NSW: German towers over opposition in skyscraper race

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2009
NSW: German towers over opposition in skyscraper race

SYDNEY, Aug 21 AAP - The German winner of a race up Sydney Tower's 1,504 steps says
he knew he would win, despite only arriving in Australia three days ago.

"I knew I would win," Thomas Dold said. "I don't have time for jet lag."

Dold, 24, only arrived in Australia on Tuesday and was boarding a flight home with
his $7,500 prize just three hours after the gruelling Sydney Tower Run-Up, described by
one elite competitor as a "world of pain".

Perhaps such a forward thinking attitude should be expected from an athlete who holds
world backwards running records and has previously won races up New York's Empire State
Building and Taiwan's 101 tower.

Dold made a last-minute decision to enter the Sydney contest and shrugged off the pain
to complete the sprint up the 305 metre tower in 7mins 4secs - collapsing in a heap at
the viewing platform finish line.

His time was only 12 seconds off the 6mins 52secs record set in 2000 by Canberran Paul Crake.

"Flying from Germany is not cheap, so I had to be confident about winning," Dold told
AAP after the race.

"To be honest I knew I would win, I was very confident.

"I've adjusted to the time difference by going out to train at very early in the morning.

I don't have time for jetlag."

The race, run on a time-trial basis, attracted a field of elite domestic and international
runners along with celebrities and novelty competitors, including fire fighters in full
equipment.

Double amputee Dwayne Fernandes was also among the runners.

Whereas Dold has special permission to train in some of Germany's tallest buildings,
Canberrans Mark Bourne (7mins 26secs) and Scott McTaggart (7mins, 35secs), second and
third in the men's elite race, are at a disadvantage because there are no skyscrapers
in the ACT.

"There's nothing over 22 floors in Canberra and even those I'm not allowed to train
in because they're worried about terrorism," McTaggart told AAP.

"After a minute into the race you're just into a world of pain, it hurts."

Vanessa Harverd won the women's elite race in a time of eight minutes and 57 seconds,
also scooping $7,500.

"I really didn't expect to win, I had no idea," she told AAP after the race.

AAP mg/wjf/ash

KEYWORD: TOWER

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