China World Summit Wing, Beijing to host China's first international vertical run

HONG KONG - On 3 August 2013, the highest hotel in Beijing, Shangri-La's China World Summit Wing, Beijing will host the first-ever vertical run in China accredited by the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF). The 330-metre tower in China World Trade Centre (CWTC) has been officially chosen as the China leg of this prestigious worldwide sports competition.  World-class stair climbers, as well as sportsmen, celebrities and the general public, will compete to reach the highest point in the tallest building in Beijing.
Beijing has been selected as an official race for the 2013 Vertical World Circuit (VWC), the world's first and only skyscraper racing circuit, uniting some of the world's most iconic skyscraper races, including the Empire State Building Run-Up in New York City.  Runners participating in the VWC will be assigned points based on their results.  The male and female competitors with the total highest scores will be declared world champions at the end of the year.
A group of elite runners from different countries will compete for a money prize, the highest being US$1,000. The fastest male and female runners from the general public will be awarded trips to the United Kingdom to spend three nights in a suite at the soon-to-open Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London.  Each prize includes a round trip flight ticket from Beijing to London and a three-night complimentary stay with daily breakfast in the most anticipated new luxury hotel in Western Europe's tallest building.
Other valuable prizes will be given out to competitors in different categories by the sponsors of the Vertical Run.
The elite runners already confirmed to compete in China World Summit Wing Hotel Vertical Run include Australians Mark Bourne and Suzy Walsham.  Bourne won the prestigious Empire State Building Run-Up in New York City earlier this year and is the favourite to be crowned world champion at the end of the year.  Walsham is the reigning world champion and four-time winner of New York City's Empire State Building Run-Up.  She currently sits atop the women's world ranking.
Although still a relatively new sport, stair climbing has quickly caught on among fitness enthusiasts attracted not only by the physical demands of this gruelling sport, but also by the novelty of competing in unique urban settings - the world's tallest structures, some of which are located in Asia.  The trend has generated Vertical Fitness, a health and wellness project involving stair climbing to benefit a less active public.
According to race organisers,  China World Summit Wing Hotel Vertical Run may be the most challenging race on the VWC this year, taking into consideration the height of the tower and the number of steps.  The tower has 82 floors and 2,041 steps. The fastest runners, however, are expected to reach the rooftop in less than ten minutes. Other buildings conquered by runners in 2013 include the iconic Taipei 101 in Taiwan.
Shangri-La's China World Summit Wing, Beijing is the perfect location for this prestigious sports event as it is the tallest building in China's capital.  The rooftop of the building, where the race will finish, offers unparalleled bird's eye views across the whole of Beijing, including the Forbidden City and other travel attractions.
"We are proud to be bringing the Vertical World Circuit to China.  It's a truly international event that will help China World Summit Wing, Beijing promote sports activities and a healthy lifestyle through an enticing and challenging competition," said Thomas Schmitt-Glaeser, general manager of China World Summit Wing, Beijing. "We look forward to hosting more than a thousand participants from all over the world who have signed up for the challenge and will raise money for a good cause.  All proceeds from the run will be donated to Chinese Rural Kids Care (CRKC) charity headed by a Chinese reporter and opinion leader Mr. Dengfei."
CRKC is a charity organisation qualified to fundraise publicly.  Its aim is to provide free medical insurance for children from poor families in rural China, creating an opportunity for these children to get medical subsidy and health care.  Registration for the Vertical Run is Rmb80, from which one year's insurance for one child worth Rmb75 will be funded.  This means every runner will sponsor the health insurance of one child.
China World Summit Wing, Beijing is located on the top floors of the capital's landmark and stands above the China World Trade Centre.  With unrivalled views over the city, the hotel soars 330 metres over the China World complex at the heart of Beijing's Central business district.  China World Summit Wing, Beijing has 278 guestrooms and suites.
The hotel also features the city's highest dining and entertainment venues, including six restaurants, two bars and a lounge.  For guest relaxation and recreation, the hotel features CHI, The Spa, Shangri-La's signature spa brand on Level 77, Beijing's highest spa retreat.
China World Trade Centre opened in 1990 and is one of the world's largest upscale commercial mixed-use developments.  The complex includes hotels, offices, apartments, exhibition halls and a shopping mall.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews