2013 Beijing winners Thomas Dold and Suzy Walsham
August 5, 2013
In the first race up Beijing’s tallest tower, 2013 China World Summit Wing Hotel Vertical Run, German Thomas Dold and Australian Suzy Walsham are, yet again, on top of the world.
The skyscraper racing duo set the inaugural record here Saturday, summiting 9’55” and 11’46” respectively.
The fourth stage of the Vertical World Circuit saw top international runners together with 600 competitors from 22 countries race up the 2,041 steps to the observation deck on the 82nd floor of the 330-metre-tall building, Beijing’s highest skyscraper.
Poland’s Piotr Lobodzinski was hot on Dold’s heels and closed just 36” later, followed by China’s He Wei, third.
The ladies’ race was strongly led by standing VWC Champion Suzy Walsham who opened a gap of just over a minute on China’s Xue Gan, second, and New Zealander Melissa Moon, was third in 13’09”.
Xue Gan ladies’ second. (C) Sporting Republic
The Beijing race is the first in the eight-race VWC that Dold has taken on this year. The four-time VWC Champion was sick at the New York event, so today’s 100 points for the win place him a mere 10th on the ranking. However, the circuit is only half way through and with four races to go, he’ll have every opportunity to defend his title. Lobdzinski moves up from third to lead the men’s ranking.
Suzy Walsham has a clear lead in the women’s ranking with three outright wins which include New-York and Basel. Melissa Moon moves up to second position ousting Italy’s Valentina Belotti, the Taipei winner, who now places third.
In the VWC’s first major race on mainland China, the local runners proved they can climb on the podium with the world’s top specialists.
The observation deck of the China World Summit Wing Hotel offers a bird’s eye view over this incredible new city – worth every lung-bursting step and both Dold and Walsham confirm the experience as “extraordinary”. 28-year-old Dold said, “The highlight is the fantastic view over Beijing when reaching the finish line. It makes the whole effort worthwhile.”
Walsham also commented, “Having trained so hard for this race, it is the sweetest victory.” I had to dig deep today to win.”
As the official charity of the event, all proceeds from paid race entries will be donated to China Rural Kids Health Care, a programme supporting disadvantaged kids in China by providing insurance.
The eight-race Vertical World Circuit stays in Asia for the 5th stage in Vietnam with the Landmark 72 Vertical Run in Hanoi on September 15.
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Event video
Race results
Men
1. Thomas Dold (DEU) – 9’55”
2. Piotr Lobodzinski (POL) – 10’31”
3. He Wei (CHN) 11’42”
Women
1. Suzy Walsham (AUS) – 11’46”
2. Xue Gan (CHN) – 12’51”
3. Melissa Moon (NZL) – 13’09”
Vertical World Circuit ranking
Men
1. Piotr Lobodzinski (POL) – 276 points
2. Christian Riedl (AUT) – 210 points
3. Mark Bourne (AUS) – 200 points
Women
1. Suzy Walsham (AUS) – 300 points
2. Melissa Moon (NZL) – 150 points
3. Valentina Bellotti (ITA) – 100 points