VertiGo winners Piotr Lobodzinski & Lenka Svabikova. © Arnaud Bertrand
The fourth stage of the 2015 Vertical World Circuit took off May 29 with the VertiGo up France’s tallest building. Nearly 2,000 participants raced up the 954 steps and 48 floors where ranking leader Piotr Lobodzinski from Poland set a new record in 4’43” – shaving 9 seconds off his 2014 winning time.
The women’s winner was Czech Lenka Svabikova, who closed in 6’10”.
Lobodzinski maintains the 2015 VWC ranking lead while Svabikova holds 2nd place after her win in London. Italy’s Cristina Bonacina still leads the ranking after scoring points in the New York, London and Tapei VWC stages.
Second man summiting the Tour First tower was Spaniard David Robles Tapia in 5’01”, followed by Belgian Omar Bekkali in 5’07”.
Tour First, Paris, site of the VertiGo
The VertiGo race, now in its 3rd year, is organised by PL4Y International (formerly Sport Without Borders).
About PL4Y International
The money raised will help PL4Y International to develop its programmes across the globe. Since 1999, the NGO has used sports as powerful leverage for social change and has showed that innovation through sports favours social cohesion. The objective of this third edition is to collect € 200,000 and allow 25,000 children to learn and grow through sport.
About VertiGo
Tower: Tour First
Elevation: 225m
Race floors: 48
Steps: 954
Race records: Piotr Lobodzinski (POL) 4’43”. Suzy Walsham (AUS) 5’43”
VertiGo Results
Men
1. Piotr Lobodzinksi (POL) – 4’43”
2. David Robles Tapia (ESP) – 5’01”
3. Omar Bekalli (BEL) – 5’07”
4. Rolf Majcen (AUT) – 5’14”
5. Ralf Hascher (GER) – 5’25”
Women
1. Lenka Svabikova (CZE) – 6’10”
2. Elodie Bernascon (FRA) – 9’08”
3. Laetitia Personnaz (FRA) 12’04”
VWC Ranking extract
Men
1. Piotr Lobodzinski – 300 points
2. David Robles Tapia – 228
3. Emanuele Manzi – 156 points
Women
1. Cristina Bonacina – 224 points
2nd equal: Lenka Svabikova – 200 points – Suzy Walsham – 200 points
The VertiGo elite stage. © Arnaud Bertrand
The VWC ranking is based on the best results of four out of eight races. The World Champions will be crowned in Hong Kong which once again will host the grand finale at the SHKP Vertical Run: Race to Hong Kong ICC on December 6.
High altitude, whether in the mountains or the city, is the arena of the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF), which governs, promotes and sanctions skyrunning (high altitude mountain running) and skyscraper racing worldwide.
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Race website: www.course-vertigo.org
VertiGo post race round-up – numbers, photos, video