"This is top-class sport" - firefighters are looking for champions

Firefighters from Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria will be looking for their German champions in firefighting sports from today in Torgau in northern Saxony. 620 athletes will be competing in various disciplines until Saturday, according to Silvia Oestreicher, spokesperson for the German Fire Service Association. In competitions such as a 100-meter run with obstacles or the "wet firefighting attack", the aim is always to achieve the best time.

Laura Wolf from Krakow am See is competing with the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern team. The 26-year-old said that she was "a bit born into firefighting". "I come from a firefighting village, was already in the children's and youth fire departments and am also in the active fire department." For her, firefighting is "something different, not as run-of-the-mill as soccer, which everyone does". Her younger sister is also part of the MV team.

On Wednesday, the teams had the opportunity to train at the harbor stadium in Torgau. Laura Wolf stormed over a man-high house, among other things. The discipline is part of the four-by-100-meter race, in which four runners have to complete a relay. A jet pipe is passed on as a baton.

Judges look at every detail

Fred Langkabel is the judge at the house obstacle - one of 50 competition judges who look closely to ensure that all disciplines are completed correctly at the championships. "It's demanding, it's top-class sport," said the 64-year-old.

Langkabel, a bus driver by trade, used to be a firefighter himself. After his active time, he trained as a referee. He almost gushes when he talks about firefighting. "The camaraderie is number one. And if you crawl that last bit - you don't give up!"

Two traditions in firefighting

The German teams competing in Torgau come from the six eastern German states, including Berlin. Two traditions have been preserved in fire department sport, an eastern and a western variant, explained Silvia Oestreicher from the fire department association. While in the west the focus is more on firefighting practice, the competition in the east is primarily sporting. The three best women's and men's teams qualify for the international competitions of the World Firefighting Association.