German wins race up Taipei 101 tower

The event, organized by Taipei Financial Center -- the owner of the building -- attracted 2,500 professional and amateur runners alike. They started running from the first floor lobby and raced up 91 floors in a leg-burning effort that took them to the top of the world's tallest skyscraper.

Thomas Dold, a specialist at stair racing who also won this year's New York Empire State Building run-up, bounded up 2,046 steps in 10 minutes and 53 seconds to claim NT$200,000 in prize money.

Dold beat Italian Marco De Gasperi, a 31-year-old mountain ranger, who won last year race in 11 minutes and 39 seconds. Compatriot Chen Fu-tsai finished third.

In the women's event, compatriot Lee Hsiao-yu won in 14 minutes and 53 seconds, while Chien Pei-yu came second in 16 minutes and 14 seconds. Italian Cristina Bonacina finished third.

Apart from professional runners, American Institute in Taiwan Director Stephen Young and Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Yeh Chin-chuan also joined in the event.

Young and his wife, Barbara Finamore, have taken part in the race for the third consecutive year.

"My wife and I are planning to climb Jade Mountain - a 3,952 meters peak in Central Taiwan -- this summer so this is a good practice for us," Young told national Central News Agency.

"But I feel that this year it was not that hot as before in the staircase and I will definitely join the race again next year," he added.

Yeh, also in his third participation, finished the run-up in 26 minutes and 28 seconds.

A spokesperson for Taipei Financial Center announced that the company will donate all registration fees, less the insurance premium, to charity groups to help disadvantaged children living in remote areas.

The Taipei 101 Run Up has been held annually since Nov. 2005 to encourage Taiwan residents to exercise.

The 509-meters-tall Taipei 101 is holding the title as the world's tallest occupied building for the last year, as the Burj Dubai, standing at 800 meters, is scheduled to be completed in Sep. 2009, in United Arab Emirates.



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