Niesen Challenge

The Niesen Challenge turns the climb up the Niesen into a timed run – on any day of the season, at any hour. The timing no longer comes from hardware on the mountain, but from the devices participants already wear on their wrists.

From an installation on the mountain to timing on the device

Timing on the Niesen used to require physical infrastructure: equipment that has to be set up, supervised and taken down again – and that only measures while someone is on site. Today the Niesen Challenge runs with nothing installed on the mountain at all. Participants connect their Strava or Garmin account once, set off whenever it suits them, and then find their time in the ranking automatically.

For Niesenbahn that means a classification running across the whole season instead of a single race day – with no recurring effort up on the mountain.

Three routes to the same summit

• Mülenen – Niesen Kulm, the direct way up
• Wimmis – Niesen Kulm, the long variant
• Niesentreppe, open only with a permit from Niesenbahn and therefore not publicly listed

Each route is ranked separately.

Race format meets checkpoint technology

The Niesen Challenge runs in the Race format: timing to the second with route validation, so it stays verifiable that everyone really covered the same course. The Niesen added a twist – there is a defined waypoint at the summit that everyone has to pass through. LaceUp verifies that point using the checkpoint technology from the Trophy format.

We built this combination specifically for this client: route validation from the Race format confirms the correct route was taken, while the summit checkpoint further increases the accuracy of matching activities. Precisely where three routes end on the same summit, that extra verification point makes the difference.

Registration through Trackmaxx

Registration runs through our partner Trackmaxx. Trackmaxx handles participant sign-up and passes the details on to LaceUp. A second email then follows with the link used to connect the GPS device – Strava or Garmin. After that, participation is live.

What makes the format interesting for mountain railways

• No timing infrastructure to set up and dismantle
• A classification across the whole season instead of a single race day
• Several routes to the same destination, each ranked separately
• Registration through an existing partner, with no break in the process
• Returning guests instead of a one-off event