VietNamNet Bridge – Melissa Moon, champion of the women's race up the 86 flights of stairs of the Empire State Building 2010, will join the Bitexco Vertical Run at HCM City’s tallest building on October 30.
Moon,42, is a long-distance runner from Wellington, New Zealand. She is a two time World Mountain running champion and has won 21 New Zealand athletics titles over her career. In 2001 she was named New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year. In 2008 she was named as one of ten Top Young Outstanding Persons of the World Program by the Junior Chamber International. In 2010, Moon won the women's race up the 86 flights of stairs of the Empire State Building (a 102-story landmark in New York City, USA), in a time of 13 minutes and 13 seconds.

Moon said she is waiting to participate in the race in HCM City to defend her championship. This is the first race of its kind held in Vietnam. Runners will have to pass 1,002 stairs to reach the 49th floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower. Reaching the finish, athletes will have a chance to see HCM City and the Saigon River from the height of 178m.

The race will take place on October 30. The total bonus is $5,000 for the three top male and female runners.

Bitexco Financial Tower is located in District 1, HCM City’s commercial and entertainment center. This is the tallest building in the city, with 68 storeys, 262m. The building was designed by American architect Carlos Zapata, featuring a lotus – Vietnam’s national flower. The work is a symbol of vitality, renovation and dynamism of Vietnam.

PV