© Vortex Race
Vortex Race: The Run That Spins Your Head (and Your Legs)
16/10/2025 20:50In Lausanne, someone had a wild idea: turn a circular building into a running track. The result? A 2.8-kilometer ramp, eight floors to climb, and 2,000 runners ready to loop around… all the way to the roof. Welcome to the Vortex Race, one of the quirkiest events on the Swiss running calendar.
On the campus of the University of Lausanne, this Thursday, October 16, the Vortex tower already steals the spotlight. A massive ring of glass and concrete built on stilts, it was originally designed to host athletes during the 2020 Youth Olympic Games before being converted into student housing. Inside, a continuous ramp winds upward over eight stories, rising only 1%—but stretching nearly 2.8 kilometers. Enough to spark some ideas.
One evening, a group of students tossed out a challenge: “What if we ran all the way to the top?” The kind of joke that turns into an official race. A few years later, the Vortex Race is already celebrating its fifth edition—and every bib is sold out.
| Running in Circles, But Not for Nothing
The concept sounds simple: start outside, dive into the ramp, climb eight floors to the top… and then head back down. But at the finish line, faces tell another story. That gentle slope becomes a quiet torture, the endless curve punishes the legs, and the constant turning messes with your head. “It’s a race unlike any other,” one participant told France 3 Alpes. “You lose all sense of direction. You just keep turning, unsure of where you are. But once you reach the roof, the view and the atmosphere make it all worth it.”
Between dizziness and pride, everyone finds their rhythm. Some chase the clock, others come just for the experience—after all, running inside a university building isn’t exactly your everyday workout.
| A Well-Organized Madness
It may look like a friendly dare between students, but everything is planned down to the millimeter: wave starts, music, student volunteers everywhere. Two race formats are available: the Campus version, roughly 7 km long with an outdoor segment before entering the ramp, and the Classic version, shorter and focused entirely on the spiral.
Nearly 2,000 runners join each year from across French-speaking Switzerland—and beyond. Over time, the Vortex Race has earned its place among the most fun events in the country. Some media even call it “the craziest race of the year.” On the rooftop, runners enjoy a 360-degree view of Lausanne and Lake Geneva. Down below, DJs, food trucks, and a festive crowd set the tone. Far from the strict discipline of big marathons, the motto here is simple: run different, have fun.
| Two French Runners Crack the Top 10
Swiss runner Maxime Fluri conquered the 7-km climb in 21:19, taking the overall win. His compatriots Rico Punter(21:33) and Max Witteveen (21:36) joined him on the podium, while two Frenchmen broke into the top ten: Simon Guillou finished eighth in 22:52, and Mathiss Maury crossed the line tenth in 22:59.
| Body, Mind, and a Hint of Madness
On paper, a 1% incline doesn’t sound intimidating. Until it stretches for nearly three kilometers—without a break, without a straight line. Legs burn, calves tighten, and your brain starts to swirl. No visual cues, no left or right turns—just a continuous, hypnotic curve that pulls you into a strange state of focus.
Some runners see it as a metaphor for student life. Others as a chance to test their limits. One summed it up perfectly: “You think it’s not steep, but by the time you reach the top, you’ve given everything.”
| An UFO in the Running World
In a running scene often defined by asphalt, timing chips, aid stations, and medals, the Vortex Race breaks all the rules. It doesn’t need Alpine panoramas or long straight avenues—its landscape is the architecture. Its atmosphere comes from campus energy. Its soul lies in the idea of turning an ordinary place into a playground.
The event proves that running can be serious and silly at the same time—competitive, yet offbeat. A challenge, yes—but one that never takes itself too seriously.
| Running in Circles… But Not in Vain
There’s something almost poetic about the Vortex Race. A perfect loop. A climb without a mountain. Runners spiral upward, sweat, laugh, then descend with the feeling of having been part of something truly unique. While others pile up miles on urban marathons, these runners choose to go up—inside a building—just for the thrill of it. Maybe even for the symbolism: in a world that never stops spinning, some have decided to do it on purpose—by running.
So if you’re tired of straight lines, love creative races, and chase memories that stick, Switzerland is calling. Running in circles has never felt this good.
➜ Check out the marathon calendar
Dorian VUILLET
Journalist
