Training for the Wings for Life World Run is now fun and easy with the Catcher Car training feature available on Suunto 5 and Suunto 9 watches. Wings for Life World Run is a unique race that raises funds to find a cure for spinal cord injury. There is no finish line. Instead, you start with thousands of people worldwide at the same time, running as far as you can before the Catcher Car passes you.   The training feature enables users to train against a digital version of the iconic Catcher Car, so you’re ready to take on the real thing come race day. You’ll see how far back the Catcher Car is, and the estimated distance and time duration left before it catches you. Like Suunto ambassador Ryan Sandes,you can also use it on race day to know how far behind you the virtual Catcher Car is. “Being chased by the Catcher Car anywhere, anytime thanks to this new watch feature is going to add an exciting new dimension to training!” Ryan says.   How to use the Suunto training feature The virtual Catcher Car begins pursuit 30 minutes after you start, gradually speeding up as it tries to catch you. As you run, you can see how far back it is, and the estimated distance and time duration you will run before it catches you. To use the Wings for Life feature with your Suunto 5 or Suunto 9: Select your preferred activity type and, before pressing the start button, scroll down for ‘options’. Select ‘SuuntoPlus’ in the options. Select ‘Wings for Life World Run’ Scroll back up to the start view and start your exercise as normal. During your exercise, swipe left or press the middle button until you reach the Wings for Life World Run display. After you have ended the exercise, you can find the Wings for Life World Run result as part of the summary.   Images by Craig Kolesky   READ MORE 9 training tips for the Wings for Life World Run

The Wings for Life World Run is an annual fixture for many runners, including Suunto ambassador Ryan Sandes. “It’s an amazing event and it’s cool to be able to give back through the sport of running, which has given me so much,” he says. Ryan will be competing in the 2021 virtual edition of the race, to be held on May 9, and is calling for his fellow trail and ultra runners to join him. “It’s a special race with a really cool vibe,” he says. If you need more convincing, read on for Ryan’s five reasons to run it. Give back through running “It’s a good feeling being able to run for those who can’t,” Ryan says. “One hundred percent of the entry fees go towards spinal cord injury research and trying to find a cure.” Two-time motocross world champion Heinz Kinigadner and the Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz established the Wings for Life foundation in 2004. Ever since, it’s been funding research and studies on spinal cord injury. Your entry fee contributes to their goal of finding a cure.   The thrill of the chase Held every year since 2014, the Wings for Life World Run offers an extra layer of fun and excitement compared to ordinary races. Rather than running to a finish line, a Catcher Car begins chasing the participants 30 minutes after the race starts. As it passes each participant, their race is over. This means the race has no set distance. More experienced runners will run further, slower runners will run less. Last year’s winner, Michael Taylor of Great Britain, outpaced the Catcher Car for a distance of 69.92km, but the important thing is participation. Everyone sets their own goals, and everyone finishes the race. You can count on it With the pandemic still raging there is so much uncertainty about which races will happen in 2021. One race you can count on is the Wings for Life World Run. This year it will be a virtual race. Simply download the Wings for Life World Run App and decide how you want to run: on your own or with a virtual team. It doesn’t matter where you are living, you can start running with all the participants worldwide at the same time and you will be chased by the virtual Catcher Car. So add the date, May 9 to your calendar now and join Suunto Wings for Life World Run Team!   There’s tools to help you train In 2020, Suunto and the Wings for Life World Run partnered and created a new Catcher Car training feature for Suunto 5 and Suunto 9 watches. Designed to support runners training for the race, the feature enables them to train against a digital version of the Catcher Car, right on their wrist. They’ll see how far back the Catcher Car is, and the estimated distance and time duration left before it catches them.   Get that community vibe Aside from the good cause and the fun of the chase, the community vibe is what draws runners back year after year to the race. While 2021 is different, there are now more than 1,300 virtual teams and 70 Organized App Runs all over the world, and even those who run on their own are connected to the community through the App. Visit the Wings for Life World Run website to learn more and sign up!   All images by Craig Kolesky

Once a pure runner, who won ultra races across the US, an injury in 2011 transformed Anton Krupicka into a passionate multisport athlete who thrives on human powered adventure. “There is something special and empowering about doing everything yourself – not relying on a motor vehicle – and as a multi-sport athlete, I love combining sports into one big outing,” Anton says. “For instance, riding my bike to climb at the local crag, or riding my bike on a tour to link up a series of mountains on foot, or even riding my bike from my doorstep to climb and ski a local mountain. I like the logistical challenge and the need to refine my systems to be as functional and simple as possible.” Anton’s passion for mixed sport adventure hasn’t diminished his love of racing, however. “Pushing your hardest is such a unique life experience, and I find that I’m only able to do that in a race environment,” he says. “Competition, at its essence, is everyone working together towards a common goal to bring out the best in each other. It’s a beautiful, painful, connecting experience. When it goes well, there’s euphoria. When it doesn’t go well, there is an unparalleled opportunity for learning and growth. I think racing is so valuable, no matter where you finish in the results. As such, I hope to do it my whole life.” Anton, now 37, began racing early in life. Originally hailing from Nebraska, he became a runner at 11, and 18 months later ran his first marathon. The thrill of pushing his limits led from one challenge to another, and 10 years later he ran his first ultra marathon, the Leadville 100, and the experience changed his life. “It gave me a fundamental confidence I could do anything if I tried hard enough,” Anton says. In 2011, at the height of his ultra powers, Anton broke his leg while running, putting his career on hold. But it was a blessing in disguise because it gave him the time and inspiration to explore sports he hadn’t had the opportunity to try before – climbing, cycling and skiing. “I never had the confidence to pursue these other sports when I was younger,” Anton says. “Now, for the past 10 years, I would say I have been as enthusiastic a climber as I am a runner (though not as successful, of course!), and for the last six years I’ve also devoted a lot of time to cycling and skiing, depending on if it’s summer or winter. These have grown to become as important and indispensable to me as an athlete and a human as running has been for the past 26 years.” Now based in Boulder, Colorado, Anton is always cooking up new adventures. His favorite usually involves mixing cycling with mountaineering. He enjoys cycling from mountain to mountain and climbing them on foot. With his love of pushing hard, bikepacking races are also on the cards in the near future. “My ideal adventure probably has some element of speed included in it, I don’t think records are necessarily interesting in and of themselves. However, I do think trying your hardest puts a unique demand on you and shapes the experience in a positive way. Trying to go fast demands that you are focused and skilled and it puts me in a mindset I find very enjoyable and an enormous privilege. Trying my best – pushing towards my personal limits – is the best way for me to grow and learn new things. There has to be some chance of failure and challenge for growth to occur.” Whatever Anton does, trail running, bikepacking, mountaineering, skiing, he keeps meticulous training logs, and has been doing so since 1995. He’s been using Suunto watches since 2015, which he says are fundamental to his athletic life. He started with a Suunto Core, switched to an Ambit3 Peak, and now uses a Suunto 9 Baro. “I use my Suunto 9 to take splits on regular training routes, check the altitude and elevation gain, track distance, and with the advanced GPS technology available now I even use it for navigation in unknown terrain. I always have my Suunto with me!” All images by Joey Schusler

After a very complicated and challenging year, 2021 was perhaps one of Suunto’s most special editions of World Vertical Week. The results show how much athletes from every corner of the globe want to push themselves in the outdoors – the number of participants more than tripled to over 48,000 athletes joining the challenge in search of vertical glory this year.   The reigning champ Austria has done it again: it’s the country with the highest average climb per activity, 421 m. The country of music and mountains has again retained the position that it’s accustomed to, number one, which it has held in four of the last five years. It only lost its crown in 2019, falling to fifth place. Austria is followed by Slovenia (2nd, 401 m), Italy (3rd, 378 m), Switzerland (4th, 348 m), and France (5th, 292 m). These nations have regularly featured in the World Vertical Week top 10. Special mention goes to Hong Kong athletes, with their 254 m average, taking eighth place. Austria 421 m Slovenia 401 m Italy 378 m Switzerland 348 m France 292 m Slovakia 280 m Spain 275 m Hong Kong 254 m Norway 239 m Canada 233 m   Spain, France and Italy always consistent Add, add, add. Based on many diverse efforts, Spanish athletes made Spain the nation with the most climbed meters overall. Spain has snatched back the title, which landed in French hands last year. Italy comes in as third again. Suunto has been providing total data by country for three years, and these three countries have had a place on the podium each time. Spain France Italy Austria Germany   Don't say vertical climb, say skimo Once again, ski touring looms large as the sport with the most vertical meters clocked: up to 960 m on average per activity. And its companions also repeated on the podium: mountaineering (628 m) and trail running (434 m). The average accumulated climb in each sport increases year after year, but these three disciplines remain top dogs. Ski touring 960 m Mountaineering 628 m Mountain biking 378 m Trekking and hiking 241 m Cycling 198 m Nordic skiing 173 m Running 92 m   10,000 m... in one week! Each year, Suunto World Vertical Week generates unique stories of athletes who go above and beyond, surprising and inspiring the entire community. This time, the efforts of nine athletes stands out. Faced with an invitation to tally vertical meters, they managed to accumulate more than 10,000 meters in one week. That’s brutal! In addition, 89 were able to tally 10,000 feet – or 3,500 meters – during a single activity! 1,000 meters of total ascent during an activity was broken 4,240 times during the week. Respect!   Top nations by sport Italy is multiskilled The transalpine country is ranked in third place for collecting the most average and overall vertical climb meters, and in addition it leads the mountain biking ranking and is among the top three countries in three more categories: ski touring, mountaineering and cycling. Italy is present in six of the seven classifications by discipline. Bravo! Ski touring (avg. ascent by country) Over 1,000 meters on average? Why not? The first four countries in the ranking, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Austria, are all above the 1000 meter mark this year. The ranking offers surprises and changes compared to 2020, perhaps due to the constraints and limitations arising from the pandemic. Germany deserves special mention; last year it didn't make the top 5 and in 2021 it is on top! Spain, on the other hand, was first in 2020, but has disappeared from the 2021 top 10. Germany 1076 m Italy 1050 m Switzerland 1043.3 m Austria 1042.9 m United States 957 m France 940 m Slovakia 927 m Slovenia 926 m Poland 876 m Japan 844 m   Trail running (avg. ascent by country) For years, Japan and Hong Kong have reflected the passion trail running inspires in Asia: they captured the top positions here once again, accompanied this time by Slovenia. Japan 839 m Hong Kong 628 m Slovenia 626 m Italy 594 m Norway 502 m Hungary 486 m Portugal 485 m Spain 476 m Switzerland 472 m Greece 464 m    Mountaineering / avg. ascent by country Switzerland returns to the top five and comes out on top, showing that it is passionate about seeing the world from way up high. It is accompanied by Italy, France, Germany and Austria... forming a classification dominated by Central Europe, the territory of the Alps and high mountains. Switzerland 1019 m Italy 993 m France 856 m Germany 755 m Austria 688 m   Mountain biking (avg. ascent by country) Italy is synonymous with variety, but according to data from the Suunto World Vertical Week it tallied the most vertical meters of all on two wheels. There are few changes from 2020, with the main one being that Slovenia has entered the top 5. Italy 547 m Spain 475 m Austria 473 m Slovenia 471 m Switzerland 440 m   Trekking and hiking (avg. ascent by country) Thai athletes racked up the most vertical meters in trail running last year. This time, it would seem they have chosen to continue, only at a different pace. Thailand 567 m Japan 503 m Slovenia 411 m Italy 399 m Slovakia 396 m   Cycling (avg. ascent by country) It seems like climbing mountain passes by road bike in Portugal is close to becoming a tradition. The country won top position once again, and Colombia returns to the ranking after last year’s absence. Portugal 432 m Colombia 383 m Italy 382 m Spain 340 m Greece 271 m   Running (avg. ascent by country) Traditionally this is one of the closest categories, with just a few meters of difference separating countries. This time Slovenia, which regained the top position that it had back in 2018, has pulled away a little. Slovenia 196 m Norway 164 m Switzerland 150 m Hungary 143 m France 129 m   Thank you to everyone for participating in Suunto World Vertical Week 2021. We’ll be back with another edition of Vertical Week!    READ ALSO Three inspiring World Vertical Week moments

Going crazy Every year we receive feedback that vertical challenges are hard in flat countries. We can fully relate to that as here in Southern Finland the hills are also small. But every year there are also impressive and inspiring performances that show how creativity and determination can take you a long way also when you want to gain vertical meters. One of these people was Adrien from Grenoble, France. He decided to climb up and down a staircase to reach 1000 vertical meters. After running 79 times up and down the staircase – that’s 316 floors all together – he reached his goal. “Next time I’ll do something smarter – and outdoors that time,” Adrien commented in his post. Keeping it consistent Paulina from Finland proved that consistency is the key to success: she headed out every day during the Vertical Week and was very committed. The result was seven back-to-back 1000 m days, a great training block and certainly some unforgettable memories. ”A friend of mine has challenged me to join monthly “Thousand Meter Tuesdays” and Vertical Week was perfect for that!”, says Paulina who ran up and down Puijo in Kuopio, Finland, while her fiancée joined the challenge on skis. “I knew I would be able collect the needed vertical meters even though there certainly were some challenging moments, too.” Soaking up the views The Vertical Week is not only about the hard, physical efforts and hill repeats. When you reach the summit, ridge or a col there’s often the reward of wide-open views. That’s what inspired us with Ben’s Vertical Week shot from the Nelson Lakes National Park in New Zealand. “This was one of those days where all you need to do is soak up the views and appreciate what's in front of you,” Ben says. We couldn’t agree more!   Thank you to all of you for sharing your World Vertical Week experience on Instagram and inspiring us all. Congratulations Adrien, Paulina and Ben. You are the winners of the World Vertical Week contest in 2021. All three of you will receive Suunto 9 Baro watches to join you on your future adventures!   READ ALSO More desire than ever to tally up vertical meters: World Vertical Week 2021 big data is here 

We are talking about you, and your stories. We feel as though we have gotten to know our community better than we ever have before. We read about how you are managing through the past year with a world turned upside down and trying to maintain your health (and sanity). You told us about your achievements and your future dreams of adventure. We are inspired by what you have accomplished and the resolve in your path ahead whether to better health, faster races or new heights of exploration. You took time to share with us your past experiences, and the joy found in peaceful treks through the wilderness and stressful, challenging summit pushes. Some of you shared very personal moments, experiences that have shaped your lives, both heart wrenching and hopeful. We are honoured to have been there with you for some of those memorable moments, even at times providing critical information to get you home safely, or to help keep you motivated and pushing towards a personal goal, or a personal mission. These stories are why we exist, and reading them reaffirms our mission and commitment to enabling them. Thank you for sharing them with us, we are grateful and inspired. – Your fellow adventurers at Suunto Next Steps in the application process and program: We wanted to share that we are reading them (all) and due to the sheer amount we are going to take the following steps to ensure we a). Can kick-off the program in good time and get a first group of selected ambassadors going, b). Ensure we communicate in the most timely manner possible. So this is how we will roll from here: We have begun to communicate to our first selected brand ambassadors and as well as those applications we’ve read through that are not a match at this time. If you have not been communicated with, your application is still being reviewed. We are closing the application page for now effective March 11 to ensure we can handle all the applications with care. We will inform all applicants until this point by April of their status. A couple of notes to help you application in the future. Please create a ‘creator’ or ‘business’ account on Instagram (if you are on the platform), it helps us get to know you better, faster. We will inform you about the next application round on suunto.com, our newsletters and our social channels. Stay tuned! Tell us about you and your adventures with your Suunto! Your stories are a key reason we have made the selections we have, so keep them coming!