Manila,┬á1 June 2018┬áÔÇô┬áNow┬áin its third year, the World Vertical Circuit will┬ábe┬áreturning to the Philippines┬áfor┬áthe Kerry Sports Manila┬áVertical Run 2018 with EastWest Bank.┬áThis international stair climbing race circulates iconic cities around the world including Seoul, Paris, New York, Beijing, Shanghai, Osaka, London and Hong Kong is scheduled to take place in Manila on┬á8 July┬á2018, at┬áShangri-La at the Fort, one of the tallest buildings in Manila.
 
Governed by┬áthe┬áInternational Skyrunning Federation,┬áthe Vertical World Circuit uses a point system┬áthat┬áis┬ábased on┬áa participantÔÇÖs ranking in each leg of the circuit. These points are then tallied at the end of the┬ánine legs to determine the Vertical World Circuit World Champion.┬áWith runners racing up 59 floors, conquering 1,353 steps to a height of 250 meters, the Kerry Sports Manila Vertical Run 2018 with EastWest Bank serves as the official World Vertical Circuit Philippine Leg.
 
The run will offer five categories:
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Full Challenge for individual runners that will run up all 59 floors. The minimum age for this category is 18 years old with a registration cost of Php 1,500. 
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Corporate/Team Challenge category provides an opportunity for positive competition and aims to foster healthy competition and stronger relationships among companies, teammates, and friends. Each team consists of four runners, with each runner climbing all 59 floors. The winning team will be calculated by the third runner that crosses the finish line. Registration cost is Php 6,000 for the entire team. 
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Horizon Challenge is ideal for individual runners looking for a median between the Full Challenge and the Fun Climb by running up 37 floors. Minimum age is 12 years old and costs Php 1,200. 
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Fun Climb category is ideal for beginners and will allow individual runners to run up 20 floors. Minimum age is 10 years old and cost Php 1,200. 
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Elite category will have professional runners that will participate in each leg around the globe and will climb up all 59 floors. This category is by invitation only.  
All race kits include: race bib with timing chip, event t-shirt, finisherÔÇÖs medal and other items from event sponsors.┬á
 
Complimentary Conditioning Training Program starting 2 June 2018
A new addition to this┬áyearÔÇÖs run is┬áa┬ácomplimentary┬áconditioning┬átraining┬áprogram┬áwhich will┬ábe held┬áevery Saturday of June 2018 from┬á9┬áam to┬á10┬áam in the Arena basketball court at Kerry Sports Manila. The training sessions are open to all participants who have signed up for the run. Participants will need to present their confirmation email to avail of the complimentary conditioning training sessions.┬á
 
Registration open until June 28, 2018
There are two ways to register for the Kerry Sports Manila Vertical Run 2018 with EastWest Bank: 
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Participants can go to www.manilaverticalrun.com and fill in the online registration form. 
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Register over the counter at Kerry Sports Manila in Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila. 
 
Race Kit Collection:
All participants must attend the Race Kit Collection to pick up their race kit & goodie bag.
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Dates & Times:
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12PM-9PM, 6 July 2018 (Friday)
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11AM-6PM, 7 July 2018 (Saturday)
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Location:
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Kerry Sports Manila, Level 6, 3rd Avenue cor. 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
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Team Challenge Race Kit Collection arrangements:
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Please designate one representative to pick up the race kit on behalf of the whole team (4 race kits)
Race Day Schedule (Tentative)
Sunday, 8 July 2018 / Location: Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila
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9:30am ÔÇô Elite Male
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9:32am ÔÇô Elite Female
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9:35am ÔÇô Horizon Challenge: 37 Floors
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9:50am ÔÇô Team Challenge: 59 Floors
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10:00am ÔÇô Full Challenge: 59 Floors
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11:45am ÔÇô Fun Climb: 20 Floors
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12:30pm ÔÇô Awards Ceremony
 
The 2018 Vertical World Circuit schedule is as follows:┬áSeoul ÔÇô 13 May, Paris ÔÇô 24 May, New York ÔÇô 3 June, Manila ÔÇô 8 July, 25 August,┬áBeijing ÔÇô 25 August,┬áShanghai ÔÇô 21 October, Osaka ÔÇô 4 November, London ÔÇô 24 November, Hong Kong ÔÇô 2 December.┬á
 
The Kerry Sports Manila Vertical Run 2018 with EastWest Bank is organized by: Shangri-La at the Fort, Vertical World Circuit and the International Skyrunning Federation; Sponsored by: De Los Santos Medical Center, Life Fitness, Matrix with Media Partners: Active Pinas, ESPN5, MBody.ph, SPIN.PH and WhenInManila.com.
 
Past Winners and Background of the Run
Last yearÔÇÖs Elite category winners, Piotr ┼üobodzi┼äski from Poland, and Suzy Walsham from┬áAustralia┬áwill also be returning this year to defend their title as Kerry Sports Manila Vertical Run Champions. ┼üobodzi┼äski┬ápreviously┬áraced to the top of┬áthe building in 6 minutes and 19 seconds while Walsham reached it in 7 minutes and 39 seconds.
 
Stair climbing, first known as ÔÇ£vertical racesÔÇØ in the 1970s, is now a global sport with stair climbing clubs hailing from the US, Canada, Europe,┬áand Asia, as well as professional athletes who train year-round to be the first to reach the top of the worldÔÇÖs tallest buildings. Although still a relatively new sport, stair climbing has quickly caught on with fitness enthusiasts attracted not only by the physical demands of this grueling sport but by also the novelty of competing in unique urban settings ÔÇô the worldÔÇÖs tallest structures, some of the tallest of which are located here in Asia.
 
Stay up to date
For updates on Kerry Sports Manila and Vertical Run 2018 follow Kerry Sports Manila on Facebook at facebook.com/KerrySportsManila and Instagram @KerrySportsManila. For inquiries, please call (63 2) 820 0888 or email kerrysportsmanila@shangri-la.com. You can also visit www.manilaverticalrun.com.
 
EastWest Bank is a universal bank duly licensed and regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and a subsidiary of the Filinvest Development Corporation (FDC), one of the country`s premier conglomerates, with business in real estate, sugar, hospitality, and power industries. 
 
With 479 stores all over the country, including its rural branches, it is one of the countryÔÇÖs fastest-growing banks offering a wide range of financial products and services. As the Philippines’ most consumer-focused bank, its primary focus lies on Consumer Lending, Retail, and Corporate Middle-market Banking.┬á
 
For more information, please visit https://www.eastwestbanker.com/ and follow EastWest Bank on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EastWestBanker/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/eastwestbanker. 
 
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently operates over 100 hotels with a room inventory of over 41,000. Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in Australia, Bahrain, mainland China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. For more information, please visit www.shangri-la.com.
