NEW YORK—After most New Yorkers had gone to work Tuesday morning, about 300 athletes raced up the 1,576 steps to the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor observatory, marking the 33rd annual tradition.
Competitors in the annual dash to the top of the building came from around the world, and sprinted up the Empire State’s stairs in a little over 10 minutes. Thomas Dold, 25, of Stuttgart, Germany, and Melissa Moon, 40, of Wellington, New Zealand, achieved victory in 10 minutes and 16 seconds and 13 minutes and 13 seconds respectively in the men and women’s divisions.
Dold’s fifth-in-a-row victory put him in the company of only two other five-time winners, Paul Crake of Australia (1999-2003) and Al Waquie of the United States (1983-87). Moon, a former World Mountain Running Champion, has won the Towerthon in Kuala Lumpur’s Menara Tower and Auckland’s Sky Tower Vertical Challenge prior to this competition.
“If you know the history of this building—built in 1931, years ahead of its time—it’s a privilege to run here,” said Moon, who took the lead at the 20th floor. “I’ve climbed taller buildings but I’ve never run a tower race that means more to me. I’m so proud that I'll be able to put this on my resume.”
Since 1978, New York Road Runners has gathered athletes from around the globe in the lobby of New York City’s tallest building. As an invitational race, the organizers chose participants among about 1,000 applicants. The 294 finishers this year competed in open, preliminary, and Brokers’ Challenge divisions.
Dold, who collapsed dramatically at the finish line, recovered sufficiently to put his victory in context a few moments later.
“It took me six years to get to this point, and to be here as the winner this day is quite amazing,” he said. “To do this race six times and get five victories—it’s unbelievable right now. And to be named along with Paul Crake as a five-time winner is a big honor.”
Crake, who broke 10 minutes four times in the Run-Up, was paralyzed in a cycling accident in 2006.
2. Matthias Jahn, 26, GER, 10:56
3. Matthew Byrne, 34, USA, 11:29
4. Omar Bekkali, 31, BEL, 11:51
5. Javier Santiago, 39, USA, 11:55
2. Gretchen Grindle Hurlbutt, 31, USA, 13:53
3. Amy Fredericks, 43, USA, 14:15
4. Rondi Davies, 39, USA, 14:23
5. Stacy Creamer, 50, USA, 14:25
Competitors in the annual dash to the top of the building came from around the world, and sprinted up the Empire State’s stairs in a little over 10 minutes. Thomas Dold, 25, of Stuttgart, Germany, and Melissa Moon, 40, of Wellington, New Zealand, achieved victory in 10 minutes and 16 seconds and 13 minutes and 13 seconds respectively in the men and women’s divisions.
Dold’s fifth-in-a-row victory put him in the company of only two other five-time winners, Paul Crake of Australia (1999-2003) and Al Waquie of the United States (1983-87). Moon, a former World Mountain Running Champion, has won the Towerthon in Kuala Lumpur’s Menara Tower and Auckland’s Sky Tower Vertical Challenge prior to this competition.
“If you know the history of this building—built in 1931, years ahead of its time—it’s a privilege to run here,” said Moon, who took the lead at the 20th floor. “I’ve climbed taller buildings but I’ve never run a tower race that means more to me. I’m so proud that I'll be able to put this on my resume.”
Since 1978, New York Road Runners has gathered athletes from around the globe in the lobby of New York City’s tallest building. As an invitational race, the organizers chose participants among about 1,000 applicants. The 294 finishers this year competed in open, preliminary, and Brokers’ Challenge divisions.
Dold, who collapsed dramatically at the finish line, recovered sufficiently to put his victory in context a few moments later.
“It took me six years to get to this point, and to be here as the winner this day is quite amazing,” he said. “To do this race six times and get five victories—it’s unbelievable right now. And to be named along with Paul Crake as a five-time winner is a big honor.”
Crake, who broke 10 minutes four times in the Run-Up, was paralyzed in a cycling accident in 2006.
Top five men
1. Thomas Dold, 25, GER, 10:162. Matthias Jahn, 26, GER, 10:56
3. Matthew Byrne, 34, USA, 11:29
4. Omar Bekkali, 31, BEL, 11:51
5. Javier Santiago, 39, USA, 11:55
Top five women
1. Melissa Moon, 40, NZL, 13:132. Gretchen Grindle Hurlbutt, 31, USA, 13:53
3. Amy Fredericks, 43, USA, 14:15
4. Rondi Davies, 39, USA, 14:23
5. Stacy Creamer, 50, USA, 14:25
