As always, the course for this year's Felsenkirche stair run was perfectly prepared. Rainer Hagner, founder and main organizer of the event, had checked it the day before and marked potholes and cleared away branches where necessary. This provided the runners with the best conditions for the two competitions, in which the starting field ranged from top athletes to amateur runners and brave rookies.
The races were started with a pistol shot by Lord Mayor Frank Frühauf, who gave the athletes his best wishes for the future. He also praised Rainer and Ilonka Hagner's long-standing social commitment to the Children's Relief Fund.
The short route was 5.4 kilometers long and involved 300 meters of elevation gain and around 350 steps. Maurice Machwirth showed his class and excellent form here: He virtually flew to the finish line after 22:15.40 minutes with a large gap. Only five minutes later, but still in a respectable time, followed Christoph Benkendorff (KS Treck Team) and Marco Gabriel (TFT TeamFelsenkircheTreppenlauf), with both also tackling the long distance later on. Carolin Mannweiler (TSV Vaterstetten) dominated the female starters in 32:27.33 minutes, followed by Angelina Zinkgraf (LAZ Birkenfeld) in 34:45.73 and Maria Gockel in 35:18.94.
Like Maurice Machwirth on the short distance, Steffen Übel (ITV) was in a class of his own on the long distance. In 36:50.53 minutes, he completed the extremely demanding and challenging course over 8.2 kilometers, 480 steps and 438 meters in altitude. Three and a half minutes and an age difference of almost twenty years separated him from the runner-up, a well-performing Jörg Fritsch. Lennox Düren (TuS Kirn) came third in the men's race in 43:57.93 minutes, always with a smile on his face despite the exertions and showing how much fun he had in this competition. Annika Wagner (ITV) finished first in the women's race in 46:54.69 minutes, followed by a strong Sandra Dolby (Team USA) in 47:52.31 and Lisa Schwung in 50:36.53 minutes.
The summer temperatures demanded everything from the runners this year. Nevertheless, they were full of praise for the competition, but above all for the magnificent course, which as always led through the catacombs of Oberstein Castle. Sandra Dolby, herself a successful European and world champion, enthused: "In terms of difficulty and excitement, this could be a world championship race. Everything is demanded of you." Stephan Knop echoed this sentiment, saying that of his 15 races over the year, this is his favorite. The course, the atmosphere and the almost family-like atmosphere always inspire him and he will certainly be there again next year. The date has already been set: Sunday, September 15, 2024.
At the award ceremony, presenter Heinz Hofmann, surrounded by the reigning German Gemstone Queen Cécile Elligsen and the second chairwoman of the German Gemstone Route Association Bettina Reiter, was visibly at ease. The two took it upon themselves to present the successful athletes with their certificates and gifts. Cécile Elligsen then also carried out the prize draw. The main prize, a stainless steel barbecue station donated by the company Schneider Grillgeräte, went to the lucky Sven Bermann (TuS Mörschied), who had previously won the M40 in the short distance. Rainer Hagner had the closing words, thanking his wife Ilonka, his numerous helpers, especially ASB and THW, as well as the sponsors.