The tenth annual Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge was the biggest yet raising more than $870,000 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC). More than 700 firefighters from across the country took part, climbing 1,103 stairs of Auckland's iconic Sky Tower on Saturday 17 May.
Josh Harrison from Otara Station set a new event record reaching the top of the tower in 8 minutes and 36 seconds. Second place getter Malcolm 'Scott' McGraw from Metropolitan Fire Brigade Melbourne completed the event in 9 minutes and 6 seconds, while William Garnett from Airport Rescue Fire Auckland came third with a time of 9 minutes 32 seconds.
The fastest woman up the tower was Sandra Hearn from Metropolitan Fire Brigade Melbourne with a time of 14 minutes 12 seconds.
The firefighters raced up 51 flights of stairs wearing full firefighting kit and breathing apparatus weighing up to 25kg. This year 181 brigades and stations were represented in the challenge. International firefighters also flew in from Australia and as far as Washington and Hawaii.
In addition to training for the gruelling event firefighters gave up hundreds of hours of their time fundraising for LBC.