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The Red Bull X-Alps in Austria is undoubtedly one of the toughest adventure races in the world. Competitors must conquer a straight-line distance of 1,138 kilometers using a combination of trekking and paragliding across Europe’s most extreme outdoor terrains. On July 2, 2017, the 8th Red Bull X-Alps will make its comeback as 32 elite athletes from 21 countries depart from Salzburg, Austria. Crossing 6 countries—including Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, and Slovenia, which joins the route for the first time—via 7 checkpoints, they will head toward Monaco. The new route changes will make this already incredibly challenging outdoor expedition even more demanding and unpredictable.
Spend two weeks admiring the summer scenery along the Alps—is this a budget trip or a race? In previous editions, Swiss athlete Christian Maurer won the Red Bull X-Alps title for four consecutive years. In the 2015 finals, he completed the course in just 8 days, 4 hours, and 37 minutes, landing from Salzburg Castle to a floating point in the sea off Monaco. In those mere 8 days, Christian Maurer covered 1,657 kilometers by paraglider and trekked 410 kilometers (almost 10 marathons), with a cumulative elevation gain of 4,096 meters—truly an ironman feat. But the stunning landscapes can also become a nightmare for competitors. In the last race, only 19 out of 32 athletes finished. Facing extreme weather conditions including storms, sub-zero temperatures at high altitudes, and scorching ground heat, along with sleep deprivation and exhaustion, the unpredictable course offers limitless challenges. Athlete Tom de Dorlodot revealed that he lost 10 kilograms during the 2007 Red Bull X-Alps, but as an outdoor enthusiast, he can’t wait to compete again this year.
This year’s route will be the longest and most difficult in the competition’s 14-year history. A new checkpoint in central Slovenia will lead participants through the continent’s largest mountain range, crossing the mountains four times from north to south. Compared to 2015, there are 3 fewer checkpoints on this year’s route. Race director Christopher Weber said, “The distance between each checkpoint will be longer than in any of the past seven races. The vast range of potential routes will open up new tactical possibilities, pushing both rookies and veterans to their mental and physical limits.”
The race will begin in the historic Mozartplatz in Salzburg, Austria. Athletes will trek through Salzburg to reach Checkpoint 1. The stunning fields of Salzburg will attract hundreds of fans to cheer on the athletes as they assemble their paragliders and begin their first flight.
Over the next 157-kilometer flight southward through Austria, athletes will arrive at Checkpoint 2—the Mangart Paragliding Landing Zone on the edge of Triglav National Park in Slovenia. Triglav is the first checkpoint in Slovenia and sits atop Slovenia’s highest peak at an altitude of 2,864 meters. The new terrain around the Triglav checkpoint will require competitors to adopt fresh tactics to gain an early advantage.
Heading northwest from Slovenia, athletes will once again traverse the Austrian Alps to reach Checkpoint 3 in Aschau-Chiemsee, Germany. At the foot of the picturesque Kamptal Mountain in the Kaiser Mountains, athletes will need to decide their next move: continue trekking westward or start climbing to take flight.
Checkpoint 4 is the second in Austria, located in the village of Lermoos. The 3,000-meter-high Zugspitze, which connects Austria and Germany, offers significant advantages for paragliding. Well-timed and properly intense thermals will provide crucial lift for the upcoming challenging flight.
Flying south across the Alps into Italy, athletes will reach Checkpoint 5 by Lake Garda at the foot of Mount Baldo. Reaching this point means the challenge is halfway done, but athletes still face 499 grueling kilometers ahead. They can choose to go around the lake or bravely attempt a flight over Lake Garda.
Checkpoint 6 is located 251 kilometers west of the Matterhorn in southern Switzerland, marking the longest distance between checkpoints in the race. Even reaching the Matterhorn may not be the hardest part—for athletes, exploring the terrain around Europe’s highest peak is a major challenge. This area is also a key tactical point, from where athletes will begin the final quarter of their journey.
In the final leg, exhausted athletes must complete 246 kilometers to reach Checkpoint 7 in Perpignan in southeastern France. From there, they will take off on a final 2-kilometer flight to the warm, blue Mediterranean and arrive in Monaco. They will land on a landing craft to celebrate completing the world’s toughest outdoor adventure race.
Athletes need to prepare thoroughly in the three months leading up to the race, familiarizing themselves with the geography along the route and pushing their physical endurance and determination to the limit. It’s still unclear who will take the crown, but with so many elite athletes in the mix, this year’s race is sure to be an unforgettable adventure.
Soar or trek—Red Bull X-Alps invites you to join the journey this summer!
Click[here]to watch: The World’s Toughest Extreme Adventure Race – Red Bull X-Alps Teaser Video