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The New York City Marathon is a 42,195-meter (26.2 mile) race through all five boroughs of New York City, and ranks as the largest marathon in the world, with 46,795 finishers (29,867 men/16,928 women) in 2011. Since its inaugural race in 1970, 28 men and 23 women have won the open division of the New York City Marathon, representing 19 different countries. From 1970 through 1975, the race was held entirely in Central Park. It has started in Staten Island and gone through New York City's other four boroughs since 1976. Grete Waitz of Norway has won the race more than any other athlete, having completed her 9th victory in 1988, setting three course records in the process. Current course records were set by Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya in 2011 in the men's division, and by Margaret Okayo of Kenya in 2003 in the women's division.
A wheelchair race has been held since 2000. Among the wheelchair racers, Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland has the most victories, with five. She also holds the women's course record with a time of 1:52:38, while Kurt Fearnley of Australia holds the men's record with 1:29:22.