Stair climbing race to kick off in HCM City in October
Vietnam’s long-running stair climbing race, or the “HCMC Skyrun”, will be held at the Bitexco Financial Tower in Ho Chi Minh City on October 30.
Runners will start from the tower’s ground floor and ascend 49 floors to the observation deck. They will run up a total of 1,002 steps to a height of 178 meters, where they will see views of the city’s skyline and the Saigon River.
Stair climbing, first known as “vertical races” in the 1970s, is now a global sport with stair climbing clubs across the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia, as well as elite athletes who train year-round to become the first to reach the top of the world’s tallest buildings.
Although it is still a relatively new sport, stair climbing has quickly caught on with fitness enthusiasts, attracting them with not only the physical demands of this grueling sport but also the novelty of competing in unique urban settings.
“After a three-year break due to COVID-19, we are excited to bring back one of the most anticipated running events in HCMC,” said David Shin, representative of Sporting Republic, the organizer of the fifth edition.