7th TK Elevator Towerrun: 1,250 stair runners race to Germany’s highest viewing platform in Rottweil

Rottweil, September 21, 2026. Impressive times, close finishes and 1,390 steps to the finish line: On Sunday, the 7th TK Elevator Towerrun once again transformed the test tower in Rottweil into a stage for international stair racing. A total of 1,250 runners from 19 nations took on the 232 vertical meters to Germany’s highest viewing platform. At the front of the top-class field of civilian stair runners, Lara-Elea Eckardt and Christian Riedl came out on top to secure victory. In the firefighter category, spectators also witnessed a new course record set by Ferdinand Oser and Florian Böbel in the competition with breathing apparatus.

Beyond the fastest times, the Towerrun featured numerous remarkable performances. Firefighter teams, ambitious amateur athletes and many TK Elevator employees battled their way upward step by step. The field of participants spanned an exceptionally wide range of generations: the youngest competitor was six years old, while the oldest was 93. The same reward awaited everyone at the finish line: the view from the platform 232 meters above the ground, stretching across the Black Forest and, in good visibility, all the way to the Alps. A total of 66 TK Elevator employees took part in the company’s home event at the test tower.

“Every year, it is fascinating to see the intensity with which the athletes take on this extraordinary challenge. When international elite runners are battling for every second while firefighter teams and amateur athletes are simultaneously pursuing their own personal goals, it creates a very special atmosphere in our test tower,” says Beate Hoehnle, Tower Manager of the TK Elevator test tower. “The performances at the front of the field deserve great respect. But I am equally impressed by the determination of every participant who tackles the 1,390 steps to the viewing platform. This combination of athletic competition, mutual respect and shared enthusiasm is what defines the TK Elevator Towerrun.”

The battle for victory among the elite civilian runners promised plenty of excitement. Lara-Elea Eckardt climbed to victory in the women’s competition. The top athlete from Frankenthal completed the 1,390 steps in 9:30 minutes and, at the German Towerrunning Cup final, also secured the overall title for 2026. Eckardt’s teammates Monika Carl (10:03 min.) and last year’s winner Sarah Seher (10:06 min.) finished second and third, respectively.

In the men’s competition, Christian Riedl successfully defended his title from the previous year. The overall leader of the German Towerrunning Cup won with a clear advantage over last year’s third-place finisher Tobias Fischer (7:34 min.) and Samuel Faruhn (7:46 min.). All three competed in Towerrunning Germany colors.

Ferdinand Oser and Florian Böbel win firefighter competition with breathing apparatus in record time

The firefighter teams once again produced some of the most intense competition of the Towerrun. Wearing breathing apparatus and protective gear weighing up to 25 kilograms, the firefighters tackled the 1,390 steps in teams of two. The additional load made this category the toughest discipline of the day. At the same time, the teams provided spectators with some of the most impressive images of the seventh edition of the event.

Ferdinand Oser and Florian Böbel won the firefighter category with breathing apparatus, setting a new course record of 13:17 minutes. Patrick Lebherz and Felix Conzelmann finished second in the men’s competition in 14:56 minutes, ahead of last year’s winners Philipp Großmann and Christoph Groß, who completed the course in 15:06 minutes.

In the competition without breathing apparatus, Jan Leidolt and Timo Hubenschmid took the top spot on the podium with a time of 17:57 minutes. Christian Rau and Andreas Engelhardt finished second in 19:18 minutes, ahead of André Jeserig and Elias Lechner in 19:31 minutes. In the women’s competition, Ida Schwarz and Maja Nowak claimed victory in 27:44 minutes. Nicole Hirt and Deborah Erhardt finished second in 28:22 minutes.