StaplerCup Finals 2024: Three New Forklift World Champions Crowned!
26 Oct 2024
Farewell, German Championships — hello, Forklift World Championship! This weekend, the LINDE MH ARENA in Aschaffenburg hosted the world championship in forklift driving. Over 17,000 fans attended the StaplerCup Finals in person and via livestream, witnessing thrilling forklift action and celebrating three newly crowned World Champions. The individual world titles went to Stefan Jenniges from Oberlascheid and Tina Föhre-Scheller from Rothenburg ob der Tauber, while Belgium claimed victory in the Team World Championship. The Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock triumphed in the Corporate Cup. Singer-songwriter JORIS brought the event to a memorable close with an electrifying concert.
Aschaffenburg, October 26, 2024. The inaugural Forklift World Championship delivered on all fronts: On October 25 and 26, the world's best forklift drivers gathered in the heart of forklift sports, dazzling thousands of fans both on-site and online with their impressive skills on the championship course. For the first time in StaplerCup history, titles for Men's World Champion and Women's World Champion were awarded. With participants qualifying through national and international tournaments, the stakes were higher than ever.
Two competitors rose to the challenge: Stefan Jenniges and Tina Föhre-Scheller delivered standout performances across two days and five grueling rounds, earning their titles as World Champions on Saturday evening. The packed LINDE MH ARENA erupted in celebration as they completed their final runs.
This year also marked the debut of the Forklift Team World Championship, where national teams — much like in the FIFA World Cup — competed for global glory. Belgium emerged victorious, decisively defeating the strong contenders from Slovakia in the final.
The Corporate Cup, another key team event, featured leading names from German industry competing for the title of best corporate team. The Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock, a first-time participant, took the win in a hard-fought final against the favored ZF Friedrichshafen.
Stefan Jenniges from Oberlascheid is the 2024 Forklift Men’s World Champion
To reach the semifinals, the competitors had to navigate through three intense preliminary rounds. Joshua Glöggler, the 2023 German Champion, Dennis-Marcel Henn, Stefan Jenniges, and Jörg Klößinger all showcased their nerves of steel, focus, and remarkable precision in close head-to-head battles, earning their spots in the semifinals.
With impressive semifinal times of 2:54 minutes and 3:35 minutes, Jörg Klößinger and Stefan Jenniges secured their places in the final showdown for the world championship title. Immediately following the women’s final, the two men faced off in one last battle for the title of Forklift Men’s World Champion. However, Jörg Klößinger’s run was cut short due to a rule violation, resulting in his disqualification. Stefan Jenniges remained calm under pressure, delivering a flawless final run to claim the title of Forklift Men’s World Champion.
Tina Föhre-Scheller from Rothenburg ob der Tauber Claims the 2024 Forklift Women’s World Championship
Among the 14 competitors vying for the Women’s World Championship, including several newcomers, Lea Boscher, Swetlana Lattermann, Samantha Cocco, and Tina Föhre-Scheller distinguished themselves in Round 3 with speed, coordination, and precision. They outperformed the 2023 German Champion and last year’s third-place finisher, securing their spots in the semifinals.
Swetlana Lattermann and Tina Föhre-Scheller skillfully maneuvered their Hero figures over the Kaup HeroRamp, advancing to the final showdown. The two finalists competed almost in unison, showcasing exceptional poise and precision as they assembled their Hero figures and reached the Kaup HeroRamp simultaneously. While Swetlana Lattermann’s Hero figure wobbled and ultimately fell, Tina Föhre-Scheller kept hers steady and guided it safely to the finish line, earning the first-ever world championship title in the history of the Forklift Women’s World Championship.
Belgium Dominates the 2024 Forklift Team World Championship
A total of eleven countries sent their best drivers to compete for the title of Forklift Team World Champion. However, the Kaup HeroRamp proved too challenging for six teams, as Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, France, Lithuania, and Austria were eliminated in Round 3.
In a thrilling semifinal, teams from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Slovakia faced off, but none of the four teams managed to safely bring their Big Ball towers to the finish line. This triggered the distance rule, with final spots awarded to the teams that had traveled the furthest. Belgium and Slovakia, each reaching 29 meters, advanced to the final, while Germany and the Netherlands, at 26 meters each, were eliminated.
In the final, Belgium and Slovakia raced nearly side-by-side up the Kaup HeroRamp, but the Slovakian tower toppled, allowing the Belgian team to calmly and confidently complete their run, earning the title of Team World Champion.
Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock Wins the 2024 Corporate Cup
Thirteen companies from across German industry competed in this year’s Corporate Cup. Last year’s champion, Fienhage Poultry-Solutions, couldn’t retain its title, bowing out after the first two preliminary rounds due to fierce competition. In Round 3, the Kaup HeroRamp proved too challenging for the teams from Sponeta and Continental, while Wolf and favorite Motherson were disqualified for driving errors.
The semifinals saw the teams from ZF Friedrichshafen, Grüner Systemtechnik, Teamlog, and Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock navigating the course with their "Big Ball" towers, using three vehicles each. ZF Friedrichshafen and Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock kept their composure, advancing to the final. Both teams maintained their strong semifinal performances, with the final drivers reaching the Kaup HeroRamp nearly simultaneously. But it was Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock that successfully placed their Big Balls on the far side of the steel ramp, earning them the 2024 Corporate Cup title.
Memorable Closing Concert with JORIS
Following the awards ceremony, JORIS delivered a fitting finale to the StaplerCup Finals 2024. The singer-songwriter, who had earlier joined other celebrities in the Charity Cup for a good cause, took the stage with his live band, energizing the crowd with up-tempo hits like “Herz über Kopf” and “Best of Us,” along with heartfelt ballads like “Bis ans Ende der Welt.”
After 90 minutes of music and two action-packed days filled with highlights both on and off the course, the StaplerCup Finals 2024 concluded with jubilant new Forklift World Champions and a delighted StaplerCup community.