Media and visitors to the European OutDoor exhibition, to be held from 16-19 July in Friedrichshafen, Germany, will have an opportunity to meet and greet a select group of Red Bull X-Alps athletes at a special presentation.
At 11am on 17 July, just two days before they begin an 818 km paragliding and hiking adventure race from Salzburg to Monaco, the athletes will take questions on their preparations and strategy, and explain what hardships they expect to go through during the gruelling two-week race.
The Red Bull X-Alps begins on 19 July at 11.30am on the Mozartplatz in the heart of Salzburg, Austria’s old town. Thirty competitors from 23 different nations will then navigate their way through the Alps via seven turnpoints in Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and France before finishing by the Mediterranean coast in Monte Carlo.
Confirmed to attend the gathering at the European OutDoor are defending champion Alex Hofer (SUI1), Michael Gebert (GER), Pal Takats (HUN) and Honza Rejmanek (USA). Following the presentation they will be available for one-on-one interviews with members of the press.
Alex Hofer has won the biennial competition twice in a row and is looking to make it a hat-trick. He will be hard pushed by 2005 fifth-placed finisher Gebert and Rejmanek, who in 2007 bounced back from a stomach bug contracted in the opening days of the race to eventually finish in the top ten.
Red Bull X-Alps first timer Pal Takats will also perform a stunning paragliding display with legendary Swiss aerialist Ueli Gegenschatz and Hungarian Gabor Kezi. After the event the athletes will be flown back to Salzburg, where they will make final arrangements for the Red Bull X-Alps 2009 start on 19 July 2009.
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- Photo: Olivier Laugero / red Bull
