Historic third win for Chrigel Maurer and Thomas Theurillat – 1,050km through the Alps in almost exactly seven days
Chrigel Maurer and Thomas Theurillat on the raft in Monaco harbour after winning the Red Bull X-Alps 2013. Photo: Red Bull X-Alps / SUI1
Chrigel Maurer arrives at the top of Peille at 11.10am. His third Red Bull X-Alps win. Photo: Red Bull X-Alps / Facebook
Chrigel Maurer won the Red Bull X-Alps 2013 in record time on Sunday 14 July when he reached the final turnpoint at Peille above Monaco almost exactly seven days after leaving Salzburg.
He completed the 1,050km race east-to-west through the Alps just one week, covering an average of 150km straight-line distance a day.
He reached the final turnpoint at 11.10am local time. An hour of media interviews and cloud on launch delayed his final fly down for 90 minutes. He finally flew down with supporter Thomas Theurillat and landed on the raft in Monaco Harbour at 12.53pm.
It is the third time Maurer has won the Red Bull X-Alps and confirms his position as one of the world’s greatest ever paraglider pilots.
Chrigel Maurer and supporter Thomas Theurillat on the top of Peille. Photo: Marcus King
Together with Theurillat he set a seemingly insurmountable bar, establishing an early lead and holding it throughout the race. In the final days he left the other 30 pilots trailing literally hundreds of kilometres behind him.
The closest other athlete, Clement Latour, was 290km behind when Maurer reached the final turnpoint. At the back, Inigo Gabiria and Pierre Carter had over 700km to travel.
Chrigel on TV. He reached Peille at 11.10am local time, almost exactly a week after setting off from Monaco. Photo: Marcus King
Maurer reached the final turnpoint at 11.10am on Sunday 14 July after setting off from the centre of Salzburg at 11.30am on Sunday 8 July.
Maurer and Theurillat now have five days to wait before the race ends on Friday 19 July.
All dressed up and ready to fly. Photo: Red Bull X-Alps / Facebook
Chrigel Maurer on launch at Peille. Photo: Red Bull X-Alps / Facebook
Playing around on launch before the planned fly-down to Monaco harbour. Photo: Red Bull X-Alps / Facebook
With good weather settled over the Alps the race to reach goal and win a podium place before then will be fierce.
The chasing pack behind Maurer has included French teams Clement Latour, Antoine Girard and John Chambers for the past three days. The pilots have switched places several times.
From launch at Peille Theurillat said: “Seven months planning for seven days of the X-Alps.”
12.30pm update: After an hour of media interviews and celebration, cloud on launch at Peille has meant the final victory fly-down to the raft in Monaco harbour has been delayed for Maurer. At 12.20pm local time the take off was fog-bound.
Fog on Peille. Photo: Red Bull X-Alps / Facebook
12.50pm update: Maurer and Theurillat launched through a gap in the clouds around 12.45pm local time and flew down to the raft in Monaco.
An iPhone photo of the pair in flight heading towards Monaco harbour. Photo: Red Bull X-Alps / facebook
1.05pm update: Maurer made the raft at 12.53pm local time, making his official race time seven days one hour hour and 23 minutes.
Organisers said:
Maurer Wins Historic Third Red Bull X-Alps Title
They finished as they started: as a team.
Today at 12:53 Christian Maurer landed to complete the Red Bull X-Alps in just 7 days, 1 hour and 23 minutes. He was joined on his fly-down by his supporter, Thomas Theurillat.
It is a remarkable achievement: the shortest time the race has ever been completed in its ten year history, and the longest course line ever.
Maurer has raced almost 50% faster than his nearest rival. Clement Latour (FRA1) is currently 260 km from goal. He leads a hungry pack of chasing athletes, all keen to reach Monaco before the race closes on Friday.
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