Red Bull X-Alps

Start Gun Fires on Red Bull X-Alps 2023

Press Release / 12.06.2023

At exactly 11:30 the town centre of Kitzbühel echoed to the blast of a start gun, signalling the start of the world’s toughest adventure race – the Red Bull X-Alps.
 
Representing 18 countries, 32 athletes – including four women – set off under foot through the famous town as hundreds of spectators looked on. Ahead lies an epic 12-day journey across the Alps where the only means of travel is by foot and paraglider. 
 
“It’s not just a game of physical endurance but strategy,” said veteran athlete Tom de Dorlodot (BEL), who is competing for the ninth time. “What I say to people is, if you want to be fast you have to go slow. You have to think and make the right decisions.”

The female athlete Kinga Masztalerz (NZL) spoke for many of the lineup when she said: “We come with many goals. Some come to win. Some come to challenge themselves. For me the goal is the raft.” 

This is the finish line in Zell am See – a floating raft that athletes must either land on – or swim to. It may only be 33km from Kitzbühel on a direct line, but for athletes, the route is a bit longer and more complicated. They must navigate their way around the highest mountains of the Alps on a course that weaves a line across Austria, Germany, Switzerland, rounds Mt Blanc in France, and then heads back across northern Italy. 

The first Turnpoint was the 1,660m Hahnenkamm, the start of the legendary downhill ski race the Streif. In contrast to the skiers, the athletes ran up the famous course. The first athlete to reach it was Lenart Oblak (SLO), speed hiking up in 50 minutes. (Recreational hikers will normally do it in 2h 15m). He was quickly followed by Jordi Vilalta (ESP) and Aaron Durogati (ITA2).

The next Turnpoint is Wagrain Kleinarl, 71km to the south-east. The first athletes were projected to reach this by late afternoon. From here the real journey begins as they turn north and then west across the length of the alps. 

Ulrich Grill, who co-founded the Red Bull X-Alps with the late adventurer and pilot Hannes Arch in 2003 said: “This is one of the most spectacular starts to the Red Bull X-Alps I’ve ever seen! It's the 20th anniversary of the first ever edition and this race still gives me goosebumps when I think about the excitement and the drama. It’s been an extraordinary journey to this point and the sport has changed so much. The 2023 race looks set to be a really special edition. We have a new start, a new route and 32 of the strongest and fittest endurance athletes taking part. Will this be the year we have a new winner? We also have four female athletes taking part. Maybe we will also see a woman on the winning float for the first time, which would be great to see.” 

The rules of the race are simple. Athletes hike and climb their way to the tops of mountains before unfurling their paraglider wings and taking to the sky. It is while flying that big distances are possible – but that only works if the weather is good. If the weather closes in, they’re forced to land and continue on foot. It’s not uncommon for athletes to hike as much as 100km and climb 4,000m in a day.

Two years ago, Tom de Dorlodot hiked a total distance of 670km in the race. “This is my last race,” he added. “But I said that last time – it’s just long enough to forget the pain and hardship.”

Every athlete must observe a seven-hour rest period, which they can take between 21:00 and 06:00. They can break this if they pull a Night Pass. Every athlete has one; but the three winners of the Prologue have an additional one they can use for a strategic advantage. They have to announce this by 20:00. 

Lenart Oblak (SLO) will begin Day 2 with a two-hour penalty after deviating from the official route during the Prologue. 

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