GROSSE BERGE LOCKEN DIE SCHWEIZER

An Tag 4 erreichen Schweizer Teams als erste heimischen Boden auf dem Weg zum Turnpoint Säntis.

WATCH ON PARAGLIDING.TV:
https://www.paragliding.tv/videos/red-bull-x-alps-2021-race-report-day-4/

Es ist ein spannender Zweikampf zwischen Patrick von Känel (SUI2) und Chrigel Maurer (SUI1). © zooom / Lukas Pilz

Vielleicht war es der Gedanke an ein selbstgemachtes Raclette, oder die Verlockung bekannter Orte und Menschen. Was auch immer der Grund war, die Schweizer Athleten Patrick von Känel (SUI2) und Chrigel Maurer (SUI1) waren die ersten, die heute heimischen Boden betraten und sich von den österreichischen Bergen verabschiedeten.
Die beiden starteten den Tag gemeinsam in der Nähe des Arlbergpasses und machten sich um 5 Uhr morgens auf den Weg zur 2.686 m hohen Krachelspitze. Es war ein herausfordernder Aufstieg, und bald mussten sich die beiden durch Schnee und Nebel kämpfen, um den Gipfel zu erreichen.
„Ich freue mich auf jeden Fall auf die Schweiz. Ich bin dort aufgewachsen, habe dort das Fliegen gelernt und es ist, als würde ich nach Hause kommen,“ sagt Patrick von Känel.
Während er ein steiles Schneefeld hinaufwanderte, erklärte Maurer: „Jetzt wird es schwer – es ist sehr steil. Da ist immer noch ein bisschen Druck, wie man fliegt, wo man fliegt, wann man fliegt, den ganzen Tag das gleiche Spiel. Gute Wettervorhersage, schlechtes Wetter!“

Chrigel Maurer (SUI1) versucht mit seinem Landsmann Patrick von Känel (SUI2) mitzuhalten. © zooom / Vitek Ludvik

Die beiden haben aber noch mit etwas anderem zu kämpfen, wenn sie in ihr Heimatland kommen. Maurers Unterstützer Thomas Theurillat sagte: „Wir kommen zwar jetzt in die Schweiz, aber wie jeder weiß ist die Schweiz ein Land der Vorschriften, es gibt viele Lufträume und Zonen in denen Starts und Landungen verboten sind. Aber wir sind noch fit und motiviert.“
Weiter hinten im Feld konnte sich Maxime Pinot (FRA1) auf den fünften Platz vorkämpfen, nachdem er auf dem Weg zum Turnpoint 3 in Kitzbühel einen tückischen Fehler gemacht hatte. Nach einigen guten Flügen ist er nun in der Verfolgergruppe, nur 30 km hinter Maurer und von Känel. Andere Athleten in dieser Gruppe sind Benoît Outters (FRA2), Aaron Durogati (ITA1) und der Rookie Damien Lacaze (FRA5), die allesamt dem Spitzenduo gefährlich werden könnten. 

Benoît Outters (FRA2) ist Teil der Verfolgergruppe. © zooom / Adi Geisegger

Ein weiterer Athlet, der ein heldenhaftes Comeback feiern könnte, ist die Red Bull X-Alps-Legende Toma Coconea (ROU), der seit Beginn des Rennens im Jahr 2003 an jeder Ausgabe teilgenommen hat. Nach Tag 2 am Ende des Feldes platziert, war er heute in Reichweite der Top 10.
Die beiden Athletinnen Yael Margelisch (SUI4) und Laurie Genovese (FRA4) zeigten beide hervorragende Leistungen und lagen am Nachmittag auf den Plätzen 17 und 19, als sie sich Turnpoint 5, Lermoos, in der Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, näherten. 

Chrigel Maurer (SUI1) beim Signboard für Turnpoint 5, Lermoos in der Tiroler Zugspitz Arena. © zooom / Vitek Ludvik

Ulrich Grill, Rennorganisator, sagte: „Das wird ein spannendes Rennen. In den vergangenen Jahren hätten wir wahrscheinlich gesehen, dass Maurer seinen Vorsprung ausbaut, es war einfach nicht zu erwarten dass ihn jemand einholt. Aber jetzt hat es von Känel geschafft und auch die anderen Verfolger liegen nicht weit dahinter – und jeder von ihnen hat die Kraft und Ausdauer, um in diesem Rennen zu triumphieren. Es wird ein spannender Kampf um den Sieg werden.“
Zwei Athleten sind zwischenzeitlich aus dem Rennen ausgeschieden. Der Letztplatzierte Andrei Mashak (RUS) wurde heute Morgen aus dem Rennen genommen; die nächste Eliminierung findet am Freitagmorgen statt. Ebenfalls ausgeschieden ist der Japaner Ken Oguma (JPN2), der sich gestern bei einem Landeunfall das Bein brach.
Keiner der Athleten hat einen Night Pass gezogen. 

Red Bull x alps Day 4 – GROSSE BERGE LOCKEN DIE SCHWEIZER

Tale of two Turnpoints

There are two different types of Turnpoints in the Red Bull X-Alps – here’s what you need to know

23.06.2021 – 16:15

Shortly before 3pm the three lead athletes made Turnpoint 6 Säntis. From here they have 797.5km to go.

However, unlike other Turnpoints the athletes did not have to get to an exact point and sign in at a physical signboard.

Instead, they had to fly into a zone around a physical point – in this case a 2000m-radius cylinder around the summit of 2501m Säntis.

There are 12 different Turnpoints in this year’s Red Bull X-Alps. 

Of these, athletes must physically sign in to nine. They are:

TP1 Gaisberg
TP2 Wagrain-KLeinarl
TP3 Kitzbühel-Hahnenkamm
TP4 Chiemgau-Achental
TP5 Lermoos-Tiroler Zugspitz Arena
TP7 Fiesch-Aletsch Arena
TP11 Kronplatz
TP12 Schmittenhöhe

The others are all geographical features:

TP6 Säntis: athletes must enter a 2km cylinder around the mountain

TP8 Dent D’Oche: athletes must simply pass around this Turnpoint to the north

TP9 Mont Blanc: Europe’s highest mountain at 4,809m. Athletes must pass this to the west, travelling anti-clockwise around it

TP10 Piz Palü: athletes must enter a 3.5km radius cylinder around this 3,901m mountain.

Finally, at the end of the race athletes must reach the raft in the middle of the lake at Zell am See. They can land on it after flying there, or swim out to it after hiking. This is where their time finally stops. 

If you want to know more about a Turnpoint, click on its icon on the map and information will pop up, including current weather data and details about its location.

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Slow progress

Even though the leading pack has been flying for hours, it’s not a racy day.

23.06.2021 – 14:00

Progress is proving to be challenging today. The field is split between those who have managed to reach Turnpoint 5 Lermoos – Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, and those who still have to reach it.

The lead group is led by Chrigel Maurer (SUI1) and Patrick von Känel (SUI2). In no particular order because they have been leapfrogging all day. Patrick is showing an incredible performance here, being able to keep up with Chrigel, giving him a hard time, pushing and leading the way. No magic moves today so far, Patrick has been able to counter any attempt of the champion to get away.

Meanwhile, the battle for third and fourth place is going on just behind the leaders. It’s Benoît Outters (FRA2) that is breaking away just now, but he is following a tricky line, straight toward a wide stretch of the Rhine valley. 

The next one up is Maxime Pinot (FRA1) who is diverting south towards Patricks line. Meanwhile, Aaron Durogati (ITA1) has been chasing hard flying along the mountain range of Vorarlberg. He is now on foot but at high altitude, looking to get a good flight in and catch the leaders. 

No more than ten to twenty kilometers away are five more athletes, bringing the close race field at the front to a total of eleven athletes.

At the back before TP5, there is not a lot of flying going on. In the pack, Tommy Friedrich (AUT3) is fighting back hard. He had a nice flight of about 50km putting him just ahead of Laurie Genovese (FRA4) in 18th place. He’s showing real character for the youngest contestant ever, and if he keeps it up he might just surprise us a bit more.

None of the athletes have pulled a night pass. 

Deep into the high Alps

The race leaders hiked up high and deep into the Alps early this morning.

23.06.2021 – 10:00

This morning, all teams in the top ten moved into deep high alpine terrain. Race leaders Chrigel Maurer (SUI1) and Patrick von Känel (SUI2) moved up to a 2700m high peak called Grachelspitze for an early flight. They took off at around 08:20h and are still flying two hours later. For sure this was a magic move again.

It was not an easy decision however. There had been a lot of rain causing low clouds in the morning, that needed to clear before flying conditions can turn on. As Chrigel said: “The clouds in the valley are a problem. There is the pressure of how to fly and where to fly and when to fly. All day the same game. Good weather forecast, bad weather.”

His supporter Thomas Theurillat said: “It’s the X-Alps. this game plays on several layers. Yesterday when we left Germany we also left the beautiful green forests. Now we are at high altitude. This means different playground, you can see it.”

Huge respect for one-time veteran Patrick von Känel too. The 26-year-old has gained a lot of experience as a test pilot, flying paragliders that are still under development. He has also made incredibly long flights of up to 556km in Brazil last year. Combined with his knowledge on home turf, that makes him the perfect contender to keep pushing Chrigel. And that is what he is doing. 

Patrick said while hiking up: “I’m feeling good, I’m looking forward to going to Switzerland for sure. I prefer big mountains. I was growing up in that area and I learned to fly in the mountains. I’ts like getting back home.”

The high alpine terrain is indeed beautiful and humbling at the same time. It was an incredible hike up, said our race reporter Tarquin Cooper. “Here we are in the mountains, very different from the greens in the Achental. Just beautiful vistas. The morning light coming up in the cloud, sending it this incandescent glow. Just glorious, you gotta love the mountains. So great to be up above the snowline. It really feels like alpinism.”

Flying, but slowly

The day may have been a bit slower to start than some of the athletes expected.

23.06.2021 – 12:00

After an early start this morning, athletes, among them Chrigel Maurer (AUI1) and Patrick von Känel (SUI2) are finally flying. They expected the conditions to be good for flying early, but it has turned out to be a slow start. 

The top twelve athletes are now flying, which is anyone who has made it beyond Turnpoint 5 Lermoos – Tiroler Zugspitz Arena. Except Toma Coconea, the running man, who is still running up the flanks of the Grubigstein skiing area. 

Flying is proving to be not easy though. While Patrick and Chrigel were flying together at up to 2500m for a long time, Patrick managed to stay airborne and get away, while Chrigel flew a bit more south and landed. He had to hike back up again and is now chasing Patrick at a few kilometers distance.

The next challenges for the Swiss athletes they will be well aware of. They are flying to their home turf Switzerland and the pair live only about 20km from each other along the same valley.

As Chrigel’s supporter Thomas Theurillat said: “We are still fresh and motivated. We think the warm up the first three days was good. We are more or less where we dreamed about being. With strong legs and a lot of good ideas, But we also know that it is important not making mistakes, not getting a penalty in airspace.”

Thomas sent a warm message to all English speaking followers from north to south: “It’s a huge honor to know that from the north, Annecy and Wales, down to Marrakesh in Morocco we are supported. Thank you for following us and have a nice day!”

Apart from airspace and regulations, the athletes will have to cross the wide Rhine valley that marks the border between Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria. A wide valley is a challenge for athletes, especially if they can’t get up very high and fly across it. A valley usually produces less thermals and updraft. 

Besides, it is not allowed to fly low over roads and built-up areas, for obvious safety reasons. If they would make a mistake they would land on top of a house or highway. 

The athletes will be looking to cross the valley at a narrow point south of Vaduz, where it’s only a three or four kilometer stretch to the mountains on the other side. If they succeed that will put them within easy flying distance of Turnpoint 6 Säntis. If not, the hike will slow them down and give the chasing pack, among them Aaron Durogati (ITA1) and Benoît Outters (FRA2). 

Verfolgt die ganze Action via Live-Tracking auf redbullxalps.com.