Red Bull X-Alps
Battle At The Back
Press Release / 23.06.2019
Furious fight at the rear of the pack as Colombian and Korean teams battle to avoid elimination.
Day seven of the Red Bull X-Alps 2019 and it's not just the leaders who are digging deep and doing everything they can to get ahead.
A feature of the race is the automatic elimination of the last placed athlete every 48 hours. So far the so-called axeman has claimed two athletes and tomorrow he visits again. In the firing line is Korea's Chikyong Ha (KOR) and Colombia's Alex Villa (COL).
Both are taking hugely divergent lines towards Turnpoint 5, Lermoos. Although Villa has less distance to goal than Ha, what counts is who tags the Turnpoint and the Korean athlete's chances were looking more favorable. Still, Ha is taking no chances, pulling a Night Pass to hike through the night – despite excruciating blisters that are hampering his ability to walk. "He's only allowed to use it if the doctors rule it's ok," said race director Christoph Weber.
Also, at the back and pulling a Night Pass is the last remaining female athlete in the race, Kinga Masztalerz (NZL2). She said the race had exceeded her expectations. "'Every day is just unforgettable." Crossing the spine of the Alps in the air was a highlight. 'We were flying at 3,200m. It was just like wow!"
But being in the air is a distant memory for most athletes as they push themselves to the very limits of exhaustion, hiking up to 5,000m a day, the equivalent of climbing Mt Everest every two days. What's keeping them grounded is a band of bad weather. But that is all set to change from Sunday with hot weather returning to offer the promise of big flying days.
It means race leader Maurer (SUI1) will most likely make Monaco by Monday while many other athletes will also be able to make goal before the race ends on Thursday. "Everyone hitting the good weather will mean a quick approach for Monaco," says race co-founder Ulrich Grill.
But the question on everyone's lips is whether Maxime Pinot (FRA2) can catch Maurer. Pinot lives in Annecy so the psychological advantage of being on home turf swings in his favor. But 100km behind Maurer with only 300km to go, the odds do not look great. He will need to dig deeper than ever before, and get some luck on his side if he's to succeed. And so far, the angels have been on Maurer's side. "With this weather situation it will be super hard to catch him," adds Weber.
Besides Ha and Masztalerz, Benoit Outters (FRA1) will also pull a Night Pass tonight. He will be hoping to leapfrog ahead to catch the good weather as he also enters familiar territory.
Be sure to follow all the action on Live Tracking at www.redbullxalps.com
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ABOUT RED BULL X-ALPS
Red Bull X-Alps 2019 is the world's toughest adventure race, covering over 1,138km of alpine terrain. It started on June 16, marking the ninth edition of the race. 32 world-class athletes from 20 nations take part in this grueling journey from Salzburg to Monaco only by foot and paraglider – their every move tracked and played out to an audience of millions via the Live Tracking. The competition field consists of 16 veterans, 15 rookies and one defending champion who will be looking to add a sixth consecutive victory to his resume.
Along the way, the athletes will pass 13 Turnpoints in 6 different countries. Prior to the main event, the one-day Prologue race will see athletes jostle for a prime position. The top three finishers will earn themselves an additional Night Pass; allowing them to continue onwards once through the mandatory rest period.
This year's route brings the racers into both familiar and new terrain – but you can count on every single day showing us rocky ascents, dizzying flights and crucial, strategic decisions – a challenge for body and mind. With a more demanding route than ever before, Red Bull X-Alps 2019 will be full of drama, adventure, and high-alpine action. The winner will need to be smart, strong, a master of both planning and reactivity – and have a little bit of luck.
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