The 10th anniversary BTR Liverpool Santa Dash took place yesterday from Liverpool’s iconic Pier Head, under the gaze of the Liver Birds and many eager fans and well-wishers there to support the runners.

In recent years, Liverpool and Las Vegas have enjoyed friendly ‘Santa banter’ as to who can attract the most participants to take the unofficial title. Liverpool have pushed hard to take the title this year for the 10th anniversary of the event, and organisers have confirmed that there were over 9,000 Santas in attendance, all clad in red and blue Santa suits as they set off on a 5K dash around Liverpool’s iconic city centre.

BTR staged the very first Liverpool Santa Dash in 2004 attracting 2,000 entries and has grown in size year on year. In 2007, the event was expanded to also include a 1K Mini Dash for youngsters, followed by the introduction of blue Santa suits in 2010.

This year, the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash attracted thousands of runners who travelled to the city from all over the UK; including the South of England, the North East, Yorkshire and North Wales. In fact, the run has become an international phenomenon as local runners were joined by a number of overseas participants travelling from the United States, Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Slovakia, South Africa, and Switzerland.

The event’s most senior participant was 91-year-old Eddy Mountford from the Wirral, who recently won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Merseyside Running Community Awards. Other special guests for this year included a Guinness World Record holder runner as the fastest Marathon runner dressed as Santa.

The race started at the Pier Head and wound its way through the city centre, taking in James Street, North John Street, Victoria Street, Dale Street, Dale Street flyover, Pall Mall, Leeds Street, Old Hall Street, Tithebarn Street, returning to Dale Street where the Dash finished outside Liverpool Town Hall.

BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell commented:

“The Liverpool Santa Dash continues to increase in popularity and has firmly become the city’s largest Christmas spectacle, as well as the UK’s biggest festive fun run. Once people put on their Santa suit, they cannot help but smile. The sea of red and blue Santas across the city is a fantastic sight, it’s a real highlight of our year at BTR Liverpool.

“The BTR Liverpool Santa Dash attracts not only thousands of participants from across the country and, indeed from overseas, but a large number of spectators travel into the city on the day who are keen to be part of the event. The participants and spectators together generate a huge economic impact for Liverpool City Region. The date for the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 2015 will be 6 December and entries will open next week.”

The BTR Liverpool is the UK’s biggest festive fun run, and earlier this year it was recognised nationally when it was named as Best Fun Run runner-up in The Running Awards 2014, in a category of 12 finalists.

Organisers BTR Liverpool have this week also announced the date of the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 2015, which will take place on Sunday, 6 December and entries are already open.