Things to do in Portsmouth: Runners invited to run up Spinnaker Tower in charity challenge fundraiser for the RNLI

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Runners are invited to put their fitness to the test by racing up hundreds of stairs inside a Portsmouth landmark.

The Power up the Tower challenge will see competitors ascend more than 500 steps to the top floor of the Spinnaker Tower as part of an international movement known as Towerrunning. Organised by Sweat Fitness, the event is alligned with the Towerrunning World Asscociation and the sport’s world champion Soh Wai Ching is travelling from Malaysia to participate. Some of the money raised from the unorthodox sporting event – which starts at 7pm on Friday, April 28 - will be donated to the RNLI.

Sweat Fitness co-founder and tower runner Luke Newton said: ‘Tower running takes place in the world’s most famous towers. It really is a niche sport and you have a dedicated following who will travel internationally to do it. It’s also just a unique challenge that anybody can get involved in.

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Runners will ascend 560 stairs inside the Spinnaker Tower.

Stacey JohnsRunners will ascend 560 stairs inside the Spinnaker Tower.

Stacey Johns
Runners will ascend 560 stairs inside the Spinnaker Tower. Stacey Johns

‘It will be my third time running it and it doen’t really get any easier but it’s a very rewarding challenge. I am excited to finally bring tower running back to the south coast and back to the Spinnaker Tower, and I’m excited to introduce a lot of people to tower running.’

Luke added that he hopes to make ‘Power Up The Tower’ an annual event so that people can return year after year and try to beat their previous record.

Elite runners will run 560 to the sky garden before general participants run 530 steps to the top floor.

Tickets cost £31 and are available online, with £5 from each going towards the lifesaving charity. 10 RNLI volunteers will join the runners, with the added challenge of competing while fully kitted out in life-saving gear.

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Spinnaker Tower hospitality manager Jade Blunden added: ‘They’ve done it here before and just wanted to bring it back in a lovely, spectacular way by supporting the RNLI. It’s a lovely community thing for us to be involved with.’

The event will kick off the Sweat Fitness Festival which will see a weekend of activities like Cold Water Immersion, Floating Mindfulness, Live DJs, Mindset workshops, Street Dance, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Zumba come to Gunwharf Quays across the weekend.

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