Stair runners scale the TK Elevator testtower in Rottweil

The third edition of the TK Elevator Towerrun on Sunday was literally a high-flying event: 1,390 steps and 232 metres in altitude had to be conquered in the TK Elevator testtower in Rottweil. 1,177 starters from 12 nations ensured a sold-out race after the coronavirus-related break and were rewarded at the finish with a breathtaking view from Germany's highest viewing platform over the Black Forest and as far as the Alps.

The TK Elevator Towerrun 2022 was an event for all ages and abilities - top European runners, firefighters and ambitious recreational runners all took part. With an age range of 73 years, the event was a true generational run. The youngest starter was just 11 years old and the oldest stair runner reached the finish line at the age of 84. An unrivalled (successful) experience awaited all participants: at the finish line, the athletes were treated to a breathtaking panoramic view of the Black Forest and as far as the Alps. A total of around 40 employees took part in the home race for TK Elevator.

The battle for the vertical victory of the top runners promised to be exciting. Christian Riedl from Team Towerrunning Germany once again lived up to his role as favourite. The course record holder won in a time of 7:32 minutes - ahead of the reigning Italian European champion Fabio Ruga (7:40 min / Towerrunning Italy), who won the stair run in 2019. Third place went to the German stairrunning champion Görge Heimann (Towerrunning Germany / 7:50 min).

In addition to the ‘civilian’ runners, numerous firefighters also geared up for the challenge. Slightly less than half of the starters in the test tower took part in the fire brigade competitions. The uniformed rescuers were each able to conquer the TK Elevator testtower as a team of two - most of them with breathing apparatus attached and a total weight of around 25 kilograms of equipment. By far the most strenuous way to reach the summit on this day, it also created an impressive sight for the spectators who attended the third edition.

On this day, the fire brigade not only emphasised sporting ambition, but also support from beyond the country's borders. The local members of the volunteer fire brigade offered their travelling colleagues the opportunity to spend the night in the fire station in Rottweil.

Michael Schaller and Thomas Kerner won the fire brigade competition with breathing apparatus. The duo needed 13:58 minutes. Elina Grenacher and Seraina Heid won the women's competition in 23:33 minutes and Felix Hortmann and Linda Molnar (18:17 minutes) came out on top in the mixed competition.

In the competition without breathing apparatus, Frenchmen Frédéric Bernhard and Olivier Pruneau from Strasbourg were the fastest in a time of 14:45 minutes. The women's competition was won by Nicole Mrosek and Jasmin Bohun (23:48 min.) and the mixed competition was won by Simon Lang and Tanja Pussel (18:57 min.).

Congratulations to the teams from close by. Three teams from Rottweil and Bösingen made it into the top 10: the Wiest-Rebmann duo (fourth place, 15:48 minutes), Lukas Rebmann and Lukas Munz (FW Rottweil, 16:34) in sixth place and Oliver Banholzer and Raphael Banholzer (FW Bösingen-Herrenzimmern, 17:08) in tenth place.

All results for the various disciplines: https://towerrun.tkelevator.com/ergebnisse/