38 teams took part in the Military Challenge 2026 at the Upper Sûre Lake on Thursday. Of these, 27 were composed of members of the Luxembourg military.

The remaining teams included participants from the police and customs services, as well as soldiers from Belgium and France.

The 17-kilometre course did not merely circle the Upper Sûre Lake – it also ran through it. At the very start, participants were required to cross the water via a 110-metre-long zip line.

Once on the other side, they faced a climbing challenge.

The 2026 edition marked the 13th iteration of the Military Challenge, organised as always by the Luxembourg Army. To keep the event engaging, the course is further developed each year and made more demanding through the introduction of new tests.

One of the most spectacular moments is undoubtedly the abseiling descent from the 30-metre-high bridge in Lultzhausen.

Ultimately, the competition comes down to which team achieves the best time. Participants risked collecting penalty points at each of the 16 stages.

For every penalty point incurred, teams had to complete additional tasks at the final stage.

Reaching the finish line requires endurance, technique, and team spirit. Teams that had participated in previous editions of the Military Challenge held a slight advantage, particularly in knowing how to distribute their strength most effectively over the 17 kilometres.