Hastings firefighter Ken Laurie training for the upcoming Sky Tower challenge at Mitre 10 Sports Park, Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hastings firefighter Ken Laurie training for the upcoming Sky Tower challenge at Mitre 10 Sports Park, Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland
Ken Laurie has climbed the Sky Tower, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere, for three years running.
This year will be his fourth, and last.
Laurie, 54, will be taking part in the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge on May 22 and is hoping to beat his personal besttime at the annual fundraiser for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.
He's a volunteer firefighter at the Hastings station.
"There's quite a bit of training involved, I am participating in the Hawke's Bay Marathon as well," Laurie said.
"It's a hard thing to train for. I do a lot of running, I run up Te Mata Peak, spin bike at work, a lot of leg strength training."
Firefighters have to climb 1103 individual steps, while wearing 25kg of gear, up 328m, and navigate 51 flights fo stairs.
"I've beaten my time year on year and last year I did the challenge in 14 minutes, 50 seconds, and I am hoping to do it in less than 14 mins this year," he said.
"The fastest person climbed them in eight minutes. There's a friendly rivalry at the event and it's great to just enjoy the day."
Each year firefighters from around New Zealand and international competitors from Australia, the US, Chile and Germany fundraise and compete in the event at Auckland's Sky Tower.
In the past three years, Laurie has raised $52,300 for the charity. The Hastings fire station combined has raised about $74,000.
As a whole, the Hawke's Bay stations (Hastings, Napier, Havelock North, Taradale, Bay View, and Heretaunga Rural) have raised in excess of $200,000 for the charity.
"The Hastings station was presented with the Taiaha award last year from the event of organisers in recognition of community fundraising efforts," he said.
"It was a wooden carving, made by a Napier carver and presented to us by the previous winners.
"We have had to get one made this year to be handed to the new recipients."
Ken Laurie hopes to go out with a bang at his last sky tower challenge. Photo / Warren Buckland
Laurie, who has raised $760 so far this year, said he started doing the challenge because it raises money for a good cause, but believes it's time to hand over the reins to someone else.
"The hardest part for me is to better my last fundraising effort, to try to come up with better ideas for fundraisers.
"I have taken a step back in terms of fundraising this year. Life is very busy, I didn't have the energy to do it all over again.
"Last year we had to delay the event to November because of Covid, which meant there were only six months between training", when usually there is a year gap.
"For me, I am doing it one last time and bringing in two to three firefighters who haven't done it before."
Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand is the national organisation dedicated to supporting patients and their families living with a blood cancer – leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma or a related blood condition.
The funds raised assist the seven Kiwis diagnosed every day with a blood cancer or related condition.
LBC is not a government organisation and relies on the generosity of donors for fundraising.
