With the Forklift World Championship we created the main forklift sports event in the world. This didn’t happen overnight – a lot of sweat, passion and perseverance has gone into the StaplerCup event over the last 20 years. It makes us even more proud, that millions of people worldwide are now interested in this event, attending our Qualifier events and Finals, as well as joining the livestream, when the best Forklift heroes compete for the World Champion Title.
Martin Stadtmueller, StaplerCup Sports director
StaplerCup writes history
An event with more than 15 years of tradition: in 2005 the starting signal was given for the first StaplerCup – at that time at the Hannover fair in Germany premisses in front of 1,200 enthusiastic spectators. Soon it was settled: the StaplerCup success had to be continued. In the following year the event took place at the Schlossplatz in Aschaffenburg in front of 6,500 viewers. This location remained the venue of the StaplerCup until the year 2019.
Each year more viewers were drawn to the forklift-action at the Schlossplatz. Soon, 12,000 people were cheering together for our #Forkliftheroes. And: The StaplerCup began attracting more and more international participants! By 2014 the event set a record of 18 different nations competing in the International Championship!
We are especially proud of the year 2015: for the first time a German Championship in forklift driving for single ladies took place. In previous years women and men competed against one another in a single competition.
The highlight of the StaplerCup history so far was in the anniversary year 2019. Approximately 15,000 visitors loudly cheered on the participants in four different disciplines. At the same time a record donation of 19,000 euros of donations was raised due to the StaplerCup raffle.
Since the year 2021, the StaplerCup has been held in the LINDE MH ARENA Aschaffenburg, the home of forklift sports. A demanding championship course and an amazing entertainment program awaits the fans. And it gets even better: since 2024 the StaplerCup has officially been a Forklift World Championship – therefore an international championship. Women, men, and national teams competing for the World Championship Title!
StaplerCup: an exceptional story of victory
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2024: From German Championship to World Championship
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2021: We are new
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2019: 15 years of StaplerCup
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2017: Company Team Championship participant record
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2015: Premiere of the German Women’s Forklift Driving Championship
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2014: First World Championship with 18 nations
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2013: First title defense and PromiCup
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2012: Registration record
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2011: Record number of nations at the International Championship
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2010: Striezel’s Premiere on heavy machinery
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2009: Five years of StaplerCup
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2008: First International Championship
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2007: Number of viewers doubles up
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2006: A new home at the Schlossplatz in Aschaffenburg, Germany
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2005: Hour zero of the StaplerCup
2024: From German Championship to World Championship
With the evolution into the Forklift World Championship, the StaplerCup becomes the official World Championship in forklift driving and therefore the main forklift sports event globally. The German Championship in forklift driving is going to be replaced by the Forklift World Championship. From this year on, World Champion Titles will be awarded in the disciplines Men’s World Championship, Women’s World Championship and Team World Championship.
2021: We are new
A new event location, a fresh concept and a completely new developed course where forklift drivers can compete head-to-head – or rather chassis-to-chassis – in duels: these are the innovations of the 16th StaplerCup. After a one-year break, it returns with even more sportsmanship, thrills, and enthusiasm at the LINDE MH ARENA in Aschaffenburg.
2019: 15 years of StaplerCup
For the second time in StaplerCup history, the forklift driving world champions were nominated. The organizers registered new records in both attendance ( a solid 15,000 viewers!) and charity donations: 19,000 euros were raised in the raffle by StaplerCup hilft e.V.
More informations about the StaplerCup hilft e.V.
2017: Company Team Championship participant record
A participation record was set at the company team championship: 16 teams, including four from abroad, compete against each other. And for the first time two women enjoyed their winners applause on the podium.
2015: Premiere of the German Women’s Forklift Driving Championship
Women also perform spectacularly on forklifts. The StaplerCup honoured this by launching the first-ever German Women’s Forklift Driving Championship, a contest exclusively for the ladies, who could still participate in the German Forklift Driving Championship of. These days the discipline, now renamed the German Women’s Forklift Driving Championship, Single Women, remains popular with both participants and the audience alike.
2014: First World Championship with 18 nations
Happy birthday to the ten-year existence of the StaplerCup event! To celebrate, both an Individual and a Team World Championship, featuring drivers from 18 nations, were held for the first time. Among them were professional forklift drivers from the USA, Russia, and China.
2013: First title defense and PromiCup
The first German Championship in forklift driving secured the first place on the winner’s podium once again. Marking the debut of a title defense! In the PromiCup, “Wissen macht Ah!” host Shary Reeves, an ambassador for the German children’s cancer aid, and DTM driver Miguel Molina fought side by side on their team. The DTM pilot had even obtained a forklift license specially for the event.
2012: Registration record
Registration broke all existing records: never before had so many forklift heroes qualified for the Final.
2011: Record number of nations at the International Championship
New record: for the first time, 15 nations competed in the seventh International Championship. Germany successfully defended its title with flying colours! As a special guest the 80s cult band “Münchener Freiheit” performed an open-air concert as part of the event’s program.
2010: Striezel’s Premiere on heavy machinery
“How does this work?” - racing legend Hans-Joachim “Striezel” Stuck drives his first meters on a forklift truck . About 10 000 event guests watched him in action.
2009: Five years of StaplerCup
Five years of competition among the giants: the StaplerCup celebrates its first little anniversary. One of many highlights: The prominent patron of the StaplerCup foundation, handball legend and nation Heiner Brand, faces the challenges of a tricky course at the PromiCup by himself.
2008: First International Championship
For the first time an International Championship enriches the StaplerCup. The participants: Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Czechia. The result: Germany became European Forklift Champion. Premiere number two: the category Company Team Championship! And the third renewing: the StaplerCup hilft e.V. was founded, an association that supports regional and social organizations for sick or disabled children and teenagers, as well as older people, in need of help. At the Charity-Tombola 10,000 euros for the “Kinder-Rheumastiftung” came together. Patron of the fourth StaplerCup: Micheal Glos, federal minister for economy and technology from 2005 until 2009.
2007: Number of viewers doubles up
12 000 viewers – a new record – and for the first time international participation! In the International Team Competition “Run of the champions” Spain, China and Germany challenged each other.
2006: A new home at the Schlossplatz in Aschaffenburg, Germany
64 men and one woman competed at the second StaplerCup in front of 6,500 excited spectators for the Final title – for the first time in the presence of numerus, and also exited, public media. The spectacular took place at the Schlossplatz in Aschaffenburg, which stayed the event location until 2019. Besides the German Championship in forklift driving, the female participant also established her reputation.
2005: Hour zero of the StaplerCup
Together with its contract traders Linde Material Handling organized a very special event: The best forklift drivers from Germany started their engines on the fair premisses in Hannover and competed against each other – the StaplerCup was born and celebrated its Premiere in front of 1200 viewers. And of course, the very first German champion in forklift driving was nominated.