By Luke Voogt
Newtown’s Bentley family ran up 1331 stairs to conquer the Gold Coast’s 322-metre-high Q1 skyscraper on Sunday, with three relatives placing in the top 12 of 500 competitors.
Ex-triathlete Steve Bentley, 61, climbed all 77 levels of the tower in nine minutes and 30 seconds, with his 28-year-old son Jackson beating him by 23 seconds (9:07).
“Last time we did this race I beat him,” said Steve, who works as a manager for Wyndham council.
“He’s beaten me a couple of times. We have a friendly rivalry – I reckon we’re about even but he reckons he’s beaten me more.
“He’s a good basketballer and does CrossFit, so stairclimbing is his third sport.”
Steve won the 60-plus division of the climb, coming eighth overall, while Jackson placed third in the 20-29 age group and sixth overall.
Jackson’s wife Mikaela Bentley, 24, came 12th overall (9:50) and second only to the world’s top female tower runner Suzy Walsham in the elite women’s division.
“That was pretty incredible,” Steve said.
Steve hoped the Q1 Stair Challenge would be the first of many tower climbs this year as the COVID-19 situation improves, with runners set to take on Melbourne’s Eureka Tower next.
“It felt good to be able to do something that had been taken away,” he said.
“People say, ‘why do you do these stair climbs?’ It’s a goal and I like having goals.
“I like to take myself out of my comfort zone – I consciously do that.
“Some people when they hit 60 just want to be comfortable – I look to challenge myself.”
While climbing 1331 stairs sounds exhausting, Steve said “going upstairs is actually very gentle on your knees” compared to running on level terrain or downhill.
The event raised more than $56,000 for youth mental health charity Livin.
