Paris Stiletto Race To Have Nearly 100 Competitors

Nearly 100 shoe addicts--and potential masochists--have advanced to the National Stiletto Championship race in Paris. The finalists made it through the regional rounds and are prepping for the competition, which will be held Friday night in the old stock exchange building.

Sarenza.com came up with the idea for the race, and it will give the winners 3,000 euros worth of shoes. The race will take the form of a three-part, 180-meter relay and runners must wear at least three-inch heels. There are 32 teams participating and the Red Cross will be on hand in case of injury.

The 2008 winners, team "Talk To My Foot (Parle A Mon Pied)" will be competing again this year, a trio comprised of a TV journalist, a psychologist and a lawyer.

"We all love shoes and we love having fun," journalist Dorothee Kristy told the AFP. "The only training we do is running to catch a train or a bus every day."