On August 4th, the 2024 International Vertical Marathon Open Guangzhou Huijin International Finance Center Station concluded successfully. The event attracted over 500 participants from across China, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, as well as international competitors from Canada, Japan, and South Africa. They gathered at the iconic Huijin Twin Towers in the Guangzhou International Finance City, setting a trend for urban sports with this international sporting event, which are hailed as the "king of urban sports."
Vertical marathons typically take place inside local landmark skyscrapers. Since its inception in 2014, the International Vertical Marathon series has hosted over a hundred events nationwide, spanning 26 cities.
This marks the first time for the vertical marathon to be held in the Guangzhou International Finance City, with this event taking place at two skyscraper landmarks: the Huijin International Center, standing at a vertical height of 220 meters with 51 floors and 1,284 steps, and the Canton Financial Center, standing at a vertical height of 320 meters with 67 floors and 1,742 steps.
The highlight of this event was the course set in the Twin Towers. The Huijin Twin Towers course featured a vertical height of 540 meters, spanning 117 floors and 3,026 steps. Participants had to complete the climbing challenge of both towers, with Route A at Canton Financial Center and Route B at Huijin International Center.
With a new course also comes new challenges. Justin, a participant working in Shenzhen, shared with reporters that while he regularly participates in full marathons, this was his second vertical marathon, and he found it more challenging compared to the first "due to increased height and the hot weather in Guangdong." However, this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the participants. "Because it's so funny!" said Justin, exclaiming multiple times to express his fondness for the event using the word "funny."
The venue for this event, Huajin International Finance Center, approximately 220 meters tall, is a business landmark in the Finance City district. Located just 300 meters from Guangzhou Metro Line 5 Keyun Lu Station, which connects to the Jinrongcheng Railway Station of Guangzhou-Foshan intercity railway, it boasts convenient business travel conditions. The project offers panoramic river views with units facing south boasting over 70 meters of spectacular views of the Pearl River spanning thirty miles.
After intense competition, Liu Longjian claimed the Men's Individual Championship with a time of 19 minutes and 3 seconds, while Zheng Bingling won the Women's Individual Championship with a time of 22 minutes and 21 seconds. Yuancun Chamber of Commerce Team secured the Team Relay Championship with a time of 23 minutes and 16 seconds.
Source | Lingnan on the Cloud
