A few years ago, when Yurii Pidnebesnyi’s 10-year-old son Alex suffered two severe leg fractures in the space of a year and underwent a long, painful rehabilitation, the family faced a difficult question, familiar to many: how do you help a child regain confidence and feel strong again?
What began with cautious, short runs soon turned into something bigger. Alex not only returned to sport, but also became a national youth champion in middle-distance running. For his father, this journey became the spark that led to creating a brand-new running game that has grown from a local idea into a global movement.
ACE BATTLE is a Ukrainian idea. The first international ACE BATTLE MILE team-running battles have already taken place in Brussels (Belgium) and were presented in Paphos and Limassol in Cyprus. Recently, the first club opened in London, with plans to expand across the United Kingdom.
ACE BATTLE is not just another running project. It is a bold claim for the creation of an entirely new team-running sport with Ukrainian roots — one that can unite not only Ukrainians but running enthusiasts worldwide through a global club ecosystem, gamification, and Web3 technology. Yurii is confident: within a few years, ACE BATTLE will become an international movement, and eventually an Olympic sport.
Maiak spoke with the founder about how a personal story can grow into an innovation, why running a business requires teams and strategy, and what role the Ukrainian community around the world can play in this.
Where did it all begin? How did the idea for ACE BATTLE appear?
My motivation wasn’t just a love of running — it came from my son’s experience. At the age of ten, Alex broke one leg badly, and precisely a year later, he suffered an open fracture of the other. After complex treatment and months of rehabilitation, and thanks to God, Ukrainian doctors, and his own belief that things would improve, he managed to return to physical activity.
At 12, after a great effort to recover fully, he took up running and completed his first half-marathon. Later, he moved into track athletics and became a multi-time Ukrainian youth champion in middle-distance events.
However, athletics lacks a true team element. Running is primarily an individual sport. We missed that feeling of playing and winning together. That’s how the idea of a team-based running game was born — and eventually grew into a fully developed sport: ACE BATTLE. Modern timing technologies finally allowed us to bring it to a professional level.
How did this specific format take shape?
The idea really was born in Ukraine, in Cherkasy. A group of enthusiasts and I began working on it back in 2019. At first, it felt more like a charitable initiative from my side. But over time, it grew into something much bigger – a mission that attracted hundreds of people.
Today we have a strong Ukrainian community and international ambitions – from the UK to Africa, the Americas, and beyond.
What makes ACE BATTLE unique as a sport?
It’s the world’s first classic team-running sport with a structured format, defined roles, and strategy. In team battles, victory depends not only on running ability and individual speed or endurance, but also on tactical decision-making.
Everything matters: who starts, who finishes, when substitutions are made, and how the team reacts to the opponent.
This isn’t simply running — it’s a competitive game combining fitness, speed, stamina, agility, quick thinking, and, above all, team spirit. Sometimes even luck plays a role — those last-second surges that change everything. These moments create the drama and emotion that make people fall in love with sport.
There are fan clubs, points, an internal system, and player rankings. We’ve blended classic running with gaming elements and team dynamics. It’s a fresh and exciting experience.
Why launch in the UK? What potential do you see here?
Britain is one of Europe’s strongest running nations. England alone has over 1,750 registered running clubs, and more than 10.9 million people train regularly. London has a particularly vibrant running culture — thousands of clubs, hundreds of events, and millions of active runners.
Most formats here are still individual. ACE BATTLE offers something new yet familiar: running mixed with teamwork, technology, and play. We’re confident it will resonate with British runners, because it’s about community, excitement, and involvement – not just “time and distance”.
You mentioned that ACE BATTLE is more than a sport. What is its social mission?
Our goal is to build an ecosystem of opportunities. We’re not just creating clubs – we’re uniting running communities of all ages and levels. Both professionals and amateurs can join, as well as coaches, organisers, judges, team leaders, content creators, and supporters.
We’ve already launched ACE BATTLE Academy — a free online platform that trains people for new roles in this emerging sports movement.
This is especially important for Ukrainians who’ve been scattered across the world because of the war. We want them not only to adapt, but to become ambassadors of this new global sport — not associated with vulnerability, but with something substantial and modern — and it’s working. Thousands of new opportunities are emerging, many of them specifically for Ukrainians.
What exactly is ACE BATTLE MILE?
It’s a head-to-head battle between two teams over one mile. Each team has 5 to 7 players. It’s not simply a race — it involves strategy, rotations, and defined roles. We call it “running chess” or “running poker”.
Success depends not only on speed but on how the team manages its energy: when to release a leader, when to substitute, and how to respond to the opponent. Everything happens in real time — with live rankings, broadcasts, and instant results on screen.
Are there other ACE BATTLE RUN distances?
Yes. The patented concept covers multiple formats — 2, 3, 5, 10 miles or kilometres. We’ve also developed ACE BATTLE 800, a team event over 800 metres designed for children’s and youth teams.
How do you launch the sport in new countries?
How do you launch the sport in new countries?We work through team leaders — local ACE BATTLE ambassadors. They’re usually young people who complete training in the ACE BATTLE Academy and receive all the necessary tools: an online sports platform, methodology, educational materials, and an AI assistant.
This app is more than a coach — it’s a digital partner that helps manage the club, team, and events. We’re developing it together with leading US tech companies.
How do you think British runners will react to the mix of running and gamified technology?
The British public is generally very open to innovation in sport. They appreciate clear structure, club culture, and competition, and they’re constantly looking for fresh formats.
Young people already live in a gamified world — points, leaderboards, fan systems. We’re simply bringing these familiar mechanics from the online world into real life. It turns sport into a game, an adventure, and part of a lifestyle.
Are you attracting investors or sponsors for the UK launch?
Are you attracting investors or sponsors for the UK launch?Yes. We’re preparing to launch an investment portal for anyone who wishes to support the expansion of this new sport and help develop the global ACE BATTLE ecosystem. The platform will also provide opportunities to earn income from the system’s operation.
We see strong financial potential for early investors, and ACE BATTLE SPORT will resonate in many countries. Running is one of the most natural human activities and we believe this new format can gain international recognition.
What is your personal goal, as the founder?
ACE BATTLE is my way of creating something that gives people motivation and purpose. I want our sport to become for the world what football is for Britain, or hockey for Canada.
This is a Ukrainian project, and we want people worldwide to be proud of it — children in Africa, students in Europe, families in Australia, major corporations, and Ukrainians everywhere. We want them all to feel part of a shared game that can genuinely change lives.
How can people get involved?
ACE BATTLE has already arrived in London. We’re now forming our first teams and training team leaders, coaches, and organisers. Anyone can join – experienced runners, complete beginners, and people interested in working with sports communities and events.
More information and registration are available on our website and in our Instagram community. We welcome everyone who wants to try team-based running or support the development of this new sporting format.
Text: Olena Onyshchenko
Photos from Yurii Pidnebesnyi archive
Ukrainian language editor: Anastasiia Zanuzdanova
English language editor: Helen Lewis
