Dozens of fashionistas will aim to show a clean pair of heels as they compete in a Paris stiletto race. The only rule is to be perched on heels at least eight centimeters high — the prize is boxes and boxes of shoes.
A total of 96 shoe addicts, a common condition with fashionistas, have signed up for the National Stiletto Championship, taking place after office hours on an indoor track in the old stock exchange building in central Paris.
“The finalists are training very seriously,” said Caroline Gentien, who works for the online shoe-sale site that came up with the idea, Sarenza.com. “Walking on heels is no piece of cake.”
The finalists hail from all over France and made it into the glam challenge after a series of regional races.
“We came up with the idea just two years ago, and this year 400 candidates signed up for the regional races,” Gentien added.
The prize is 3,000 euros worth of shoes.
The race is a three-part relay over 180 meters involving 32 teams of three with names such as “Yes We Can”, “Sexpistols” or “Superwoman.”
Volunteers from the Red Cross will be standing by in case of accident, but last year’s competition wound up without a single twisted ankle.
Winners of the 2008 edition will be competing again this year, a TV journalist, a psychologist, and a lawyer competing under team name “Talk To My Foot (Parle A Mon Pied).”
“We all love shoes and we love having fun,” said journalist Dorothee Kristy, 29. “The only training we do is running to catch a train or a bus every day.”
Also taking part in the event is stilleto school “Talons Academy,” a private business that doles out tips on how to walk in heels without hurting one’s back or one’s ankles.
“A lot of women love high heels but don’t dare wear them,” said school founder Marine Aubonnet. “Or else they cheat. They go to a rendezvous in flat shoes and put their stilettos on at the last minute. It’s true that it is harder to find your balance on heels.”
The trick for the contestants, she said, was “mastering the half-turn. Turning is key, you have to get it right for each foot. Stilettos is all about technique.”
(AFP)
參加巴黎一場細高跟鞋賽跑的數十位「時尚達人」，目標都是要把其他參賽者遠遠甩在後頭。比賽唯一的規定是要腳蹬至少八公分高的細高跟鞋，獎品則是一箱箱的鞋子。
「時尚達人」普遍對鞋成癡，這場「全國細高跟鞋錦標賽」共有九十六名「時尚達人」報名參賽，比賽於下班後，在巴黎市中心的舊證券交易所室內跑道舉行。
想出這個點子的線上鞋商「Sarenza.com」員工卡洛琳．珍緹安說：「進入決賽者都進行了非常嚴格的訓練。穿著高跟鞋走路根本不成問題。」
進入決賽者來自法國各地，經過一連串區域賽的過關斬將，才擠進這場吸引人的挑戰賽。
珍緹安說：「我們兩年前才想出這個主意，而今年的區域賽就有四百人報名參賽。」
優勝者的獎品是價值三千歐元的鞋子。
這場比賽是一百八十公尺的三人接力賽，參賽隊伍共有三十二隊（每隊三人），隊名包括「我們做得到」、「性手槍」和「女超人」等。
紅十字會的義工在旁待命，以防意外發生，但去年直到比賽結束，都沒有發生任何一起腳踝扭傷意外。
二ＯＯ八年的冠軍隊伍今年再度參賽，這支名為「和我的腳談」（德文：Parle A Mon Pied）的隊伍，由一名電視新聞記者、一名心理學家和一名律師組成。
二十九歲的記者桃樂絲．克莉絲蒂說：「我們都熱愛鞋子，也喜歡玩樂。我們唯一的訓練就是每天穿高跟鞋趕火車或公車。」
今年的參賽隊伍還有細高跟鞋學校「泰隆思學院」，這間私人企業專門傳授穿高跟鞋不致傷及背部或腳踝的訣竅。
該校創辦人瑪琳．歐寶奈說：「許多女性喜愛高跟鞋，卻不敢穿。不然就是作弊，她們會穿著平底鞋到約會地點，然後在最後一刻才換上細高跟鞋。穿高跟鞋比較難平衡是事實。」
至於建議參賽者的訣竅，她說，「掌握轉半圈。轉圈是關鍵，兩隻腳都要轉得正確。穿細高跟鞋重在技巧。」
（法新社╱翻譯：袁星塵）
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