IAAF World Race Walking Cup
The peak of Fawkes competitive career came at the 1979 IAAF World Race Walking Cup. It was the first time that a women's race was officially sanctioned at the competition and Fawkes defeated her compatriot Carol Tyson to become the first ever global champion in women's racewalking. Her winning time of 22:51 minutes for the five-kilometre road walk was a new world record. Fawkes had competed at the 1975 IAAF World Race Walking Cup (sixth) and 1977 IAAF World Race Walking Cup (failed to finish), but these were invitational events and not part of the official programme.