Blog for ZREA

Day 3 -6 ; after day 2 Chrigel Maurer was in the leading position. It looks from Google Earth he had better flights than anybody else and he could pass Marmolada waypoints without too much struggling compare to other athletics. After Marmolada Alex Hofer took again a different way. He following the same route most of the athletics did in 2007, while Chrigel this year is doing the same way as Alex did in 2007. I hope Alex is not confusing this about Eiger waypoint in 2007 since he now have more northerly way than the official Xalps route. Well, I think he knows exactly what he doing, but he still loves Swiss and he has to visit his “old” country. According to Red bull page Alex told them “it is good to be in Switzerland, all the foreign country makes me ill”.

Alex Hofer and his supporter in 2007

Today has been a rough and windy day for all, Vincent Sprüngli and Ronny Gejisen is out of the race and in hospital, Pal Takas and Helmut Eichholzer had scary flight, while Toma Coconea throw his reserve. Tomorrow the weather forecast is better and I hope everyone can have nice flights.

Jouni Makkonen from Finland (neighbour country to Norway) is now (21:30) resting at 780 m.
Little statistic: he has only hiking 53 km today, with just a small flight. He has been flying 0.9 hour, hiking 9.45 hours and resting 8 hours. In total he has travelled 417 km since Salzburg last Sunday. Average activity 12.13 hours per day, average 11.87 hours resting per day and average resting time per night is 6.43 hours. If we compare to Chrigel; Average activity 14.43 h, average resting 9.57 h and 6.92 h average resting per night. Toma for example has almost same average activity than Chrigel, but are resting less during night.

I am stuck in front of the computer. If I am not online I am on the phone. Next two days I am travelling abroad and I am not sure the access to internet. Grrr.
Well, the race so far (19:20) is really exciting. Toma Coconea ,the runner, is on the second while Chrigel Maurer, the great pilot, is first. Christian Amon from Austria is out of the race and Vincent Sprüngli is little injured. The athletics has more than 30 hours walking, running and flying and I think they must start to feel some muscles now. This moment Alex Hofer is flying and climbing on the ranking list from 14th to 5th place. Jiiipiii :-) Helmut Eicholzer is also flying so the leading Chrigel will soon feel them just behind.

Ohohoo, I think this will be an exciting evening.

First day of Xalps is almost over for me, but certainly not for the athletics and the supporters. They will run and walk during most of the night. Until now (22:30) it is 3 different routes, a big bunch of pilots hiking the valley floor with leading Toma Coconea in the first group. Jouni Makkonen is leading the second group of 5 and they are walking upwards a mountain while Alex Hofer has all alone choice a third route. It seems that Alex has a rougher way than his competitors. I wonder why he chooses this way?
The race started at 11:30 and most of the pilots walked together up to waypoint Geisberg above Salzburg. Some pilots flew down to the valley and the journey continued to next waypoint (Watzman). It seems that only Chrigel Maurer, Martin Müller and Alex Hofer had a flight after Geisberg. I hope the weather improves for tomorrow, so we can watch real flights…
By the way, It is cool to watch all pilots on Live tracking and Google Earth!!

This is it…the biggest event ever…RedBull Xalps 2009. I have already following the athletics own blogs for some time and followed their preparations for the Xalps race. I am completely lost in Xalps, if I am a big fan of something then it must be this race. I don’t know why is like that; it must be the fascination of the wild nature and physical strength in combination with my passion: PARAGLIDING. It is the dream about flying like a bird across the great mountains and to push own limits to the end. Simply and great, that makes you alive.
Of course I will follow each step of the race from tomorrow and until it is finished. Live tracking on internet of each pilot is so trilling and exciting, I can not wait to use hours in front of the computer!!! Ahhhhhh.

I am really sad that I am not able to be on the start line tomorrow in Salzburg to watch all the great pilots take off. I have dreamt about this moment in two years now, I might be able to go to Monaco and welcome the winner on the raft? Yeeeeeeees.
-Still my favorite is Alex Hofer, but I think Toma Coconea and Chrigel Maurer will be hard to beat.

Red Bull Xalps 2009 webpage
Check out the "live tracking" to upper-right

Please help our friend Peter Vaskovych from Ukraine. He is an excellent paraglider designer for Aeros, sympatic and friendly man who got Leukemia this spring. He has fair chance to survive if he gets the treatment he needs. Health insurance doesn’t work in Ukraine and due the economic crisis it is impossible to get bank loan. The treatment cost about 150 000 Euro, and donation is highly appreciated. Ukrainian Hang Gliding federation and World Champion from 2005, Oleg Bondarchuck, organizing the donations and closely follows Peters treatment.
If you want to help Peter with his treatment, read this web page and make a donation.

Help him so he can see his two children grow up.