Firefighters battle Sky Tower stairs for leukaemia funds

Firefighter Brent Austin makes a sprint for the finish. Photo / Michael Craig

Bursting out the stairwell door, firefighter Brent Austin proved his mettle as he made it to the 51st floor of Auckland's Sky Tower in just over 10 minutes.

Image 1 of 7: Firefighter number 286, Sandra Hearn, crosses the line as the first female firefighter to finish. Photo / Herald on Sunday / Michael Craig

The feat secured him a top-10 finish among the 700 firefighters competing in yesterday's challenge to fundraise for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer.

Firefighters from across the country — as well as from Australia and the United States — took up the Sky Tower Stair Challenge in a bid to raise $1 million. Loaded with breathing apparatus and equipment that weighed 25kg, the firefighters had to race up 1103 stairs.

More than 180 New Zealand brigades and stations competed for 2014, the ninth year of the challenge.

Austin, from Airport Rescue Fire Hamilton, has so far placed 10th in the competition, with his time of 10 minutes and 27 seconds.

Top place went to John Harrison from Otara Fire Station, who managed the stairwell in just eight minutes and 36 seconds.

The top woman competitor was Gabbie Ernst, from Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigade, with 14 minutes and 29 seconds.

Leukaemia & Blood Cancer chief executive Pru Etcheverry said she was "truly thrilled" with the results.

"The generosity of [the firefighters] and all those who gave is just breath-taking really."

By yesterday the total raised was sitting around $860,000 — almost double that of last year's total of $489,000 — and was expected to continue rising, she said.

Stair it down

• 700 firefighters
• 51 flights of stairs
• 1,103 individual steps
• 181 participating brigades and stations