Past participants in the Sutherland 2 Surf fun run included a team of prisoners, called the Chain Gang.
Cronulla MP and Attorney-General Mark Speakman recalled some of the highlights when speaking in State Parliament about last month's event, which he described as "one of the most important community events in the Sutherland Shire's calendar.
"The Sutherland 2 Surf Fun Run and Walk has been uniting our community and bringing thousands of the shire residents together every July for 48 years," he said.
"The iconic race, which is one of Australia's longest running fun runs, this year took the usual route from Sutherland to Wanda beach.
"The 6200 runners were determined to challenge themselves, regardless of the chilly weather and below six degrees temperatures on Sunday, July 21, to finish the full distance of the race, which is around 11 kilometres.
"Thousands of community members watched and cheered as the first place male and female runners crossed the finish line.
"Kevin Batt from Ryde defended his 2018 title and was again first place male.
"Leanne Pompeani from Canberra, who was the runner-up in the 2018 race, took the first female place this year.
"In the groups category Jock Athletic won the Sutherland 2 Surf Runners Team Challenge.
"This year, Australian gold medallist and champion beach runner Ali Najem crossed the finishing line.
"For the first time since he started participating in the event the race did not coincide with the Holy fasting month of Ramadan which meant that Ali, an Australian Muslim and a volunteer lifesaver at Wanda Surf Life Saving Club, could participate and challenge himself and others."
Mr Speakman said the story of the event's growth was inspiring.
"The first race was held on September 23, 1972, out of a need to secure more fundraising for the Wanda Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC)," he said.
"Wanda SLSC was established in 1946 after the Second World War by a group of returned servicemen, which is why the colours of army red, air force blue and navy blue were adopted as the club colours.
"The first race hosted only 50 competitors and was won by Keith Sadler.
"By 1975 more than 1200 runners finished the race and in 1978 there were 4000 runners, including a team of prisoners from Cessnock jail called the Chain Gang."
Mr Speakman said the most successful runner in the event was Cronulla-based Andrew Lloyd, who won the event eight times and was also victorious in the 5000 metres at the Commonwealth Games
"In the years to follow appearances by top national runners such as Dennis Nee and Alby Thomas set the standard for the race and its continued success.
"What started as a hopeful initiative turned into a great national event that attracted in 1979 one of the country's greatest runners, the Cronulla-based Andrew Lloyd, who was to go on and win the memorable 5000 metre gold medal at the Auckland Commonwealth Games and become the Sutherland 2 Surf's most successful runner by winning the race eight times between 1979 and 1995.
"In 1997 this race witnessed history being made. The first female to cross the finishing line of this race was Heather Turland. She went on to win the City2Surf race only two weeks after the Sutherland 2 Surf race.
"Since then the race has continued to grow in numbers and attracted top-level Australian and international competitors as a warm-up to the City2Surf."
Mr Speakman said an event like this could not happen without the continued and spectacular help and dedication of volunteers, club members, supporters and the Sutherland 2 Surf partners and sponsors.
"The funds raised by this event will help support the outstanding efforts of the Wanda Surf Life Saving Club," he said.
"Those funds allow the club to protect our beaches and save lives on those beautiful beaches."
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