Students set their sights high for a Vertical Marathon

Wednesday 14 April 2010

Instead of running 26 miles, the climbers, who are all either present or past students between the ages of 18 and 34, will be climbing 26 miles.

The event will be held on the same day as the London Marathon when thousands of runners pound the streets of the nation’s capital. The climbing marathon will take place at the Surrey Sports Park’s climbing centre on April 24.

The new, state-of-the-art Sports Park, owned by the University of Surrey opens on Monday 19 April and the climbing marathon will be one of the first events to take place in the new climbing facility. The 12m high Climbing Centre includes a cave section, offering some of the finest and most challenging indoor climbing in the UK.

Kirsty Stubbs, a member of the University of Surrey Mountaineering Club and part of the organising committee for the event, said: “With approximately 50 climbers, everyone taking part will have to climb an average of half a mile, that's more than the tallest structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai which stands at 828m tall.

“Many of the climbers will even be climbing more than the height of Snowdon - 1,085m.

“It is safe to say climbing a marathon is not going to be easy, but it will all be worth it for the money we hope to raise.”

This event will be raising money, through sponsorship, for the Mountain Rescue Council - something very close to the hearts of many climbers.
The Mountain Rescue Council is the mountain and cave rescue service in England and Wales is provided by around 3500 volunteers, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Vertical Marathon was previously held in 2007 when it raised just over £3000 for charity.

Notes for Editors:
Surrey Sports Park’s state-of-the-art facilities include Surrey’s first 50 metre indoor swimming pool, three multi-purpose sports halls, four premier dance and exercise studios, eight outdoor floodlit tennis courts, two floodlit artificial grass pitches and an 120 station health and fitness suite. The Surrey Sports Park has already been registered as a suitable training venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 but as well as catering for elite athletes it will also provide the best and most up to date sport and facilities for anyone interested in sport and fitness everyone.
Media enquiries: Howard Wheeler, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: 01483 686141 or E-mail: h.wheeler@surrey.ac.uk

General Notes to Editors:
The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life – helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defence and social policy. Programmes in science and technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law. In addition to the campus on 150 hectares just outside Guildford, Surrey, the University also owns and runs the Surrey Research Park, which provides facilities for 140 companies employing 2,700 staff.
The Sunday Times names Surrey as ‘The University for Jobs' which underlines the university’s growing reputation for providing high quality, relevant degrees.
Surrey is a member of the 1994 Group of 19 leading research-intensive universities. The Group was established in 1994 to promote excellence in university research and teaching. Each member undertakes diverse and high-quality research, while ensuring excellent levels of teaching and student experience. www.1994group.ac.uk

Media Enquiries

Howard Wheeler, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 686141, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk