Global sporting stars have come together alongside Allwyn, a leading multi-national lottery operator, to shine a light on the role of sport in building a better world. Colin Jackson, former GB Olympian and world record holder; Marc Herremans, Belgian wheelchair Ironman triathlete; and Professor Nick Webborn CBE, Chair of the British Paralympic Association, have united alongside Allwyn to encourage people from around the world to take part in the 2024 Wings for Life World Run on 5 May, targeting a record one million participants in the world’s biggest simultaneous race.

Established in 2014, The Wings for Life World Run is a uniquely inclusive global event. All participants start at the same time, worldwide. There is no fixed finish line, instead the virtual Catcher Car begins its chase 30-minutes after the start and increases in speed, passing participants one by one until the last participant is caught. Once overtaken, you are a finisher. With hundreds of thousands running, rolling, or walking at the same time in the world’s largest simultaneous race.

100% of all entry fees and donations are given to scientific research and clinical studies worldwide to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. The Wings for Life World Run has raised €43m for Wings for Life, a non-profit foundation which provides funding for international scientific research on spinal cord injury.

The World Health Organisation estimates there are up to 500,000[1] new spinal cord injuries every year. Depending on the severity of the injury, that can lead to paralysis, sensory disturbance, and even breathing problems. These injuries typically occur as a result of an accident in daily life, which in an instant drastically changes a person’s life. The Wings for Life World Run unites people from around the world to help change the trajectory of these injuries by funding cutting-edge research projects.

Professor Nick Webborn CBE, in addition to acting as Chair of the British Paralympic Association is a researcher in Paralympic sports medicine and wheelchair tennis player, who himself suffered a spinal cord injury at a young age said: “As we approach the Paris 2024 Paralympics, it is a great time to demonstrate the importance of inclusivity in sports. Spinal cord injury can have a profound effect on an individual and those around them, and staying physically active is especially important for disabled people to maintain their health. The vision of the British Paralympic Association is ‘Through sport, a better world for disabled people’. The values of Allwyn and the Wings for Life World Run marry perfectly with this vision, and highlights what makes participating in this event so valuable. I am delighted to be able to support Wings for Life to help raise funds to find a cure for spinal cord injury through research.”

Allwyn’s three-year agreement as official global partner of the 2024 Wings for Life World Run sees it encouraging over 7,000 employees and others from Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Greece & Cyprus, UK, and the United States to participate and raise funds. Allwyn’s partnership with Wings for Life World Run is just one of the contributions made as part of its commitment to give back to good causes.

Colin Jackson and Marc Herremans, as Sports Director and Wheelchair Sports Director for the Wings for Life World Run, visited Allwyn colleagues at their offices in Watford and Prague to explain the cause and impact of the event, and to encourage people to take part.

Marc Herremans commented: “I have experienced first-hand how a spinal cord injury can transform your life. With the support of Allwyn colleagues and global participants in this year’s race, we move one step closer to improving the quality of life of people with spinal cord injuries around the world.”

Colin Jackson added: “The Wings for Life World Run is truly an event like no other. Seeing the enthusiasm of people to join in, knowing they take part alongside thousands of others, is always inspiring. Allwyn’s mission to change lives for the better is what the race is all about, and their support makes our mission possible.” 

Pavel Turek, Chief Global Brand, Corporate Communication and CSR Officer at Allwyn said: “Allwyn’s commitment to inclusivity and giving back to good causes makes our partnership with the Wings for Life World Run a perfect match. We are proud to be going into our second year as official global partner to this unique and inspiring event. With each person wheeling, running, or walking their own race together, however we take part, we all win.”

SOFTSWISS, a leading global software supplier with 15 years of experience, announces the appointment of racing legend Rubens Barrichello as its Non-Executive Director in Latin America. Barrichello’s victorious Formula 1 legacy, coupled with his influential persona, will be crucial in furthering SOFTSWISS’ mission to authentically connect with the local tech community and build a robust presence in the region.

As a top performer in an extremely competitive tech sphere, Rubens Barrichello brings leadership wisdom and best teamwork practices to the SOFTSWISS table. His deep-rooted experience in sports will provide SOFTSWISS with valuable insights to elevate its sports betting platform and other products to new heights, continuing the company’s contribution to reshaping the iGaming industry with innovations. Also, in his commitment to effecting positive change, Barrichello will advocate responsible gambling alongside SOFTSWISS experts.

The appointment of Rubens Barrichello is the next strategic step for SOFTSWISS in Latin America, especially in Brazil’s fast-growing market. According to TGM Research, the gross revenue of the iGaming industry in Brazil is estimated to be 2.3 billion euro by 2026, having the potential to represent 1% of Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 1.5 trillion euro. 

Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, comments: “SOFTSWISS welcomes Rubens Barrichello on board! Having him join our team is a strategic step for us. Barrichello’s collaborative prowess on the racing track in a highly competitive tech sphere, resulting in team victories, mirrors SOFTSWISS’ partnership approach. His involvement testifies to our commitment to Brazil and helps us adapt the best global practices to the local market.” 

Rubens Barrichello, Non-Executive Director in Latin America at SOFTSWISS, adds: “The iGaming field has shown remarkable growth both in Brazil and globally. Joining SOFTSWISS, I am delighted to become one of the drivers of this process in Latin America! I am sure my background with the leading racing team will propel the iGaming tech leader towards success in the region.”

About SOFTSWISS 

SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

G2 Gozen crowned inaugural Red Bull Instalock Champions with Grand Finals sweep

• G2 Gozen were crowned inaugural champions of Red Bull Instalock in 3-1 win against VCT Game Changers 2023 champions Shopify Rebellion
• The invitational tournament ran from 20-21 April at the UK’s premier esports and gaming venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London
• Red Bull Instalock brought together some of the best women’s VALORANT GC teams from around the world including G2 Gozen, GIANTX, Shopify Rebellion and Karmine Corp
• The tournament was hosted by Yinsu Collins, with insights from Kieran “Kairo” Tulloch, Billie “BillieIDK” Purdie, Matt “Twiggy” Twigg, and Harry “Hazza” Chapman and an appearance from Megan “Megsoundslikeegg” Garner
• AGON by AOC was the official Monitor Partner for Red Bull Instalock, providing cutting-edge AGON PRO AG254FG monitors, featuring a 360 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time, for the best in-game experience.

G2 Gozen have been crowned the inaugural Red Bull Instalock champions, claiming the victory across a weekend packed with exhilarating VALORANT matches and tactical plays. Streamed live from London’s premier esports and gaming venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere, Red Bull Instalock marked the UK’s first professional women’s VALORANT tournament of 2024.

Red Bull Instalock brought together four of the world’s best professional women’s VALORANT teams for a spectacle tournament, G2 Gozen, GIANTX, Karmine Crop, and 2023 VALORANT Champions Tour: Game Changers Championship winners Shopify Rebellion. Putting a unique twist on the traditional team composition, the competing teams were required to implement three of the game’s offensive class, duelists.

Red Bull Instalock quickly established itself as a high-stakes competition, with teams racing to dominate maps across a best-of-three format across the Upper Semi-Finals. The first game of the tournament saw powerhouse G2 Gozen battle it out against underdogs GIANTX, with GIANTX securing their position in the Upper Finals with a tiebreaker victory against G2 Gozen (2-1).

The second match featured North America’s Shopify Rebellion, who swiftly relegated the French force of Karmine Corp to the Lower Bracket (2-0). Facing off once again, G2 Gozen vanquished GIANTX in a Lower Bracket match underdog victory, securing themselves a position in the Grand Final to compete against Shopify Rebellion (2-0).

This Lower Bracket victory marked a turning point for G2 Gozen, who delivered a flawless masterclass in VALORANT against the North American titans Shopify Rebellion. The Grand Final was an intense showdown, pivoting to a best-of-five format in a battle for the crown. Shopify Rebellion started off strong, with a one-map lead, a reward following their success in the Semi-Finals, but G2 Gozen quickly closed in on that lead as they took the first and second maps. In a gripping third and final map, G2 Gozen swiftly closed out the tournament, claiming the win over the tournament frontrunners and Game Changers 2023 champions Shopify Rebellion (3-1).

The tournament also featured a show match featuring some of the UK’s most beloved VALORANT creators going head-to-head, including Talia Mar, Shan “ThePizzaWaffle” Hadden, Ella “Tenshi” Merry and Alexandra “LexieMariex” Butterfill. Hosted by British FNATIC content creator and partnered streamer Megan “Megsoundslikeegg” Garner, the nail biting creator show match saw Team Jupi take the win after a surprise comeback from Team Tenshi forced the match into overtime.

Kieran “Kairo” Tulloch, Billie “BillieIDK” Purdie, Matt “Twiggy” Twigg, and Harry “Hazza” Chapman were also part of the broadcast, providing live commentary and analysis.

Following the gripping grand finals, recently crowned Red Bull Instalock champion, G2 Gozen Pro and Red Bull Player Michaela “Mimi” Lintrup said: “We learned so much playing in this new format at Red Bull Instalock, how undisciplined people can be when playing something so chaotic. In the chaos, the thing that helped us to secure the win was to chill.”

Red Bull Instalock host Yinsu Collins also commented: “I loved my experience at the first ever Red Bull Instalock! The invited teams were incredibly competitive and tackled the format in a really unique way. Throughout the tournament, as the player’s normal game plan was out the window, we saw a lot of creativity, pros thinking on their feet, adaptation and some new approaches to how the game can be played.”

AGON by AOC, a global leader in gaming monitors, returned to join the Red Bull Gaming universe once again as the official Monitor Partner for Red Bull Instalock. Bringing the event to life and providing cutting-edge hardware for the esports tournament, AGON by AOC equipped the event with the AGON PRO AG254FG monitors, featuring a 360 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time for the best in-game experience.

Check out redbull.com/gaming for more information.

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