Competitors – who include staircase novices, competitive athletes, 8-year-olds and 91-year-olds – will have to climb over 732 steps in the race up to the 40th floor (one more floor than last year) of the 148.50-metre tower in the 12th edition of the event.
Participants can enter individually, as teams or as fire brigade teams in full protective gear. More than 21 different nationalities have registered for the event. Runners will get a breather from the stairs at the top as they come back down in the lift.Â
It's set to be an exciting battle for the win as defending champion Andreas Fruhmann is returning in a bid to retain his crown.
The 45-year-old from Leverkusen will face local hero Görge Heimann, who is 11 years his senior.Â
Verena Schmitz from Konstanz will also try to defend her championship title of fastest woman from the previous two years. The 30-year-old will be competing against Monica Carl, who came second last year.
As well as the German favourites, top international athletes Omar Bekkali from Belgium and Canadian Adele Blaise-Sohnius, who lives in Siegburg, will also be taking part in the race in the cathedral city.
The fastest runners will make it up the stairs in under four minutes, while the record for firefighters in gear is just over six minutes. The races start at 11am.
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