Dannevirke firefighters take on the Sky Tower challenge

The four, James, Daniel, Jordan and Michael hope to get a bigger group next year. Photo / Supplied

Climbing all 51 flights of the Sky Tower in Auckland would be a bit daunting for a lot of people, but imagine doing it in full firefighting gear.

That's what Daniel and Jordan Adie, Michael Sowerby and James Curtis did last weekend, joining hundreds of other firefighters in the challenge to raise money to fight blood cancer.

The challenge was meant to have been held in May, but was delayed until August 20 due to Covid.

For James and Michael, they weren't exactly rookies, but brothers Daniel and Jordan were doing it for the first time.

Daniel Adie took on the challenge for the first time. Photo / Supplied

Neither knew quite what to expect and decided to aim for a time of about 25 minutes.

"I said to myself I'd be happy if I could do it in 20 minutes, but I'd be happy with anything under 25," said Jordan, who managed to do it in 24 minutes and eight seconds.

Jordan Adie, also a first-timer, felt a sense of accomplishment in completing the challenge. Photo / Supplied

Daniel just managed to do it in under 25 minutes with three seconds to spare.

"It was definitely a challenge," Jordan said adding that he didn't think it was as hard as he'd been told. "It's more in your head."

"It's definitely a mental game," Daniel said. "It's a good physical challenge, not too hard but not that easy."

Each firefighter had to start in the basement of the tower, which was five floors below ground level.

Once up to the ground level, they had to go outside and do a circuit of the base before going back in and climbing up the remaining flights to the top.

While it sounded easy enough, some of the floors varied between one flight of stairs and three, according to James.

"The mental/physical challenge is 100 per cent there," he said.

He described moments where he would be kicking the steps through exhaustion.

It helped that there was encouragement for them, not just from fellow firefighters but those who had come to watch, or to help out, such as medics and event staff.

"They're giving you that extra little motivation to carry on to get to the top," James said.

All four were doing it for the same cause, which was a big part of their motivation for doing so.

James had met a family who had lost a young daughter through blood cancer and that was his main motivation.

"I do it for her really," he said.

"The pain you go through for 20 to 30 minutes is nothing compared to what the cause is for."

Michael was of the same opinion.

The Sky Tower in Auckland is 51 flights and at 328 metres, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere. Photo / Supplied

While he said climbing the tower was like "walking up a steep hill", and it did get hot with all the gear on, it was nothing compared to what the families had to go through, for a much longer period of time.

"I go and raise a bit of money and help the family out, run up the Sky Tower, do my 20 minutes of hard work, but really it's the families that are doing the hard work."

Having done it before, Michael Sowerby knew what to expect and wasn't out to break any records. Photo / Supplied

He said he managed to do it in 21 minutes, an improvement on last year's result, but he wasn't out to break records.

"I do it for the fundraising and helping out the community. That's why I do the firefighting."

All four had a few weeks of training with a personal trainer, Zane Gatchell, at Activate Gym in Dannevirke.

"That was hard. I definitely feel like if I hadn't had that training, my time would have been a bit slower," Jordan said.

The challenge raised more than $1.3 million.

Between them, Jordan, Daniel, James and Michael raised just over $8000 – their goal had been $6000.

James said the fact that people were willing to donate was "cool".

"It's a good little chunk of money we got from a small community."

The four of them raised some of the money by doing jobs around the community, like stacking hay, but they also had a stand outside BP and New World with buckets and were grateful to both businesses for allowing them to do so.

They were also grateful to the community, which had gone "above and beyond", Michael said.

Daniel wanted to give a "huge thank you" to the community. "We couldn't have done it without them," he said.

They'll be gearing up for next year's challenge, which is expected to be held in May, already thinking about how to fundraise and to get started on training.

They also hope to be joined by more from the Dannevirke brigade.

"It'll be quite cool having new ones doing it," Michael said. "Bringing new blood in, so they can experience the satisfaction of crossing the finish line."

Hundreds of firefighters took part on the day. Photo / Supplied