Italian Marco De Gasperi and New Zealander Melissa Moon have won the race up the world’s second tallest building, the Taipei 101 Tower in Taiwan, Sunday, May 30th.  The sixth stage of the 9-race Vertical World Circuit® ascended 2,046 steps to the 91st floor of the 101-story building.

De Gasperi, five times World Mountain Running Champion won the race here in 2007 and was second in 2009, but today he was on top form again and beat fellow Mountain Running World Champion, New Zealander Jonathan Wyatt in his first attempt at this race, and standing Vertical World Circuit® champion and current ranking leader, German Thomas Dold.

De Gasperi’s winning time was 11’9”, Wyatt was second in 11’23” and Dold, who won here in 2008 and 2009, third in 11’28”. Taiwan's Chen Fu-tsai was fourth with a time of 12’15”.

In the women's category, Melissa Moon won the race in 14’16”. In February this year, she won the second Vertical World Circuit® race on New York’s Empire State Building, and after today’s win, moves up to third position in the ranking.

The challenge of running up the 391m vertical climb of the Taipei 101 Run-Up,  the highest race in the Vertical World Circuit®, was met by 6,000 requests for entry.  In a draw, 2,500 runners were selected and participated in the race today.

The next stop on the Vertical World Circuit will be Sydney on August 22.  See www.verticalrunning.org for calendar.

Heading the provisional Vertical World Circuit Ranking® after today’s race are: 

Men
Thomas Dold (GER)  378 points
Fabio Ruga (ITA)  328 points
Igancio Cardona (SPA) 278 points

Women
Daniela Vassalli (ITA) 360 points
Cristina Bonacina (ITA) 270 points
Melissa Moon (NZL)  200 points