there was a 1-hour difference between France and Switzerland due them having different rules about Summertime. CERN adopted a compromise solution by shifting its official hours by 30 minutes! Thus, having the race during lunchtime would have been impossible. John Adams, Director General of Laboratory II, gave permission for a 16h start on Friday 11th June and agreed to fire the starting gun. The race was followed by a Soirée Dansante at 17h in the Coop restaurant.

Fast forward 36 years, following the cancellation of the CERN Relay Race for two years due to the pandemic, it returned in full force, Thursday 9th June 2022. 156 teams took part, and the winning team was “Doublé”. Amongst the many categories participating in the race, a familiar winner, David Townsend, who was a member of the first relay race winning team, took part in the CERN Alumni virtual relay race category. 

Thanks to an online tracking app and much enthusiasm from the Running Club organisers and alumni, seven teams composed of CERN Alumni from across the globe were able to run the CERN relay race distances in their various locations. The winning team, the Chasers had participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Canada and Norway. David Townsend who was on the first relay race’s winning team ran his leg in Valencia and commented when signing up, “I will be on a hiking tour in Cornwall in the UK, but I will find time to make my contribution, although not at my 1971 pace!!”

Following on from the momentous 50th anniversary celebrations, the Relay Race is back, and the 2023 51st edition is set for Wednesday 31st May. The course remains unchanged and those who have competed before will already be strategizing as to how to plan their teams to play to their strengths. One such team that knows the race well is the legendary Charly’s Tonight. When asked about their chances for this year’s event, team captain John Osborne was quietly optimistic “The team has been going for over two decades now, has bags of experience and training this year is going well. The team’s strategy is being finalized (mostly over beers in Charly’s Pub in St Genis) and after coming 4th and missing the podium last year, hopes are high for an improvement this year”.  

No doubt that the spectators will be out in force cheering all the teams on and the sun will shine, making the 51st edition the best one yet. Registration opens 25th April. 

Authors: David Dallman (former CERN Running Club President), Rachel Bray, Sébastien Ponce and Roddy Cunningham