In the third 2010 Vertical World Circuit® race to the summit of the Gherkin, Sunday, February 7, Italian runners Fabio Ruga and Daniela Vassalli are the winners in this first race up London’s iconic landmark.

After Milan and New York, these extraordinary “skyrunners” raced up the 38 floors and 1,037 steps of the Gherkin, 30 St Mary Axe in the  heart of the City, London’s financial district in the NSPCC Step Change.  The time? A mere 4 minutes 7 seconds for Ruga and 5 minutes 42 seconds for Vassalli.

Just two weeks ago at the launch of the 2010 Vertical World Circuit® in Milan, 2009 reigning champion Vassalli beat New Zealander Anna Frost – an accomplished mountain runner and newcomer to stair racing – by 6 seconds.  Rachael Orr was third.

In the first important success of his career, Fabio Ruga, second in Milan’s Vertical Sprint, enjoyed his victory at the top of the tower. The favourite, Marco De Gasperi, five times World Mountain Running Champion, came in four seconds later, not on his best form after a recent injury. Spain’s Ignacio Cardona was third in 4’18”.

The top of the Vertical World Circuit® ranking is headed by world-class specialist and 2009 champion, Thomas Dold from Germany, fresh from his fifth victory up New York’s Empire State building, and Daniela Vassalli, both boasting two outright victories.

Vertical running has been the subject of scientific research carried out by Prof Alberto Minetti of the University of Milan in collaboration with the International Skyrunning Federation and Isokinetic.  The first results have been published on the physiological and biomechanical profile of this new sport (Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 2009).  Research conducted in Milan on both skyscrapers included monitoring heart rate frequencies, lactic acid accumulation and tests on a number of athletes wearing novel rubber VIBRAM FiveFingers® footwear.

The VWC next stop is Basel, Switzerland on February 13, followed by Berlin, Taipei, Sydney, Barcelona and Singapore.

Through the NSPCC Step Change challenge, the charity is aiming to raise a minimum of £125,000 for the Child’s Voice Appeal - www.nspcc.org.uk  

The Vertical World Circuit®  is promoted by the International Skyrunning Federation and co-ordinated by Vista Communicazione, Milan.

See ranking and VWC details: www.verticalrunning.org