Adventure Racing
Red Bull X-Alps Challenger 2026 – Mayrhofen: A new chapter begins
The Red Bull X-Alps Challenger brings the spirit of the world’s toughest adventure race into a 3-day event designed to test, inspire, and prepare the next generation of adventure athletes.
Taking place from May 28 to 31 in Mayrhofen, Austria, the Red Bull X-Alps Challenger is designed to inspire new athletes and build the talent of tomorrow. Over the course of the race, participants will be tested across four demanding disciplines: trail running, hiking, mountaineering and paragliding.
Mayrhofen, host of the Red Bull X-Alps Challenger 2026
© Becknaphoto
An intense 3-day race in the heart of Austria
While Red Bull X-Alps spans two weeks across the Alps, the Challenger condenses this adventure into an intense 3-day format. Each day also brings a unique learning opportunity, with workshops led by Red Bull X-Alps veterans who share tactical knowledge, technical skills, and inspiration from those who have shaped the history of the main race.
© Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen offers everything you need: the terrain, the take-offs, and the views over the Zillertal.
Building opportunity and diversity
Beyond its competitive aspect, the Challenger also places strong emphasis on inclusivity and opportunity. The event features both women’s and men’s categories, ensuring equal chances for athletes to prove themselves. By introducing a women’s ranking, the race empowers female talent and opens the door to new athletes capable of joining the Red Bull X-Alps adventure.
Benedikt Dornauer during Red Bull X-Alps 2025
© zooom / Lukas Pilz
The spirit of the Challenger is about more than competition. It’s about growing the sport and fostering a diverse community. For fans, it’s also a unique chance to experience the magic of Red Bull X-Alps concentrated in one destination, with all the inspiration of the main race.
The Red Bull X-Alps Challenger creates equal opportunities for adventure athletes and opens the door to new talents.
A format that pushes limits
The race format itself ensures a true test of endurance, skill, and determination. Day 1 – which includes 1,250 meters of vertical gain – starts in the valley and climbs to a summit, where timing stops after the first 80 men and 20 women arrive. On Day 2, athletes face three rounds of short-distance mountain runs with 410 meters of vertical gain, each followed by fast paragliding descents. Only the top 35 athletes, including 28 men and 7 women, advance to Day 3. On this final day, they tackle an 80-kilometer Out & Return Hike & Fly course, passing Mayrhofen twice.
The stakes are high: the women’s and men’s winners earn a wildcard entry for the Red Bull X-Alps 2027 main race, while the 2nd and 3rd place finishers secure a spot in the 2027 main race Prologue. It’s an opportunity to prove yourself and showcase your skills to the Race Committee for Red Bull X‑Alps 2027.
For more information about Mayrhofen and the event location, please visit Mayrhofen’s official website by clicking here.
