By NEW YORK

The 42nd Empire State Building Run-Up, the world’s most famous tower race sponsored by Turkey’s national flag carrier Turkish Airlines, was held in New York City on Tuesday.

Approximately 200 runners from around the world climbed the 102-story Empire State Building, which is one of the city’s landmarks.

The runners climbed 1,576 stairs and 1,050 vertical feet (320 meters) to the 86th floor of the fifth tallest building in the U.S. for the annual event.

The defending champion Suzy Walsham from Singapore won the women's race in 12 minutes and 18 seconds.

This was Walsham's tenth victory in the race. She had climbed the building in 12 minutes and 56 seconds last year.

Piotr Lobodzinski of Poland won the men's race in 10 minutes and 5 seconds. He had won the race in 2017 as well.

The Empire State Building was lit up at night with red and white -- the colors of the Turkish national flag and its flagship airlines carrier.

Turkish Airlines has its New York office on the 75th floor in the Empire State Building, and headquarters in Istanbul.

The national flag carrier had also sponsored the 41st edition of the race last year.

*Writing by Nilay Kar Onum