Last year the spectacle was canceled due to corona. But this year around 200 participants ran up the steps again. It is 1576.
New York – After a forced break in the corona pandemic, around 200 participants in the legendary flight of stairs in New York’s Empire State Building ran up the 1,576 steps of the skyscraper for the first time.
Wai Ching Soh from Malaysia did the fastest, finishing in 10 minutes and 46 seconds. Soh finished second in 2019, when it took him almost 30 seconds longer. In the women’s category, Cindy Harris was the fastest to reach the top after 14 minutes and a second. The American finished third in 2019.
In 2020, the flight of stairs in the Empire State Building had to be canceled due to the Corona crisis. This time, because of the ongoing effects of the pandemic, only significantly fewer participants than usual were allowed to attend. In addition, a corona vaccination had to be proven at the 43rd edition of the flight of stairs and hygiene and distance rules applied.
In contrast to such high-rise runs in China or the Middle East, there is no prize money in New York. The record of 9 minutes and 33 seconds over the 86 floors was set in 2003 by the Australian Paul Crake. The men’s record is held by the German Thomas Dold, who was the fastest seven times between 2006 and 2012. dpa
