Perth couldn’t have asked for better weather for this year’s Chevron City to Surf.
Not a cloud in the sky, 25 degrees and tens-of-thousands of colourful runners flooded the Perth streets on the picture-perfect Sunday morning raising money for genU.
Established in 1975, the Chevron City to Surf is WA’s longest-running community fun run and raises money to support thousands of Australians living with a disability.
The annual fun run delivered a stunning pre-spring preview, with almost 35,000 people taking over the streets before celebrating at the City Beach oval Finish Line festival — presented by the Town of Cambridge.
With most runners jetting off from the Perth CBD at around 8.30am, some of the 4km course runners — who started in Floreat — descended on City beach as early as 9am.
The event brought the crowds together with free carnival rides, live entertainment, refreshments and plenty of food for the entire family.
Kids were running around the oval, bubbles were floating through the crowds and participants lined up for photos with some Channel 7 stars, while runners and walkers were welcomed across the line by a sea of blue.
As usual, the costumes were a stand out with a sea of bananas, minions, retro and Powerpuff girls being some of the stand outs.
First time City to Surf runners, Robbie McAfee, 22, and Tyrone Pepperell, 30, went for a old-school look after a trip to Spotlight ahead of the event.
“Honestly, we walked into Spotlight, and decided to turn ourselves back in time 50 years,” Robbie said.
Running with a group of about 50 others from the Social Run Club Perth, the duo said they completed the 12km in just over an hour although the costumes provided a bit more of a challenge.
“It was pretty hard in the costumes,” Robbie said.
Robbie said the group had booked out Froth Craft Brewery in North Beach for the after run celebrations but the costumes probably wont make it to the party.
“We were thinking about wearing them to our after party, but we’re just going to stink,” he said.
Chiara Cuticone, 31, and two colleagues bought some awesome Powerpuff Girls energy to the 4km course.
The trio came up with their colourful costumes, which they said they picked up from a dollar store, just two nights before the event.
“Very last minute, literally two nights ago, we were just like, ‘Let’s wear skirts’,” Chiara said.
With three people in the group, they soon landed on the Powerpuff Girls theme.
“There’s three of us. What else has three with good colours, more like Powerpuff colours?
“Some cheap stuff on a budget. It was good.”
Having previously taken part in the HBF Run, Cuticone said the City to Surf had a particularly impressive atmosphere.
“Especially running over the last hill and seeing the ocean on the distance,” she said.
They said they love the atmosphere with the live music, the fairy girls being a stand-out.
The trio said they are considering taking on the 12km course next year.
“We were talking about it for sure. Start training,” Chiara said.
For 33-year-old Esther Maxwell, the event was about helping her housemate tick off a childhood dream.
Esther and her 29-year-old housemate Kaz completed the 4km course dressed as two stars, which Esther said has been on Kaz’s ‘30-before-30’ list.
“When she was nine, she had this dream to do a fun run dressed as a star,” Esther said.
“She’s like, ‘Oh, I want to do it, but I don’t know.’ I’ll do it with you.
“It was nice and relaxed, and everyone was lovely along the way.”
By Sunday afternoon, the event had raised just over $202,000 towards its $500,000 goal, with donations still able to be made online.
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