Date:16/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/16/stories/2008061656642000.htm

Front Page

German wins race up tallest skyscraper

— PHOTO: AP

Thomas Dold with his trophy and certificate.

TAIPEI: A German athlete sprinted up 91 floors in 10 minutes and 53 seconds on Sunday to win the Taipei 101 race — a leg-burning effort that took him 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 to claim 200,000 Taiwan dollars (U.S. $6,600) as prize money.

About 2,500 people took part in this race. Dold, 23, climbed the 390 metres (1,287 feet) to beat last year’s champion Italian Marco De Gasperi to second. Taiwan’s Chen Fu-tsai stood third.

Women’s event

In the women’s event, Lee Hsiao-yu of Taiwan, won the race in 14 minutes and 53 seconds.

Compatriot Chien Pei-yu came second in 16 minutes and 14 seconds while Italian Cristina Bonacina finished third.