Hundreds ready to race up Sky Tower

Hundreds of corporate workers will race up the Sky Tower. Photo / NZME

Hundreds of corporate workers will race up the Sky Tower this afternoon to raise funds for leukaemia and blood cancer sufferers.

The Corporate Sky Tower Stair Challenge will see 100 business teams of five race up the tower's 51 flights of 1103 stairs from 2pm this afternoon.

The Sky Tower will glow blue and white for the event, which has already raised more than $320,000 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

Last year, Bachelor Art Green was the third fastest male up the tower.

SkyCity is a major sponsor of the event and has several teams participating. Other teams come from a wide range of companies, including Herald publisher NZME, New Zealand Police, Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp, KiwiRail, Spark, Farmers and the New Zealand Blood Service.

The fundraising target is $5000 per team, meaning the overall fundraising target is $500,000.

Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand support the 10,000 Kiwis living with a blood cancer or related condition by offering support and information to patients and their families, funding research into better treatments and finding a cure, and raising awareness about the diseases.

Firefighters have been bustling up the tower stairwells for many years but this is just the fourth time corporate teams have taken up the challenge.

Last year, 80 corporate teams raised $251,000 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

• Donations can be made at www.skytowerstairclimb.org.nz