13th SkyRun at the MesseTurm: On 27 November, the sky is the limit again

After a break for renovation and Corona, the 13th edition will take place on the first Advent

Four years after the last SkyRun in Frankfurt’s MesseTurm, the 1,200 steps and 213 metres of altitude are waiting to be conquered again by athletes from all over the world. On 27 November – the first Advent – it will be charity and world class in the MesseTurm for the 13th time. Due to the renovation of the MesseTurm and the Covid19 pandemic, the stair run was last held in 2018. Well over 1,000 runners took to the starting line.

“We are incredibly happy to be back in the MesseTurm after three years without a SkyRun and are looking forward to the starting gun together,” says race director Michael Lederer, describing his feelings before the SkyRun. The registration fees and donations are collected for the benefit of ARQUE (ARbeitsgemeinschaft für QUErschnittgelähmte mit Spina bifida Rhein-Main-Nahe e.V.). After deducting the costs, around 43,000 euros were collected in 2018. Lederer is the second chairman of ARQUE and continues: “Of course, it’s important for us to have the opportunity to generate funds again in the course of this great event.”

The storm of the staircase will be tackled in different categories: Individual runners will “sprint” up the 213 metres to floor 61. Corporate teams from numerous financial institutions want to conquer the 1,200 steps together. Some of the fire brigade teams will compete with and without breathing masks, and rescue teams with their equipment will also test their physical abilities. In the KIDS CUP, the youngsters will master 32 floors and 642 steps. Interested runners can register for the SkyRun online at https://my.raceresult.com/210595/ from Friday, 21 October.

The respective best times in the stairwell of the MesseTurm of 6:25.5 minutes for the men and 7:35.2 minutes in the women’s category were set by Dr Christian Riedl from Erlangen in 2016 and Singapore-based Australian Suzy Walsham in 2014.

Skyscraper-enthusiasts come together in the MesseTurm to chase crazy records and achieve top performances. The staircase of the MesseTurm has already been conquered backwards, in a handstand or with a wheelchair. In 2017, a piano was even dragged to the top of the tower. The oldest participant will be over 85 years old this year. Many plan to conquer the staircase more than just once. Lederer is pleased because “the more often people run, the more money is raised.” No entry fee is charged for the children, they are to be introduced to the vertical sport in a playful way: “But donations are always welcome.” 

The mixture of charity and top-class sport in the skyscraper is unique in this form in Germany. The City of Frankfurt, which has supported the project of the Frankfurt-RhineMain Metropolitan Region since it was first held, is represented by patron Mike Josef, City Councillor and Head of the Department for Planning, Housing and Sport of the City of Frankfurt. The financial surplus benefits the charitable work of ARQUE, an association that accompanies people with congenital paraplegia, spina bifida, and their relatives. ARQUE helps people to lead a self-determined life with this complex form of disability, Lederer explains. “About one in a thousand children in Germany is born with congenital paraplegia. The association is available to all affected persons, parents, families, professionals and anyone interested as a contact free of charge and independent of membership.” An essential foundation of ARQUE is self-help and bringing together similarly affected people at all stages of life. The MesseTurm offers a total of almost 62,000 square metres of rental space on its 63 floors with room for 3,500 office workplaces. Each floor offers approximately 1,200 square metres of space, which can be used as individual, combined or open-plan offices. With its 256.50 metres total height, of which the stair climbers run up 213, the MesseTurm has the highest office floors in Germany.

Press Contact ARQUE:

Jan-Philipp Mirwald
+49 173 3122 907
mirwald@medialis.one