Christian Maurer wins Red Bull X-Alps 2011

While I've been mostly occupied with the Raid the North Extreme this week, another event was taking place in Europe that is definitely worth a mention as well. That's where the Red Bull X-Alps 2011 was taking place, which is a very unique race that is a demanding test of endurance, skill, and nerve as well.

For those who haven't heard of it before, and I'm one of them, the X-Alps is an event that pits endurance athletes on a non-stop race through the Alps, starting in Salzburg, Austria and ending in Monaco. Participants in the competition, and there were 31 of them, must travel either on foot or by paraglider. Yep, you read that right, foot or paraglider.  So, as a result, you have athletes running through the mountains, carrying their paragliding gear with them, while also scrambling to higher heights, so that they can launch themselves into the air and use their gliders to make progress.

The race got underway on Sunday, July 17th, and yesterday the first competitor crossed the finish line. That was Swiss athlete Christian Maurer who managed to glide the final 60km (37. miles) to the finish and land on a floating platform especially created for the event.

The rest of the competitors are expected to filter in between now and tomorrow, bringing a close to the race for 2011.

To find out more about the event, and see Maurer's winning ride, check out the video below.


Red Bull X-Alps: Day 12 from Planetmountain.com on Vimeo.

RTNX Update: WildernessTraverse.com Wins!

While most of the teams are still out on the course, the winners of this year's Raid the North Extreme have been crowned, as Team WilernessTraverse.com came across the finish line early this morning, to claim the victory. Congratulations to the team, which consists of Captain Bob Miller, Jakob Van Dorp, Gordon Blythen, and Sarah Fairmaid, on the impressive win.

The rest of the podium has yet to be decided, although it does appear that Team Wild Rose has a firm grip on second place at the moment. They're on the final mountain bike stages, and will transition back on foot later in the day, as they make their way to the finish. Behind them, there seems to be a battle brewing between DART-nuun, Atmosphere MOMAR and Tecnu Extreme/StaphAseptic for third place, while the Team GearJunkie/YogaSlackers, the only other team on the full course, seem to be MIA from the leaderboard at the moment.

This year's RTNX is being run in the West Kootenay region of Canada's British Columbia. The 500+km (310 mile) race promised "real wilderness" to anyone who signed up, and it seems that most teams have gotten all of that and more. With only six teams still competing on the full course, and 15 others going unranked, it appears that the race has lived up to its billing. It also seems that the teams are having a great time and are enjoying the course, despite having poor weather conditions early in the week.

Good luck to the rest of the teams. Get home safe!

RTNX Update: WildernessTraverse.com In Command!

We're now several days into the Raid the North Extreme adventure race, which is taking place as we speak in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. With more than four days of racing under their belts, the teams have already had to endure some tough challenges. In fact, the course is so tough that only six of the 30 teams racing have a chance at completing the full course.

As of this writing, Team WildernessTraverse.com seems to have a commanding lead, and are currently on foot and steaming towards the next Transition Area, where they'll climb on their mountain bikes for the last leg of the race. In second place, and chasing hard is Team Wild Rose, followed by DART-nuun in third. At this point, the only other three teams who have a hope of completing the full course are GearJunkie/Yogaslackers, Team Atmosphere MOMAR, and Tecnu Extreme/StaphAseptic. There are also 10 teams that are continuing unranked at the moment, most likely due to a team mate dropping out of the race.

The full course teams will cover more than 500km (310 miles) by the time the reach the finish line on Saturday. The race has been a tough combination of trekking, mountain biking, and paddling, with plenty of navigation mixed in as well. There is still a lot of  miles to cover, and with serious navigation involved, anyone can get lost, but at the moment, the trailing teams will be hard pressed to catch WildernessTraverse. They seem to be running a good, solid race with few mistakes, and as a result, they've built a comfortable lead. For now.

Stay tuned for results tomorrow or Saturday.

Raid The North Extreme Is Underway!

The Raid the North Extreme adventure race got underway yesterday with 30 teams setting off on a 500km (310 mile), six day race through the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. The coed teams of four will now trek, paddle, mountain bike, and navigate their way through the beautiful and demanding Canadian backcountry.

As I write this, the teams are roughly one day into the Raid, and as of now Team WildernessTraverse.com is in first place, having passed through Checkpoint 4 on the course as they continue on their mountain bikes. Behind them is Team Custom Cellular, although coming on quickly is Team GearJunkie/YogaSlackers. Each of the lead teams still have a ways to go on their  bikes before transitioning to the kayaks for the first time.

Race headquarters has a host of live feeds to help keep you updated on the race as it unfolds throughout the week. Not only is there a running Twitter feed, but you'll also find a live leader board and a course tracker to show you where the various stages begin and end, as well the current locations of all of the teams. It is a slick interface that gives fans of adventure racing the opportunity to follow the action as it unfolds, while also keeping them up to date on the current standings in the field.

Look for the fastest teams to start arriving at the finish line on Thursday or Friday of this week. It seems that at the moment, weather conditions are good and the course is a beautiful challenge for the athletes to enjoy. Stay tuned for updates as the race continues throughout the week.

Swiftwick Sponsors Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing

Earlier today, Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing and Swiftwick, a company that makes compression socks and sleeves, announced that they are extending their partnership. As part of the deal, all of the racers taking part in the Checkpoint Tracker National Championship in October will receive a pair of Swiftwick socks and sleeves for use during the race. The offer is open for anyone who registers before August 15th, and the gear will be shipped to them ahead of time to it can be throughly tested prior to the October 21st Championship.

Has anyone used compression socks or sleeves in their training/recovery? I first saw the athletes using them at Primal Quest, particularly after race was over, and they all swore by them, but I've yet to invest in a pair for myself. I'd be interested in hearing reports from others who have used them and how they aided you.

Also, this is a good sign that sponsorships are starting to return to adventure racing. The past few years have been lean in that department, but the sport seems to be on a great trajectory at the moment with some excellent races taking part all over the world. Hopefully this bodes well for more sponsors getting on board in the near future.

Swiftwick Sponsors Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing

Earlier today, Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing and Swiftwick, a company that makes compression socks and sleeves, announced that they are extending their partnership. As part of the deal, all of the racers taking part in the Checkpoint Tracker National Championship in October will receive a pair of Swiftwick socks and sleeves for use during the race. The offer is open for anyone who registers before August 15th, and the gear will be shipped to them ahead of time to it can be throughly tested prior to the October 21st Championship.

Has anyone used compression socks or sleeves in their training/recovery? I first saw the athletes using them at Primal Quest, particularly after race was over, and they all swore by them, but I've yet to invest in a pair for myself. I'd be interested in hearing reports from others who have used them and how they aided you.

Also, this is a good sign that sponsorships are starting to return to adventure racing. The past few years have been lean in that department, but the sport seems to be on a great trajectory at the moment with some excellent races taking part all over the world. Hopefully this bodes well for more sponsors getting on board in the near future.

Watch The Expedition Africa Adventure Race Online

Back in early May, the Expedition Africa adventure race took place in South Africa. The 500km long event sent teams of four out into the bush on one of the most challenging course in AR this season. In the end, Team Merrell Adventure Addicts claimed victory after 63-hours of racing. They were shadowed throughout the race by a camera crew, and the video of their race is now available for fans of adventure racing everywhere.

The video, which you'll find below, was produced by D4 Productions, a company that specializes in filming outdoor endurance events such as EA. Of course, the only way to film an adventure race is to get out there and do it yourself, carrying a camera with you the whole time no less. As you can see from the video, this was no easy task for the athletes or the crew that followed them.

Make sure you have plenty of time to watch, as the video is 52+ minutes in length. Kick off your shoes and get comfortable for this one, it's worth the time.


2011 Merrell Adventure Addicts @ Expedition Africa from D4 Productions on Vimeo.

Watch The Expedition Africa Adventure Race Online

Back in early May, the Expedition Africa adventure race took place in South Africa. The 500km long event sent teams of four out into the bush on one of the most challenging course in AR this season. In the end, Team Merrell Adventure Addicts claimed victory after 63-hours of racing. They were shadowed throughout the race by a camera crew, and the video of their race is now available for fans of adventure racing everywhere.

The video, which you'll find below, was produced by D4 Productions, a company that specializes in filming outdoor endurance events such as EA. Of course, the only way to film an adventure race is to get out there and do it yourself, carrying a camera with you the whole time no less. As you can see from the video, this was no easy task for the athletes or the crew that followed them.

Make sure you have plenty of time to watch, as the video is 52+ minutes in length. Kick off your shoes and get comfortable for this one, it's worth the time.


2011 Merrell Adventure Addicts @ Expedition Africa from D4 Productions on Vimeo.