Kurt Hess 333-times on the tower despite a big thunderstorm.

Lenzburg Succesful Esterlitower-World-Record attempt attracted great attendance

“I could have gone on further for ages”, explained the inhabitant of Unterkulm, Kurt Hess, after climbing the Esterlitower near Lenzburg, Switzerland 333-times in 24 houres. Despite a big thunderstorm during the night, he broke the old record hold by the inhabitant of Ammerswil, Willy Maurer, quite clearly.

As Willy Maurer during his successful attempt 9 years ago when he climbed the tower 280-times, Kurt Hess also fought the most straggle during the night. But he was more fighting against the bad weather conditions than with himself. 14 hours after beginning, a very strong rain shower with big lightning began to make the attempt become more and more dangerous and Kurt Hess had to interrupt after 230 goings for a 45-minute break. In this time the lightning crashed in the neighbourhood and the attendance fled into the nearby party-tent. Kurt Hess, himself, recreated, and missed out a small meal. This stated as a mistake as he restarted his attempted after midnight. At the 239^th ascent to the top of the 45 meter height platform the world-record-breaker staggered. After 240 ascents he was having another big meal.

As Kurt Hess could interpret the signals of his body right, to take on more calories, he started to reinforce the lost time continuously after 0045 hours. He went on doing 20er-series (20 times to the top) in 65 to 70 minutes, only interrupted by eating enough food. Pasta, rice-crisps and bananas he took on kilo-ish and drank approximately 20 litres. 

Hard struggle after midnight.

The intense training during the month before, Kurt Hess reached up to 33-hours per weeks training in the tower, paid out, as Kurt Hess could make his pace up from the start and was on course for the world-record just from the start. Despite this horrendous tempo he never paid the price of overheating his body. After 11hours he fulfilled 180 of the record-blasting 300 ascents. Then the time came where the thunderstorm and the forced break clashed him back desperate in time. But Kurt Hess could revitalise his fighting spirit to reach the secret aim of 330-ascents. This would mean a altitude-difference of accurately 30 000 metres in height.

He calculated before the attempt with 70 minutes for 20-climbs at the finish. Nevertheless he was in such good health, that he even could achieve the last 20ier series in astonishingly 65 minutes. Around 0700 hours the mark of 333 ascents came into sight. Hess made after 320 climbs just a short break and achieved 332 ascents without problems. Then he took on dry clothes, climbed the 253 steps of the tower for the last time and waved from the platform to the attendance. Then he came down and climbed a third of the tower to fulfil his dream of 333 and a third tower-climbs after 23 hours and 57 minutes.

“Kurt-Hess-tower”

The attendance – totally around 500 persons – applauded frenetically as he appeared at the bottom of the tower. Hess lifted his arms victoriously and gave already first interviews to journalists. I did not seem to be tired at all! Under the eyes of gratulants as Vice-Governour of Unterkulm Paul Voramwald and Maire of Lenzburg Hans Huber, Kurt Hess was praised for his great performance. The idea of renaming the Esterli-tower as “Kurt-Hess-tower” was nevertheless only approved for a imaginary week.