A showdown at the top of Warsaw's Rondo 1 skyscraper
On April 12, the best stair running specialists will arrive in Warsaw to take part in the 13th edition of the Rondo 1 Run-Up. Top-ranked athletes, including current world champions, have confirmed their participation.
Though stair running is a niche discipline, the Rondo 1 Run-Up has become one of the iconic events on the running calendar. Each year, the world’s top athletes in this field race to the 37th floor of the Rondo 1 skyscraper. The first edition took place in 2011, and twice the event was held under the patronage of the Towerrunning World Association as the European Championships.
Wai Ching Soh will undoubtedly be one of the main favorites of this year’s edition. The current world champion has dominated the towerrunning scene in recent years and won last year's Rondo 1 race with a clear lead. However, recent months have belonged to his main rival, Ryoji Watanabe of Japan. Watanabe currently leads the Towerrunning World Association rankings and has beaten Soh in several prestigious races.
I won last year, but I wasn’t entirely satisfied. My goal remains to break the course record, which has been held for years at Rondo 1 by Piotr Łobodziński. 3 minutes and 27 seconds is a fantastic time, but I still believe I can run faster.
Wai Ching Soh (Malaysia), current stair running world champion
Former towerrunning dominator Piotr Łobodziński also plans to race at Rondo 1. The Polish athlete is currently ranked seventh in the world but remains a contender for top positions. Other confirmed participants include Fabio Ruga and Emanuele Manzi (Italy), Ivan Vuletic (Croatia), as well as Paweł Ruszała and Mateusz Marunowski (Poland). All are ranked in the top 10 of the Towerrunning World Association rankings.
The main favorite among the women is Valentina Belotti. The Italian athlete won Rondo 1 last season and later secured her first world championship title in towerrunning. She is currently the top-ranked woman.
I come from mountain running, so I prefer longer races. What I like about Rondo 1 is that we have two rounds. That allows me to use my endurance.
Valentina Belotti, towerrunning world champion
Her biggest rivals in the global rankings are Yuko Tateishi (Japan) and Poland’s Klaudia Krajewska. Both will compete at Rondo 1 on April 12.
As always, I plan to give my all. At the beginning of the year, I had to drastically change my training, but after my recent performance at Everest Run, I feel incredibly strong.
Klaudia Krajewska, third in the Towerrunning World Association rankings
Other notable contenders include Kamila Chomanicová (Slovakia) and Tsz Yau Li (Hong Kong). Polish runners Ines Możejko and Iwona Wicha, along with Tea Faber from Croatia, will also be competing for high placements.
The 13th Rondo 1 Run-Up will host both elite athletes and amateurs. The start list is already full, and, as tradition goes, the event will also have a charitable aspect. Funds raised from entry fees will be donated to the SOS Children’s Village in Kraśnik.
The host of the race is the Rondo 1 office building, with fitness club chain Zdrofit as a partner. Media patrons of the event include: Biegowe.pl, Eurobuild CEE, Informator Stolicy, MaratonyPolskie.pl, NowaWarszawa.pl, Radio Kolor, TVP 3 Warszawa, and TVP Sport.
