It’s famous for its downhill ski race, the Hahnenkamm, but the Austrian town Kitzbühel – Kirchberg is currently preparing to host another legendary race – the Red Bull X-Alps.
32 athletes from 18 countries are making the final preparations before descending on the town for the start of the world’s toughest adventure race on June 11, 2023.
The race is a 1,223km hike and fly battle through five countries lasting 12 days in which athletes run, hike, climb and fly their way across the highest peaks of the Alps. It takes place every two years.
This year’s route is a circular loop around the Alps that begins in Kitzbühel – Kirchberg, finishes in Zell am See, and passes the highest mountains of Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. This is an historic edition being the 20-year anniversary of the first race, which was launched in 2003.
The physical demands of the race are renowned – it’s not uncommon for athletes to hike 100km and climb 4,000m in a day. All eyes will be on the Swiss seven-time champion Chrigel Maurer to see whether he can maintain his dominance in the face of steep competition. “It’s a hard adventure,” he says.
This edition features four women taking part. “There are some big mountain ranges to cross, so it will be quite a challenge,” says Austrian rookie athlete Elisabeth Egger. “Maybe the 2023 edition will be the first time a female competitor makes goal.”
Following the race could not be more exciting for spectators thanks to state-of-the-art Live Tracking, which lets fans follow the action as it happens and even jump into the cockpit with a 3D pilot’s view.
The overall performance of athletes is something that has increased dramatically in recent years with athletes now taking a professional approach to training and preparation. “Every year the level is going up again and again, it’s incredible,” says veteran eight-time athlete Tom de Dorlodot, who first competed in 2007. “This year is going to be super exciting. It’s the ultimate adventure,” he adds.
The adventure of crossing the Alps is what draws many athletes back to the race, year after year, including Austria’s Paul Guschlbauer, who has competed six times and finished four times on the podium. “It’s what I love to do,” he says. “I love to fly, I love to run. I love to race and I love the adventure aspect.”
“This year is not only going to be an historic edition, it also promises to be one of the most exciting,” says race co-founder Ulrich Grill. “This year’s route will challenge athletes physically and mentally to the max. We have a new start location in Kitzbühel – Kirchberg. There are 15 Turnpoints scattered across some of the highest mountains of the Alps. There’s also a mandatory via ferrata climb. We have also created a state-of-the-art viewing experience for fans and spectators watching who can follow every minute of the action via Live Tracking.”
The Red Bull X-Alps kicks off with a one-day Prologue in Kirchberg on Thursday June 8, 11am (CEST) with the main race beginning on Sunday, June 11 at 11.30am. It finishes 12 days later, on June 23.
Follow all the action live as it happens via Live Tracking on redbullxalps.com.
