- Title: Thousands race in vertical run in Shanghai
- Date: 23rd October 2016
- Summary: MEDIA
- Embargoed: 7th November 2016 07:00
- Keywords: China vertical run Shanghai stairs building
- Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
- City: SHANGHAI, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0035585Q9R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Around 1700 vertical runners from around the world raced up 54 floors of the Shanghai International Finance Centre on Sunday (October 23), in a competition to reach the top of the 260 meter tall building.
Along with several hundred amateur runners, a group of professional stair runners took part in the race, yielding a close finish in the men's competition with Mark Bourne from Australia narrowly coming first, and Suzy Walsham taking first for the women's group.
"It was very tight race, very close between me and Piotr who came the second place. We were right next to each other almost to the finish, just at the end I was able to move ahead a little bit," winner Bourne said, who finished the race with 7 minutes and 42 seconds, 5 seconds ahead of the second place.
"It's a pretty nice race. We have a couple of times we were exited the stairwell and that breaks up the journey a little bit. But you know it's really tough and you have to stay focused the whole way," said Walsham, also an Australian and the winner of women's group, who finished in 9 minutes 15 seconds.
Many of the amateur participants formed teams to tackle the 1,460 steps to the summit, though for some the going was still tough.
"It is exhausting. I was already giddy by the time I reached the 20-something floors. But you can't stop in between, you must persevere and keep going. Because once you stop, you will want to keep stalling. But you will make it if you persist on," said 28-year-old Zhong Siqi, a second-time runner in this race.
The race in Shanghai, organised by the World Vertical Circuit, is one of nine held in iconic skyscrapers around the world this year, including races in London, Dubai, New York, Paris, Manila, Sydney and Beijing.
The final competition for this year will see participants race up a whopping 82 floors with 484 meters high of the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in Hong Kong on December 4th, a building just 16 meters shy of half a kilometre tall. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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