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Live tracking on Red Bull X-Alps website
The fifth edition of the World’s toughest paragliding adventure race, the Red Bull X-Alps, started in Salzburg on Sunday 17 July at 11:30am.
Thirty world class paraglider pilots and endurance athletes set off from the centre of the Austrian town for the first turnpoint on the Gaisberg, thus starting an 864km epic journey that will take them over or through the entire chain of the Alps, through Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France to end in Monaco on the Mediterranen coast.
How long it will take will depend largely on the weather, and the amount of flying that is possible.
Athletes will have dreamed of and hopefully enjoy beautiful cross country flights above the alps in glorious sunshine, in a sky dotted with fluffy white cumulus couds. But the reality is that they will also have to march with their gliders on their backs and water in their shoes, in rain, winds, fog and snow, up mountains and on valley roads, to collect each turnpoint in order.
At 7am on 20 July the competitior who is at the back of the field wil be removed from the competition, and every 48 hours from this time, a further competitor will be eliminated.
When the first athlete reaches goal in Monaco, the race cotinues for a further 48 hours, and then it is all over.
The positions of the athletes can be watched in real time through the Live Tracking on the event’s website, and Cross Country magazie will be reporting daily on the major happenings of the day.
Like us, thousands of people are sneaking peeks at the live tracking and enjoying the news updates throughout the day, with athletes moving from 4am to 11pm each day. Join us, and enjoy the race!
