Harry Summers has won the 2017 Sun-Herald City2Surf for the second consecutive year, while Celia Sullohern was the first woman to cross the finish line.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
Summers, a 27-year-old distance runner from Randwick, won the 14 kilometre course in a cracking time of 42 minutes, 16 seconds.
Ceila Sullohern took the women's line honours in 47 minutes, 11 seconds.
Also claiming a back-to-back title was wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley who finished in 41 minutes, 11 seconds.
Still catching his breath at the finish line, Summers said he'd only had six weeks to prepare for the race after spending most of the year injured.
"It's amazing. It just shows what I can do," he said.
More than 80,000 people set out from Hyde Park on the 14 kilometre dash, jog or walk - or perhaps some combination of three - towards the Bondi Beach finish line.
Reliably punishing every year, Heartbreak Hill's 2 kilometre ascent into Vaucluse gave runners ample time to question the appropriateness of "fun" as the run's standard descriptor as their legs jellified beneath them.
"It's nice when you start to come down the hill and you can see the ocean. The crowd is just so supportive," Ceila Sullohern said after claiming the women's title.
Soon-to-be-married couple Vince Piccolo and his fiancee Natasha also survived the hill, accompanied by their bridal party in a dash they've dubbed "City2Altar".
The couple raised $3500 for the Sydney Children's Hospital, where Mr Piccolo's young cousin is receiving treatment for a brain tumour.
"We've seen how much the hospital has done for our family and we thought this is something that's close to home.
"In amongst that we've been going crazy trying to final these wedding plans. We're doing the race six days out from our wedding."
Now in its 47th year, the Sun-Herald City2Surf has become the world's largest fun run.
Conditions could not have been more perfect for the event. An exquisite winter's day unfurled across the morning, as the sun beamed through a cloudless sky.
The serious runners disappeared from view within seconds of the starter's gun, leaving in their wake a motley parade to make its way down William Street towards Kings Cross.
Well-represented amongst the throng were those decked out in full novelty costume - the race's annual contingent of the colourful, the creative, and the downright ridiculous.
There was, of course, plenty of drag but honourable mentions must go to the man racing in an orange bear onesies replete with a kilt, as well as the gentleman in the tuxedo with the purple top hat.
Dame Edna was represented with a lookalike resplendent in a lilac wig and a full-length sequin number.
In total, the event raised more than $4 million for charity.
Runners were still setting out from Hyde Park as the elite athletes stopped their watches in Bondi, but the course records remained elusive for another year.
Olympian and long-distance champion Steve Moneghetti has held the record since 1991, when he dashed through the course in 40:03 minutes.
Susie Power has held the women's record time of 45:08 minutes since 2001.
Roads in the eastern suburbs are closed to traffic until 4pm.
Weatherzone is owned by Fairfax Media, publisher of this website
