Today’s dispatch · Pre-race0 of 7 continents
Until the start
Bags packed. First stop, Cape Town.
Chapter I starts in Cape Town, then on to Antarctica. Five more continents follow, one a day.
Going by the published schedule, not GPS.
The Great World Race · 202615 — 21 Nov 2026
A travel journal, in seven chapters
Max Fink & Michael Sayih
The first duo team ever to compete in the Great World Race.
- marathons
- 7marathons
- continents
- 7continents
- days
- 7days
The Great World Race is seven full marathons, one on every continent, run in seven days. That’s 183.5 miles, with flights in between.
- Local time
- Chapter I starts
- Weather there now
- Checking the weather…
The time and weather at every stop
Dark faces mean it’s night there. Weather: model data from Open-Meteo.
No. 02Live broadcast
The screening room
The official race broadcast streams on Twitch. Watch it here, or open it in the Twitch app for the best experience on your phone.
The broadcast
Tap to load the official Twitch player. It shows whether the stream is live.
No. 03The duo
Two friends, one chair.
Max Fink and Michael Sayih race marathons as a team, with Max pushing Michael in a racing chair. In March 2025 they finished Tokyo, their sixth World Marathon Major, and set a Guinness World Record as the youngest duo to complete all six.
This November they’re taking on seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, as the first duo team in the Great World Race, with two more world records on the line.
Guinness World Records
The youngest to complete the six World Marathon Majors pushing a wheelchair (duo).
Verified in Tokyo, Japan, on 2 March 2025.
Two more on the line
World record attempts
- IAttempt
First duo team to complete a marathon in Antarctica
Chapter II · Wolf’s Fang, 16 November
- IIAttempt
First duo team to complete seven marathons on seven continents in seven days
15–21 November · sealed at the Miami Beach finish
No. 04News
Dispatches from the road
Updates from Max & Michael, plus official news from the Great World Race. Every post shows its source and when it was posted.
- From the teamStage 1 · Cape Town
On the ground in Cape Town.
Sunset on the Sea Point promenade, where Chapter I starts on Sunday, and breakfast with the Great World Race crowd.
- From the team
Wheels up. Next stop, Cape Town.
From the gate to the plane to the arrivals hall. Both racing chairs made the trip.
Previously, on the road
Swipe →
In the press
6 stories
CBS News · Feb 2025Start here
This man with cerebral palsy and his racing partner aim to complete their 6th Abbott World Marathon Major
The full story: how Max and Michael met, what Max races for since losing his mom, Michael’s dad Jim, and the friendship behind it all.
- Pembroke Pines News · Jul 2026Seven days. Seven continents. One historic goalOn the Great World Race attempt, and the physical and logistical challenges of it.Read
- WSVN 7News · Jan 2026Powered by a father’s loveJim, Michael, Special Compass and inclusive racing at the Life Time Miami Half Marathon.Watch
- Guinness World Records · Mar 2025Youngest to complete the six World Marathon Majors pushing a wheelchair (duo)The official record, set at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.View record
- Abbott World Marathon Majors · Mar 2025Duos make history in TokyoTokyo became the first race to award Six Star medals to duo teams.Read
- CBS · The Uplift · Feb 2025Duo set to complete 6 major marathonsA five-minute national TV feature on their friendship and the road to all six World Marathon Majors.Watch
No. 05The team behind the chair
Racing with Special Compass
Special Compass is a non-profit in Pembroke Pines, Florida. It helps children and families with disabilities navigate life through education, sports and housing, with a focus on independence and inclusion.
Through its Power Buddies, Special Compass gives riders the chance to take part fully in races and community events. Max and Michael race in a Special Compass chair, and the team is always looking for volunteers to help with activities, get ready for races and run alongside the buddies.
No. 06The route
One lap of the planet
Seven venues on seven continents. Tap a stop to see its details. The shading shows where it’s night right now. Routes show the planned order of stops, not live GPS.
Completed Next leg Upcoming
7
Marathons on 7 continents
183.5mi
(295.4 km)
Total race distance
~22.6kmi
(36.3k km)
Point-to-point route*
~7,332mi
(11,799 km)
Longest leg: Singapore → Altura*
*Great-circle distance between venue coordinates. Actual flight routes (and fuel stops) are longer.
No. 07The chapters
Seven continents, one a day.
Every start shown in your time or the local time at the venue. A stamp goes in the passport as each chapter is completed.
Cape Town, AfricaNo. 1 Chapter I · AfricaUp nextICape Town
Sea Point, South Africa
The race opens at the tip of Africa, with loops of the Sea Point promenade along the Atlantic.
- Starts · your time
- There right now
- —
- Weather now
- Checking the weather…
The course
Flat, scenic loops along the Atlantic coastline.
- Distance
- Marathon · 26.2 mi (42.2 km)
- Loops
- 6 × 4.37 mi (7.0325 km)
- Aid stations
- Every 2.2 mi (3.5 km)
- Start / finish
- Sea Point promenade. Start/finish opposite the Winchester Hotel.
Usually: spring sun, coastal windWolf’s Fang, AntarcticaNo. 2 Chapter II · AntarcticaStill to comeIIWolf’s Fang
Queen Maud Land, Antarctica
A blue-ice runway in the deep interior of East Antarctica, reached by plane from Cape Town.
- Starts · your time
- There right now
- —
- Weather now
- Checking the weather…
✦World record attemptFirst duo team to complete a marathon in Antarctica
The course
Course map not published yet. The course will be explained at the race briefing.
- Distance
- Marathon · 26.2 mi (42.2 km)
- Loops
- 8 × 3.28 mi (5.275 km)
- Aid stations
- Every 1.6 mi (2.6 km)
- Start / finish
- Wolf’s Fang, Queen Maud Land
Race briefing: November 13.
Flight from Cape Town at 8:00 AM Monday, about 5 hr 30 min, weather permitting. Usually: polar cold, wind and glarePerth, AustraliaNo. 3 Chapter III · AustraliaStill to comeIIIPerth
Burswood, Western Australia
Waterfront loops in Burswood, behind Crown Casino and Optus Stadium.
- Starts · your time
- There right now
- —
- Weather now
- Checking the weather…
The course
Along the waterfront behind Crown Casino and Optus Stadium.
- Distance
- Marathon · 26.2 mi (42.2 km)
- Loops
- 8 × 3.28 mi (5.275 km)
- Aid stations
- Every ~1.6 mi (2.6 km)
- Start / finish
- Western Australian Marathon Clubhouse, Burswood.
Flight: about 10 hr 30 min from Cape Town, across the Indian Ocean. Usually: late-spring warmthSingapore, AsiaNo. 4 Chapter IV · AsiaStill to comeIVSingapore
East Coast Park, Singapore
Waterfront loops from the National Sailing Centre in East Coast Park.
- Starts · your time
- There right now
- —
- Weather now
- Checking the weather…
The course
Loops along the East Coast Park waterfront.
- Distance
- Marathon · 26.2 mi (42.2 km)
- Loops
- 9 × 2.91 mi (4.689 km)
- Aid stations
- Every ~1.5 mi (2.35 km)
- Start / finish
- National Sailing Centre, East Coast Park.
Flight: about 5 hr 25 min from Perth. Usually: tropical heat and humidityAltura, EuropeNo. 5 Chapter V · EuropeStill to comeVAltura
Algarve, Portugal
A flat, fast course in the seaside town of Altura on Portugal’s south coast.
- Starts · your time
- There right now
- —
- Weather now
- Checking the weather…
The course
Flat and fast, through the seaside town.
- Distance
- Marathon · 26.2 mi (42.2 km)
- Loops
- 9 × 2.91 mi (4.689 km)
- Aid stations
- Every 1.5 mi (2.35 km)
- Start / finish
- Altura town centre.
The longest haul: about 11 hr 55 min to Cairo, a fuel stop, then about 5 hr 45 min to Faro. Usually: mild atlantic autumnCartagena, South AmericaNo. 6 Chapter VI · South AmericaStill to comeVICartagena
Bocagrande, Colombia
Loops along the Caribbean Sea, with the Cartagena skyline in the distance.
- Starts · your time
- There right now
- —
- Weather now
- Checking the weather…
The course
Scenic loops along the Caribbean Sea with the city skyline in the distance.
- Distance
- Marathon · 26.2 mi (42.2 km)
- Loops
- 10 × 2.61 mi (4.2 km)
- Aid stations
- Every 1.3 mi (2.1 km)
- Start / finish
- End of Bocagrande, on the side furthest from the Old Town.
Flight: about 9 hr 20 min across the Atlantic. Usually: caribbean heat, even at nightMiami Beach, North AmericaNo. 7 Chapter VII · North AmericaStill to comeVIIMiami Beach
Florida, USA
The final continent: boardwalk loops on Miami Beach, and the finish line.
- Starts · your time
- There right now
- —
- Weather now
- Checking the weather…
✦World record attemptFirst duo team to complete seven marathons on seven continents in seven days
The course
Loops on the boardwalk between 39th and 53rd Street. 53rd Street is about 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from South Beach.
- Distance
- Marathon · 26.2 mi (42.2 km)
- Loops
- 10 × 2.61 mi (4.2 km)
- Aid stations
- Every 1.3 mi (2.1 km)
- Start / finish
- 53rd Street, Miami Beach Boardwalk.
Flight: about 2 hr 50 min from Cartagena. Usually: subtropical warmth, ocean breeze
Times can change, so check official channels on race day.
No. 08Share & follow
Bring everyone along
Send it to friends and family, and follow along on Instagram. Every share means more people cheering for them.
- Special CompassLearn more and get involved at specialcompass.org
- @maxfinkFollow on Instagram
- @specialcompassFollow on Instagram
- The broadcastFollow twitch.tv/thegreatworldrace for live alerts
- Official race newsThe Great World Race on Facebook
- Add all seven startsTo your calendar, with a reminder 30 minutes before each
- Post on XShare on Facebook