If running in a straight line is tiring, running up stairs is much more tiring, but there are those who do and this modality is called Vertical Running. The Free Fall at Aquashow, in Quarteira, will host, on August 1st, at 22 pm, the first race of this kind in Portugal, but this will be more than a mere sporting event, it will be a show-race. The event will have musical entertainment, the water park will have free entry and the wave pool will be open. Therefore, the organization hopes to bring together thousands of people.
Marco Pereira, the mentor of the event, explained to the Sul Informação that a test of this kind has never taken place in Portugal, and is rare even worldwide. «It is an unprecedented race in Portugal and is the second race of its kind in the whole world. All Vertical Running events are indoor, inside closed buildings, this is the second that takes place in an open structure, the first was in the Eiffel Tower and was also made this year».
The Eiffel Tower is just one of the examples of international monuments that have been “run” vertically. The Empire State Building in New York or the Taipei Building in China have already hosted vertical running races.
Marco Pereira's idea of holding this event in the Algarve came from his taste for this competition. «I wanted to do something different in the Algarve, and I've always had a passion for this type of competition. I find it interesting and have always wanted to do it. When I looked at that “Free Fall” tower [with 32 meters] I said: “I'm going to do something there”, in an open tower, so that you can see,” he said.
«The origin of this new aspect was born with tests made in mountains. Athletes who practiced this left the mountainous areas and went to the cities and wanted to continue running in extreme conditions, so they started running inside the buildings», added Marco Pereira.
The competition will be limited to 50 athletes. For now, the runners are being invited but from next week onwards they should open registration for non-federates. For these, it will be necessary to present a medical certificate, because the test requires a lot of effort.
As it is a first competition in Portugal, all athletes will have a new experience in the Vertical Race, and some well-known names from the general public can participate.
The competitive model was also explained by Marco Pereira: «the runners do two climbs, against the clock, counting the best time of the two climbs. Six athletes qualify for the final, from yesterday the top three in the two categories, male and female, come out. We have thrones and whoever has the best time will be seated on them. If someone improves the record, he “steals” the throne. In the end, the king and queen of the event will be crowned».
Throughout the event, DJ Christian F will encourage the public who will be able to watch the race in the wave pool.
The “Corrida Vertical Aquashow” is the result of an organization by the Algarve Trail Running and Vertical Race, with the support of Quarteira Night Runners, in co-partnership with the Municipality of Loulé. The event has the seal of “Loulé European City of Sport 2015”.
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