Madrid High Heel Race Opens Pride Week Celebrations

Dozens of competitors sprinted down Calle Pelayo in Madrid’s Chueca district on 3 July, balancing on stilettos measuring between 10 and 15 centimetres, in the 26th annual Carrera de Tacones that opens the city’s Pride Week known as MADO 2025. After six qualifying heats, 29-year-old Raúl Rodríguez crossed the finish line first, collecting the €350 top prize. Óscar Villegas finished second and received €250 after recovering from a fall on the cobblestones, while third place earned €150. Runners were required to stop mid-course to don wigs and lipstick before the dash to the line, adding a layer of theatre to the 80-metre sprint. Hundreds of spectators braved high summer temperatures to line the narrow street, turning the race into a colourful street party that blends sport with social activism. Organisers and participants described the event as a playful yet pointed reminder of the ongoing struggle for LGTBIQ+ rights. The high-heel dash launches a long weekend of Pride concerts, marches and cultural events in the Spanish capital, including a sold-out show by Mexican pop star Gloria Trevi. Similar celebrations are unfolding elsewhere in Europe; in London, Mayor Sadiq Khan this week unveiled a new mural in Shoreditch ahead of that city’s parade.