New Paper Big Walk

The New Paper Big Walk is a mass-participation walking event held annually in Singapore and holds the official Guinness World Record as the world's largest walk when a record-breaking 77,500 participants joined in to mark the 10th anniversary of The New Paper Big Walk 2000 which was held on May 21, 2000 at the Singapore National Stadium.

The event was founded by The New Paper; the inaugural walk, on June 16, 1991, had 7,000 participants. Over the last years, the event has grown, attracting thousands of participants every year from all walks of life and all sorts of age groups.

The 10 kilometre walk will take participants an estimated 3 hours to complete and usually flags off from its traditional starting point of the Singapore National Stadium at 6 o'clock in the morning. Although there are limited amount of registration slots, others can still be able to participant in the event as unregistered participants who would not be able to collect their goodie bags and t-shirts.

History

Founded and organized annually by The New Paper, the Big Walk has traditionally been held annually at the Singapore National Stadium, Kallang and attracts tens of thousands of participants annually for the walk.

The very first Big Walk took place on June 16, 1991 and it expected only 4,500 walkers to turn up. However, expectations were exceeded when more than 7,000 walkers showed up on the day of the walk. Since then, the event has become more and more popular, and today, boast a participation rate of tens of thousands of people annually.

On its 10th anniversary, The New Paper Big Walk 2000 broke into the official Guinness World record as The World’s Largest Walk, when a record breaking 77,500 participants joined in. Having the Guinness certificate means that this popular Singapore mass event is ranked among the biggest world class events such as the Boston Marathon.

The event took a one year hiatus for the year of 2007 amid news that its venue of choice — the National Stadium at Kallang — was going to be torn down to make way for a world-class integrated sports hub.

Today, The New Paper Big Walk has relocated to the heart of the Central Business District where tens of thousands of participants will walk the streets from the new “hottest” spot (heart of the Formula One race track) to the new “coolest” spot — the recently completed Marina Barrage.

Locations

The Singapore National Stadium

Regarded as the venue of choice by The New Paper for its crowd-friendly features, character and sense of place, the Singapore National Stadium has long been an integral part to the success of the event.

The 10 kilometres walk took participants an estimated time of 3 hours to complete. Though there was limited number of registration slots, unregistered participants were also given the opportunity to complete the walk, on a condition that they would not be entitled to goodie bags and t-shirts.

However, the impending news that the Singapore government had plans to tear down the National Stadium to make way for a new state-of-the-art integrated sports hub, led to the organizers decision to take a one year hiatus as they went in search of an alternative venue for the event.

The 2008 edition of the event was relocated to Marina Bay area and was aptly renamed "The Big Walk on Water."

The Marina Barrage

As part of The New Paper's 20th anniversary celebrations, The New Paper Big Walk will relocate to Singapore's "coolest" and "hottest" spots.

Flagging off at Suntec City's Fountain of Wealth, the revised 5 kilometres walk will take participants across the Marina Channel and other breathtaking views such as, The Esplanade, the Singapore Flyer and part of the race track of the Formula One Singtel Singapore Grand Prix which was held on 28 September 2008, before ending at the newly completed Marina Barrage that is set to become the new jewel of Singapore, with Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands due to be completed by 2009.

The Big Walk On Water

The “Big Walk on Water” is the new event name for The New Paper Big Walk as it makes its transition from the crowd-friendly National Stadium to the waters of Marina Bay.

The event, which returns after a one year hiatus, will also mark the 20th anniversary of its organizers — The New Paper — and allow readers and participants a chance to “walk on water” by crossing the dam across the Marina Channel.

The 5 kilometre journey — a revision from the previous 10 kilometre route — will allow participants to immerse themselves in the beautiful scenery of Marina Bay as they stroll from The Fountain of Wealth at Suntec City Mall, through the tracks of the recently concluded inaugural Singapore F1 Grand Prix to the newly completed Marina Barrage.

National racewalker Edmund Sim was the first to the line.

Participation

To mark the 20th Anniversary of The New Paper, only 20,000 places were opened to the public with registration slots all swept up by enthusiastic walkers of all ages within the short 5-days registration period.

The New Paper Big Walk has been attracting more and more locals which explain the leap in numbers, an increase by approximately 11 times since its inaugural walk back in 1991.

Today, the event attracts a healthy participation rates that include both registered and non-registered participants that add to the spectacle of the event.

Programmes and contests

Other than just the 5 km walk, there was a series of fun-filled programmes and contests organized.

A post walk carnival at Suntec City Mall was held, where three contests like Spot Me, Green Fancy Dress and Stabilo Colouring awarded Fairprice shopping vouchers.

Significance

The Big Walk On Water 2008 was organized by The New Paper to mark three significant events that happened in the year of 2008.

Firstly, the event was held as part of the celebrations for the success of the inaugural Formula One Singtel Singapore Grand Prix race — F1's first ever night race — that was held on 28 September 2008 by moving participants onto part of the race track where the drivers drove on race day.

Secondly, the event was also to mark the opening of the new Marina Barrage that officially opened on 1 November 2008. Participants of the Big Walk On Water will most likely be the first few people to be allowed to visit the magnificent new Barrage and reservoir at Marina Bay.

Last, but not least, The Big Walk On Water was organized to mark the 20th anniversary of The New Paper. The change of name and its new location highlights and signifies the New Paper's evolution to become one of Singapore best selling newspapers today.

The New Paper Big Walk@Marina Bay 2010

After skipping a year, the New Paper Big Walk is back again this year. It will be held on 18 July 2010 in conjunction with the significant openings of many new developments in Singapore. The 5 km route will allow the walkers to take in sights such as the Marina Bay skyline, the Singapore Flyer and the Helix Bridge at a leisurely pace. This year, some 20,000 participants are expected to put their best foot forward for The New Paper Big Walk@Marina Bay 2010. The Big Walk is co-organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), with sponsors NTUC FairPrice, Singapore Flyer, POSBank, Anlene, Nikon Singapore and Asus Singapore. More details can be found at the website: http://www.newpaperbigwalk.sg/

References

1. Retrieved from History : The New Paper Big Walk on Water 2008 Official Website on 10 November 2008 from [1]
2. Retrieved from Info for Big Walkers: The New Paper Big Walk on Water 2008 Official Website on 10 November 2008 from [2]
3. Retrieved on 10 November 2008 from [3]
4. Retrieved from Big Walk Returns on Water on 10 November 2008 from [4]
5. Singapore Press Holdings
6. Singapore Press Holdings
7. EveryTrail