What began as a crazy idea among some friends in December 2010 has since evolved into an event that quickly made a name for itself in the scene and continues to gain more and more cult status.
At the very first edition of Vertical Up in 2011, there were already 191 runners from 4 nations at the start. In 2012, the event saw 333 runners, and by February 2013, we welcomed 429 participants from 17 countries. In 2014, Vertical Up saw an enormous hype surrounding the coveted starting spots. The 200 places in the speed class sold out within 60 minutes and had to be increased to 250. In total, nearly 700 participants took part in the 4th Vertical Up.
This increase in participants shows that the athletes’ interest in our event is steadily growing, and as a team, we are incredibly proud to have built such a strong reputation in such a short time.
The organising team will, of course, continue to do its best to maintain the quality and unique spirit of Vertical Up and further develop it in the future.
| Date | Milestones and participation figures |
| Dec. 2010 | Vertical Up concept was born |
| 25 February 2011 | 1st Vertical Up with 191 participants from nations |
| 25 February 2012 | 2nd Vertical Up with 333 starters |
| 2012 | Trademark protection granted for "Vertical Up" |
| 23 February 2013 | 3rd Vertical Up 429 finishers from 17 nations, with 503 registered participants |
| 22 February 2014 | 4th Vertical Up 655 finishers, 794 registered participants |
| 28 February 2015 | 5th Vertical Up 848 athletes crossed the finish line, 1,029 registrations from 14 countries |
| 27 February 2016 | 6th Vertical Up 918 runners completed the race, with 1,040 registrations |
| 2016 | Additional tour stops: Hinterstoder, Pinzolo, Wengen |
| 25 February 2017 | 7th Vertical Up Record-breaking 939 finishers, 1,097 registrations from 13 nations |
| 2017 | Additional tour stops: Hinterstoder, Gröden, Pinzolo, Wengen |
| 24 February 2018 | 8th Vertical Up 898 finishers, 1,085 registered participants from 15 nations |
| 2018 | Additional tour stops: Hinterstoder, Gröden, Pinzolo, Wengen |
| 23 February 2019 | 9th Vertical Up 887 finishers, 1,024 registrations from 16 nations |
| 2019 | Additional tour stop: Pinzolo |
| 29 February 2020 | 10th Vertical Up 918 finishers, 1,086 registrations from 18 countries - the last major event before the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020 | Additional tour stops: Pinzolo, Gröden |
| 27 February 2021 | Event cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions |
| 26 February 2022 | 11th Vertical Up 598 finishers, 791 registrations from 14 nations. COVID-19 restrictions applied: No award ceremony or athlete catering |
| 25 February 2023 | 12th Vertical Up 714 participants finished, with 804 registrations from 17 nations |
| 24 February 2024 | 13th Vertical Up 727 finishers, 838 registrations from 17 nations |
| 22 February 2025 | 14th Vertical Up 826 athletes crossed the finish line, with 962 registrations from 24 nations |
| 28 February 2026 | The story continues... |