Sportiz JBG Westin33 - The Sky Run | India’s First Staircase Run
Staircase running is for the ones who are looking for a high-intensity workout. An ideal workout that helps build speed, power, and cardiovascular fitness. Running the stairs helps build quickness and foot speed while providing an excellent sprint workout. Here is all you need to know about staircase running events around the globe and in India.
Famous Staircase Runs in the World
The Empire State Building Run up, New York, USA
The world’s first and most famous tower race - challenges runners to race up its flamed 86 floors - 1576 stairs. The race is by invitation only and participants in the race include the Men’s and Women’s Elite Heats, media, celebrities and New York City real estate brokers. The New York Runners Club selects a limited number of runners from all applicants. Turkish Airlines, Challenged Athletes Foundation, members of the NYPD & FDNY, and lottery winners also compete.
The runners in the CAF heat fundraise to help raise awareness and much-needed donations so people with permanent physical challenges gain access to adaptive sports equipment, athletic training, an active lifestyle, community and mentorship.
Annual Tokyo Tower Stair-Climbing Race, Japan
Tokyo Tower is the venue for the sprint. The radio tower is 333m tall in the heart of Tokyo, and this event offers a chance to climb 600 steps from the ground to the Great Observation Deck. Last year's winner recorded a time of 2m:21s:19ss. The race started
as a wave, with everyone setting off one by one, with the goal of reaching 150 m above the ground.
The Broadgate Tower Run Up, London, UK
Broadgate Tower is one of the big London towers and is a great venue to climb. A sporting challenge to climb up the 877-step Broadgate Tower in the City of London. As part of the Vertical World Circuit, the race attracts a deep field of experienced stair runners and newcomers as well. In addition to the traditional single-climb event, there will also be the option of doing a 1/4, 1/2 or Full Vertical Mile, which involves multiple climbs up the building’s 877 steps.
Sportiz JBG Westin 33- The Sky Run, Kolkata, India
The Director of Sportiz, Nishant Maheshwari, is the brain behind bringing the staircase run to India in association with Jai Balaji Group and The Westin Hotel. Sportiz is always known to bring new concepts and experiences in their sporting events. Over the years, Sportiz has carved out a niche of conceptualizing and executing events which are out of the ordinaire, bringing in concepts, ethos and experience of western sporting events to India.
In 2015, when the marathon and ultra marathon events had gained momentum, Sportiz introduced the JBG Kolkata Trail Run that goes through the off-roads of the wetland villages, fields and in between water bodies. In 2021 on 14 August, they introduced staircase running in Kolkata, which doesn’t happen anywhere else in India.
Why The Westin (Kolkata, Rajarhat)?
Kolkata, the city of joy, is not home to very tall buildings. Even though there are a few residential societies with multi-storeyed buildings which fulfill the criteria but in order to not disturb the sanctity of a residential area, Sportiz decided to carry on with their search for a suitable venue.
The team shares they were at Westin for other events, when Subhash Sinha, GM of Westin, asked the team to check the view from the helipad and they all were left awestruck. Nishant proposed to hold the staircase run at Westin as it's the highlight of the city and Subhash was welcoming to the idea as it was a unique concept. The staircase at Westin is broad and spacious and adequately ventilated. Once the venue and permissions were sorted, the first edition event was planned for July 2021. However, due to COVID wave, the event had to be postponed to 14 August.
The race will be from the ground to the helipad on the 33rd floor of The Westin tower with a view of the sunset behind the Kolkata landscape. This year, the event (again on 14th August 2022) is going to be followed by a sundowner party as well .Last year, over 300 fitness enthusiasts from across the city took part in the staircase run, a race that is believed to be a tough test of one’s fitness. All the participants had to run up the staircase of 33 floors to reach the helipad of the hotel. The feat comprised 1,056 steps and an elevation of 499ft.
Find more information about the event here.
