Dubbed the ‘toughest two minutes in sport’, and designed to simulate a knife-edge rescue, the UFBA Firefighter Combat Challenge pushes firefighters to their limit.

These aren’t NZ’s top athletes, these are the everyday heroes who respond to the 20,000 fire calls each year, saving lives, our environment and property. Could you scale a 6-storey tower carrying 19kg of fire hose, smash a beam 1.5m with a 4kg hammer and drag a life-sized 85kg ‘victim’ 30m to safety? And could you do it all in under 120 seconds, wearing 20kg of firefighting gear and full-faced breathing apparatus?

Racing against each other, and the clock, this is a true test of endurance, strength, fitness and determination required in real-life firefighting. The only thing burning here though is the 100-250 calories they blast through during each explosive cardio, muscle draining run!

The UFBA is the Australasian franchise holder for the international Firefighter Combat Challenge®, born in the US in 1991 and a regular feature on ESPN.

Come and cheer on New Zealand’s fastest and fittest first responders; our incredible volunteer, career, defence and industry firefighters. Be part of the action and show your support – it’s great inspiration for the family and spectators are welcome.

What: UFBA South Island Combat Challenge
Where: Christchurch Airport
When: Saturday 20 March, 9am-4.30pm.

The UFBA South Island Firefighter Combat Challenge is run as part of a nationwide suite:

• UFBA North Island Firefighter Combat Challenge, Friday 9 - Saturday 10 April 2021,
  Aotea Sq. Auckland
• UFBA National Firefighter Combat Challenge, Friday 30 April - Saturday 1 May 2021,
  Odlin’s Plaza, Wellington

© Scoop Media