Troy Alston’s 3:02 Skylon Tower Ascent Certified as World Record
- 4 days ago
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Stair-climbing athlete clocks fastest known time up Niagara Falls’ Skylon Tower, with his 660-step ascent formally recognized as a world record following adjudication by Atlas World Records.
By Atlas Editorial Team
25 March 2026 • Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
A Structure That Does Not Yield
There are 660 stairs inside the Skylon Tower of Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. They rise in a narrow spine of concrete and steel above the constant roar of the falls, unchanged by weather, history, charity, or applause. They existed long before Troy Alston arrived, and they will remain long after his breath returned to normal.
For those who enter, the structure offers no variation and no relief. It does not adapt to the athlete. It demands that the athlete adapt to it.
A Record Measured in Seconds
In April 2017, during the Annual Stair Climb for Children's Cancer, Troy Alston entered this vertical corridor with a singular objective: to ascend faster than anyone before him. He completed the full 660-step climb in 3 minutes and 02 seconds, a time defined by precision and sustained exertion. The margin for error at that pace is nonexistent. Each step must follow the last without interruption; hesitation is the only true opponent. This was not an isolated achievement. One year earlier, Alston had already surpassed a record that had stood since 1984. But records invite repetition. They are not only set, they are defended.
So he returned—and improved.
Verified and Fixed in Public Record
Alston’s ascent was formally recognized by the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, which issued an official declaration naming him the record holder. Local news coverage further documented the performance, reinforcing its place within the public record. Unlike moments shaped for spectacle, this achievement was defined by clarity and verification. Time was measured. The climb was completed. The result stands. Troy Alston is recognized for the fastest stair-climb ascent of the Skylon Tower, completing all 660 steps in 3 minutes and 02 seconds.
The stairs remain.
They will wait.
Certified by Atlas World Records on 7 February 2026