The 6th edition of the Eiffel Tower Vertical is only one month away!

The Eiffel Tower Vertical® is an ascent race going all the way up the most visited paid-for monument in the world. This high-speed time trial race (new start every 20 seconds or every minute) is a true sporting challenge, set in a monument that is the very definition of challenge. Only ascent race in a building that is entirely open to the outside, the Eiffel Tower Vertical is a unique tower running event.

For the 6th edition of the event on March 11th, 131 French and international athletes (39 women and 92 men with 28 countries represented) will begin climbing the steps of the Eiffel Tower.

FOCUS ON A FEW ATHLETES

PIOTR LOBODZINSKI - POLAND (elite - five time winner)

This 34 years old professional athlete and personal trainer is a tower running expert. His track record is impressive (five time winner of the Eiffel Tower Vertical and holder of the event record with 7 minutes and 48 seconds; six time winner of the Vertical World Circuit; six time winner of the Towerrunning World Cup (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019); winner of the 2019 Empire State Building Run Up). He will be back for the 2020 edition with the firm intention of defending his title in this year’s new race format!

“I know it will be more difficult for Suzy and me, because we’re not the best sprinters. But having three attempts should be helpful. I’m sure the race will be more competitive and more spectacular for the audience. I’m really looking forward to it.”

SUZY WALSHAM - AUSTRALIA (elite - five time winner)

Suzy Walsham is a professional athlete and a tower running expert (winner of 8 consecutive Towerrunning World Cups since 2012). She is a regular of the Eiffel Tower Vertical. She will be back this year for her 6th participation. She will be defending her title and she might also try to set a new record (currently 9 minutes and 34 seconds).

“This new concept is very exciting and stimulating. Having a strategy to deal with the various rounds and the rhythm will be important. And the final will make for a fun and interesting race, both for athletes and the audience. I’m really excited to see how I will perform in this race format. And I will do my best to defend my five previous titles obviously. ”

CRISTINA BONACINA - ITALY (elite)

Winner of the Towerrunning World Cup in 2011, Cristina Bonacina is a highly experimented athlete with many wins and top 3 finishes all around the world (147 participations to tower running races). For her, reaching 200 heart beats per minute, feeling her leg and arm muscles burn, climbing to the top of the tower and being blown away by the view are sensations and feelings she knows she cannot live without. The 2020 edition of the Eiffel Tower Vertical will mark her 5th participation to the event.

MARSHA O'LOUGHLIN - United States

At 75 years old, Marsha O’Loughlin will be the elder of the 6th edition of the Eiffel Tower Vertical. This retired secretary has been running for over 30 years. Looking for new sensations and for a new challenge to take on, she discovered tower running at 40 years old. Today, she is ranked 1st in the United States’ 70-79 years old category and 76th in the Towerrunning World Association’ world ranking.

GRETTO BECKETT - IRELAND (wildcard)

For this Irish nurse who lives in the United Arab Emirates, running and especially tower running have been lifesaving. For several years, she and her husband have been struggling to become parents. At the end of 2015, she decided to start practicing sports. 2 years later, she discovered tower running. Finding a second wind in the discipline, she set a new objective for herself: go on a world tour. Since then, she has been participating in tower running events in over 13 countries. This is the first time she will running the Eiffel Tower Vertical.

AMANDINE BERTRAND - FRANCE (elite)

For this elite athlete who works as a P.E. Teacher and who came to the discipline back in 2017, tower running adds an extra dimension to regular running: a fun aspect, but also new sensations, new rules, new ways of competing and new techniques. Tower running being a race against yourself and against time before being a race against other athletes, it is a great way to avoid the monotony of jogging and interval running. Stairs offer both a new playground a new way of practicing.

MATTHIEU GANDOLFI  - FRANCE (elite)

For his first participation in 2019, elite runner Matthieu Gandolfi did not disappoint, finishing 9th in the scratch ranking and 1st in the French ranking. A solid performance that motivated this vertical kilometer expert to return to the event on March 11th.

The Eiffel Tower Vertical will also be the start of a race-packed season for him (03/29: Lyon Urban Trail - 06/13: Mount Everest Stair Race (Germany), the biggest tower running event in the world with 11,600 steps - 07/12: Vertical Kilometer French Championships - 08/22: Matterhorn Ultraks - 10/14: Fully Vertical Kilometer).

ANNE SOPHIE SALAMON – FRANCE

Having discovered the discipline by accident through a post on social media, this amateur athlete drawn at random on December 19th 2019 only started tower running a year ago. Her practice sessions vary from running to swimming to muscle reinforcement to rock-climbing. Anne-Sophie Salamon will join us on the Eiffel Tower Vertical for the first time on March 11th.

MATHIEU CHANGENET – FRANCE

Regular of the EcoTrail Paris, Mathieu Changenet will participate to the Eiffel Tower Vertical for the first time this year. Being used to long distances, he will have to manage a very different type of effort: high intensity on a very short period of time. 

PATRICE GUIZON – FRANCE (wildcard)

Multifinisher of the 80km race of the EcoTrail Paris (10 participations), this amateur trail runner has an impressive track record: Mont Blanc Marathon (42km) - 6000D (60km) - CCC (98km) - Ultra Ardéchois (104km) - Ultra 6000D (110km) - TDS (120km) - UTMB (170km). He will be attempting the Iron Lady’s challenge for the first time this year. 

REMINDER OF THE 2020 EIFFEL TOWER VERTICAL FORMAT

Due to works on the Eiffel Tower, the top of the monument will not be accessible. Therefore, we decided to innovate with a brand new race format.

For the 6th edition of the Eiffel Tower Vertical, the race will consist in climbing the first two floors of the Eiffel Tower twice (665 steps to climb with a positive elevation of 116 meters (380.5 feet) per ascent). The athletes with the best times will then compete in a third and final ascent.

* course poursuite sur la base des temps réalisés en qualification. Le 1er au classement des qualifications partira avec le temps d'avance qu'il a sur le 2ème et ainsi de suite.

The event will take place on Wednesday, March 11th 2020, between 8:10 PM and 10:20 PM. There will be 3 rounds:

· 1st qualifying round - 665 steps

· 2nd qualifying round - 665 steps

· Final - 665 steps

In total, finalists will have to climb nearly 2,000 steps!

For more information on the new format, click the link below:

Contact médias :

North Communication - amandine@north.fr - +33(0)6 59 10 64 77

SETE - Victoria Klahr +33 (0)1 44 11 23 44 - vklahr@toureiffel.paris