Yesterday saw the inaugural Mayfair Park and Tower Race aimed at raising money for Hilton’s charity Galvin’s Chance. Business Traveller took part in the race alongside celebrities and atheletes including Graeme Le Saux, Iwan Thomas, Michel Roux Jr and ex-Steps singer Lee Latchford Evans.

The race involved a 4.5km race around the Serpentine in Hyde Park, followed by a “sprint” up the 28 floors of the Hilton on Park Lane. The overall winner was Peter Slijkhuis, a keen triathlete who completed the course in 19 minutes 32 seconds, while the first female competitor to reach the summit was Olympic middle-distance athelete Jo Mersh-Fenn, in 23 minutes 7 seconds.

Over 100 runners took part in the race, alongside celebrities including former Chelsea and England footballer Graeme Le Saux, and UK 400m record holder Iwan Thomas. Business Traveller’s online editor Mark Caswell came 16th in 23 minutes 47 seconds, with features editor Felicity Cousins in 63rd place in 32 minutes 46 seconds. Olympic sprint medallist John Regis was on hand to start the race, with former London Mayor Ken Livingstone greeting the runners on the 28th floor.  

The race was organised to raise funds for Galvin’s Chance, a charity giving disadvantaged young people at risk from gun and knife crime the chance to train and work within the hospitality industry. The charity was inspired by Alexander Rose, founder of the STOP campaign, and is the brainchild of Chris Galvin and Fred Sirieix of the Galvin’s at Windows restaurant on the top floor of the Hilton on Park Lane.

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Mark and Felicity