Ricardo Wallace, left, Roosje Overdiep-Sturgess, and Matt Janssen. Photo / David Haxton
Ricardo Wallace, left, Roosje Overdiep-Sturgess, and Matt Janssen. Photo / David Haxton
Four firefighters from the Paraparaumu Volunteer Fire Brigade are about to go into the hurt zone.
Their legs and lungs will burn, sweat will pour off them and faces will grimace, but the quartet's pain will eventually turn into smiles.
The team, comprising Matt Janssen, Ricardo Wallace, Roosje Overdiep-Sturgess and Sara Sutherland, have entered the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge.
The focus of the gruelling challenge is to raise funds and awareness for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.
Firefighters, in full fire fighting kit weighing about 25kg, from around the country, will climb 51 flights of stairs, which equates to 1103 steps, in the 328m tall Sky Tower in Auckland on Saturday August 20.
He advises the newbies against the pitfall of double-stepping the early floors in order to get a fast time.
"It's not a good idea," he advises rookie Roosje who is keen to give it a go.
"You double-step for the first two floors and then you'll be done."
But Roosje thinks she'll put that advice to the test.
"I do quite a bit of cardio anyway but have been doing extra by going up the Nikau Palm Reserve walkway in Paraparaumu, which is definitely helping but pretty hard on the legs."
The imposing Sky Tower. Photo / NZME
While the goal was to "just finish it", she'd like to "beat one of these guys", she cheekily added.
"It's not going to be hard," said a deadpan Ricardo, who is now in the master class; the others are in the open class.
Each team member has regular training, with Matt's preparation including gym workouts as well as dieting to shed a few kilograms.
He has also taken part in a high-intensity 40-minute workout at Strive2bfit in full gear minus an oxygen tank.
"I know what to expect [at Sky Tower] so I think I'll be okay but I don't think my time [18min 06sec] will be better than last year."
Both men gave an insight into what it's like to get to reach the 51st floor and finish.
"When you get to the top there's a feeling of elation and you want to do it again the next year," Ricardo said.
Matt said, "It's really good getting to the top, and having that sense of achievement, but also the fundraising side."
Roosje said the challenge was "really cool and it's also an awesome cause that we're fundraising for", not to mention meeting people, whether they're volunteers or career firefighters, who "have worked towards the same common goal".
And for Sara, the challenge was something close to her heart.
Sara Sutherland.
"It's quite personal to me having lost both my uncle and aunty to cancer and being able to follow in the footsteps of my dad who has done this climb around seven times.
"It's definitely going to be a big mental challenge to get to the top but overall I'm feeling really stoked to have to opportunity to take part in this."
The team had an initial fundraising target of $1500 but have exceeded it - with upwards of $3000 raised so far, which is impressive considering all the Covid-19 disruption that has made initiatives like bucket-shaking slower than normal.
There's been a range of fundraising, including the team helping with the catering at the wedding of a brigade member, which led to a donation.
Matt, Ricardo and Sara will be back in Auckland in September to take part in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, at Sky Tower, in tribute to the New York City firefighters who lost their lives in the terror attacks as well as the New Zealand firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
