Following hot on the heels of the Olympic Games, CQU-SIC staff member Deanne De Mott (pictured) and her husband Paul are travelling to Prague, in the Czech Republic, in September to take part in the World Airline Road Race (WARR).

The World Airline Road Race is an annual run/vacation event that enables participants, friends and family to take part in an event while travelling to various worldwide destinations.

WARR was started by two airline employees from QANTAS and from Delta Airlines, who loved to run.

The first WARR started in San Francisco with about 500 runners, many of whom were billeted with American runners’ families and friends.

It now attracts about 4000 participants and guests, most of who are from the airline industry.

In recent times, it has attracted a growing number of non-airline participants who are interested in vacationing in popular tourist destinations.

WARR’s aim is to provide a worldwide athletic event, promote travel within the airline industry and foster friendships worldwide.

Deanne and Paul, who works for QANTAS, have attended 16 out of the 22 WARRs that have been held around the world.

They participate in a 5km or 10km run. Deanne participated in the first WARR held in San Francisco in 1982 and then in 1983 in Orlando, Florida where she was presented with a plaque for the fastest female runner in her age group, running 5km in 19 minutes.

Deanne has also attended runs in Honolulu, London, Atlanta, Sydney, Cancun, Dublin, Durban, Kuala Lumpur, Brussels and Vancouver.

Plans have already been made for WARR to be held in Calgary in 2005 and Amsterdam in 2006.

Each year an airline hosts the event and this year it is being hosted by Czech Airlines. Some of the world’s biggest airlines are bidding to hold the event in their home country.

Deanne is looking forward to taking part in the 5km run, then “socialising and exploring Prague and having fun with all my team mates and international friends".