What’s kicking off for 2018?

From athlete announcements to route planning, this is the year the next race is decided.

Happy New Year! With the next race another 18 months away it’s tempting to think there’s nothing going on this year – but think again. There’s a reason the race takes place every two years and it’s not just to allow athletes the time to recover and recharge. The Red Bull X-Alps is a major mission that takes months of detailed organisational work. And it begins here.

This is what you can look forward to: This spring we begin the athlete selection. Exact dates are still to be confirmed but it’ll be open throughout the summer. Anyone who’s a serious paraglider pilot and adventurer – male or female – can enter. There have been female athletes in two previous editions of the race, most recently in 2015. Will we see a mixed field again in 2019? We look forward to receiving your applications.

The elite few to be chosen are selected from around the world and normally number around 30 but nothing is ever certain! Full details will appear soon.

This is also the time of the year we start looking at the route. Every edition of the race sees a different course across the Alps with new Turnpoints. Last year was the first time the race went to Slovenia and was notable for the number of times it crossed the main chain of the Alps. While the route won’t be announced for another year, this is the time the race committee and team are working hard behind-the-scenes to come up with a route that’s challenging and offers lots of excitement.

From this month, we’re also increasing our story production, so stay tuned for the latest race and athlete news – as well as some great adventure stories. And in case you missed some previous ones, check out Paul Guschlbauer’s hike & fly tips HERE, read how photographer Honza Zak managed to fall asleep while standing up HERE or discover what happened when David Lliano tried to swim the English Channel HERE.

We’ve got more great stories in the pipeline. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram so as not to miss.

Photos by © zooom / Sebastian Marko, © zooom / Harald Tauderer, © zooom / Vitek Ludvik, © zooom / Honza Zak

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