Australia's Suzy Walsham has won the annual race up the stairs of Empire State Building in New York for a record sixth time.
The 41-year-old Walsham raced up 86 flights of stairs in 12 minutes and 30 seconds on Wednesday night, adding the women's title to her successes in 2007, 08, 09, 13 and 14.
Hundreds of people signed up for the climb up 1576 steps to the 86th-floor observatory.
Former middle distance track star Walsham broke the record for most women's wins with her fifth victory last year.
The men's race was won by German runner Christian Riedel. The first-time winner came in at 10 minutes and 16 seconds.
The participants came from around the world and were led by the elite women's and men's groups.
The general field followed, with staggered, seconds-apart start times for racers to avoid a crush of people all trying to get into the stairwell at the same time.
Last year, Walsham won the women's event in 11 minutes and 57 seconds and Thorbjorn Ludvigsen, of Norway, won the men's race in 10 minutes and 6 seconds.
The course records are nine minutes and 33 seconds for the men, set by Australian Paul Crake in 2003, and 11 minutes and 23 seconds for the women, set by Austrian Andrea Mayr in 2006.
German Thomas Dold holds the record for most men's victories, with seven.
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:17 pm
by Joe Guy
I reached the top floor of Sears Tower (which is taller than the Empire State Building) faster than 12 minutes, 30 seconds.
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:19 pm
by kristina
Were you in the elevator?
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:22 pm
by Joe Guy
Yes. But I was running in place.
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:48 pm
by kristina
Joe Guy wrote:Yes. But I was running in place.
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:03 pm
by Lord Jim
Joe Guy wrote:Yes. But I was running in place.
Yes, but could you do it with a baby strapped to your back?
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:04 am
by rubato
Do I give the baby a loaded gun ?
yrs,
rubato
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:06 am
by Lord Jim
If I farted in the lobby of the elevator in The Sears Tower, I could be wrong on 108 different levels...
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:22 am
by MajGenl.Meade
In the lobby? That's some strong fart!
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:43 am
by Lord Jim
Okay, lobby floor of the elevator, Mr OCD...
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 6:40 am
by MajGenl.Meade
It's a wonder you survived! The elevator should always have a floor - not just when it's at the lobby level. Sue!
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:04 pm
by Sue U
MajGenl.Meade wrote:It's a wonder you survived! The elevator should always have a floor - not just when it's at the lobby level. Sue!
Why are you calling me? Do I look like an elevator mechanic?
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:26 pm
by oldr_n_wsr
Batter to call Otis
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 8:50 pm
by kristina
oldr_n_wsr wrote:Batter to call Otis
Why does the batter have to call? Couldn't it be the pitcher?
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:31 pm
by MajGenl.Meade
Yeah, don't waffle!
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:43 pm
by Guinevere
Hmmmmmm, waffles. They may need to be on the Sunday brunch menu!
Re: be running up that hill....
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:44 pm
by Gob
Battered Otis? Is that like an American version of deep fried Mars bars or something?
