If you are among the 250 million people who visited the Eiffel Tower since its opening in 1889, you may have climbed the “Tall lady” staircases up to the second floor. But at the second floor it is mandatory to take an elevator if you are willing to access the third floor up to 234 m (1,063 feet) high to enjoy an amazing view of Paris and visit Gustave Eiffel’s office that has been rebuilt.
Since May 21st you have been able to sign up here for the next Eiffel Tower Vertical challenge, which will take place on March 15 2018. 129 runners (including 50 elite athletes and 79 runners selected by a lottery) will race to climb as fast as possible the 1665 stairs of the East pole staircase, up to the top of the tower.
This original race is a challenging sportive achievement. Americans are actually the ones who kind of invented the vertical race with the organization of competitions in some of their most famous sky scrapers. But the Eiffel Tower challenge is the only vertical race in a completely open space.
In 2017 the winner of the male trophy was Piotr Lobodzinski in 7’54″76, the winner of the female trophy was the Australian Suzy Walsham in 9’34’’75, and all the runners have been finishing. Which is quite encouraging!
