The world’s best tower runners descended on Abu Dhabi for the inaugural Climb to Abu Dhabi, the vertical marathon hosted by the Etihad Towers. Organized by Sport360, the Climb to Abu Dhabi featured an 82-floor, 1,617-step climb for the elite tower runners, guaranteeing a grueling test for participants.

2016 World Tower Running champions Suzy Walsham and Piotr Lobodzinski (who is the brand ambassador for Climb to Abu Dhabi)  were on hand to watch the runners compete in the marathon. World No. 1 and No. 2 Suzy Walsham and Christian Reidl lived up to their lofty rankings, crossing the finish line as winners.

While 82 floors was a distance meant for the best of the best, the Climb to Abu Dhabi featured events open to all runners, including family, school, and community categories, which featured a 32-floor, 720-step race.

The sport of of vertical marathons began in the 1970s, and with the Abu Dhabi event, it has now spread to every continent.