Stair climbers scale the TK Elevator test tower in Rottweil

Rottweil, 18 September 2023 - The fourth edition of the TK Elevator Towerrun on Sunday was a high-flying event in the truest sense of the word: 1,390 steps and 232 metres in altitude had to be conquered in the TK Elevator test tower in Rottweil. 1,200 starters from 17 nations ensured a sold-out race 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 2023 was an event for all ages and abilities - top international runners, firefighters and ambitious recreational runners took to the starting line. With an age range of 80 years, the event was a true generational run. The youngest starter was just 6 years old and the oldest stair runner reached the finish line at the age of 86. 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 60 employees took part in the home race for TK Elevator.

„We can look back on an eventful TK Elevator Towerrun 2023. The international participants all put in a remarkable performance and the atmosphere around the TK Elevator test tower was great again in the sunny late summer weather,’ said a delighted Beate Höhnle, Tower Manager of the TK Elevator test tower in Rottweil.

The TK Elevator test tower, which opened in 2017 and has quickly become an attraction and landmark in the region, offered participants nothing less than the highest staircase run in Western Europe.

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 and repeated his victory from the previous year. The course record holder from Erlangen won in a photo finish in a time of 7:08 minutes. Second place, just one second behind, went to Ryoji Watanabe from Japan (7:09 min.). Andreas Fruhmann (Towerrunning Germany / 8:10 min.) from Leverkusen, the reigning German stair running champion, fought his way into third place.

Japan's Tateishi Yuko won the women's competition in a new test tower record time of 9:08 minutes, beating the course record (9:28 minutes) set by German champion Verena Schmitz at a height of 232 metres. Last year's winner from Constance needed 9:28 minutes for the 1,390 steps and relegated her team-mate Monica Carl (Towerrunniung Germany / 9:43 min.) to third place.

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 test tower 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’ at a height of 232 metres on this day, it was also an impressive sight for the spectators who came to the fourth edition.

Last year's winners, Michael Schaller and Thomas Kerner, won the fire brigade category with breathing apparatus. The duo needed 14:25 minutes. Deborah Erhardt and Andrea Maluck from Switzerland won the women's competition in 30:29 minutes, while Michaela Zehnder and Max Görlich (23:35 minutes) came out on top in the mixed competition.

In the competition without breathing apparatus, Timo Bender and Pascal Löffler were the fastest in a time of 15:17 minutes. The women's competition was won by Jasmin Bohun and Petra Koch (24:23 min.) and in the mixed competition Simon Lang and Tanja Pussel (18:54 min.) repeated their victory from the previous year.