Hundreds make World Trade Center tower climb

NEW YORK (AP) — They're high steppers of a different sort. More than 700 people took the long way up at the World Trade Center on Thursday — climbing the stairs.

They did it for the inaugural "Runyon Up," a fundraiser for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

Elite climbers went first, leading the pack at 4 World Trade Center. Participants could either tackle all 72 floors, or do a partial climb to the 54th floor.

The fastest male contender reached the 72nd floor in just under 9 minutes. The first woman to the finish floor clocked in at just over 11 minutes.

The event was sanctioned, unlike last month when a New Jersey boy sneaked through a fence and took an elevator to the spire before being arrested.