(3.03.2003)

The Red Bull X-Alps – paragliding 800 kilometers along the alps

Press Release 01

On 14 July, 2003, 15 athletes will launch themselves into the air from Austria’s Dachstein Massif and embark on the world’s toughest paragliding competition: the Red Bull X-Alps. This race requires the pilots to cross the Alps from east to west without the help of any other means of transportation. Monaco, the destination, is 800 kilometers from Dachstein and must be reached in three weeks or less. The total prize money for the alpine air race: 20,000 euros.

“This is much more than just an Alpine crossing; it’s an adventure, an expedition and at the same time a competition,” says Red Bull X-Alps mastermind Hannes Arch, a member of the Red Bull Acroteam. “What makes this event so extreme is that the individual race stages don’t end in the evening; there’s no camp where the athletes can kick back at the end of the day. The pilots will spend the nights on the mountain so they can fly off first thing the next morning. The paragliding world has never seen an event like this.”

Support from the “ground personnel”
The teams can choose their own routes from Dachstein to Monaco. Each of the 15 paraglider pilots is backed up on the ground by one supporter, who provides his athlete with food, replacement parts, equipment and information such as the daily weather forecast.

800 kilometers in three weeks
The Red Bull X-Alps race is, above all, a fierce battle against time. The competition is limited to three weeks: if no team has reached Monaco by then, the Red Bull X-Alps 2003 will be stopped, and the entire 20,000 euros in prize money will be added as a jackpot to the prize money for the Red Bull X-Alps 2004.

“You have to be tough on yourself to win” If inclement weather makes flying impossible, the participants must make up for lost time and distance in the Alps by covering as much ground as possible by foot: mobilized transportation of any kind is naturally forbidden. As Arch says: “There’s no time to wait around for better weather. You have to be tough on yourself to win.” One such tough guy is the American Will Gadd, who not only holds the paragliding long distance world record of 421 km, set last year in Zapata, Texas, but who also is one of the world’s top ice climbers. Another ideal candidate is Austrian paragliding legend Walter Holzmuller. Arch: “Walter is a real wild man. The Red Bull X-Alps is right up his alley!"

Registration for the Red Bull X-Alps begins now
The Red Bull X-Alps is an invitational race, but teams can also register for this spectacular event and hope to be given a wild card spot by the organizers. All information necessary for registration will be available as of middle of February at www.redbullxalps.com.

Follow the race live
During the race the website will display a unique feature - Real time positioning information of the pilots via a cutting edge GPS Tracking System. Together with our partner RUAG a special GPS Tracking System is being designed for the event. We will provide a regular position update of all participating teams in such a way that you can follow the race live. A unique possibility to check on how your teams is advancing on their way along the Alps!

For further press information contact: zooom productions gmbh– Christoph Hoerner: xalps@zooom.at, tel: 0043-62268848-25, Text and Screenshots are free of charge for Press purpose only.
http://www.redbullxalps.com/