German wins Empire State Building Run-Up race
Participants of the Empire State Building Race sprint to the staircase in 2012 in New York. / Korea Times file
A German runner won the 2015 Empire State Building Race Wednesday, taking 10 minutes and 16 seconds to make it to the 86th floor observatory.
Christian Riedel took first-place in the annual race after failing to win multiple times.
“It’s a wonderful feeling,” he said, “I’ve been here five times previously, and it feels like a long story is ending, maybe starting.”
The record for the race was not broken this year. Australian Paul Crake set this at 9 minutes and 33 seconds for the men’s race in 2003.
Australian climber Suzy Walsham won the women’s race for the sixth time. She finished with a time of 12 minutes and 30 seconds, but failed to break the women’s record. Australian Andrea Mayr crossed the finish line in 11 minutes and 23 seconds in 2006.
The Empire State Building Race began in 1978, and this year marks the 38th running of the event.