por parapentenet
Day three of the Red Bull X-Alps saw another gripping day of action in the air and on the ground as 32 athletes battled their way in soaring temperatures and soaring heights in a bid to cross the Alps in the fastest time possible.
At the front, a gripping battle was taking place between a five strong front-runner group, as they flew over the main spine of the Alps from Austria into Italy. And for the first time in four editions, the race was not being led by its three-time champion Christian Maurer (SUI1).
Stanislav Mayer (CZE) flying near Turnpoint 4. /Sebastian Marko
He was under intense pressure to shake off the challengers, three of whom are competing in the Red Bull X-Alps for the first time Sebastian Huber (GER3), Stanislav Mayer (CZE) and Stephan Gruber (AUT3). Also trading places at the front was the Austrian ace and winner of the one-day Powertraveller Prologue, Paul Guschlbauer.
Maurer and Huber flew wingtip-to-wingtip at about 3,000m, dueling like Tour de France cyclists climbing a col, each one looking to shake the other.
Meanwhile, at the back of the pack, the threat of elimination loomed. At 06:00 on Wednesday July 8, the last ranked athlete is eliminated from the race. As a result, many of those at the rear have pulled a Led Lenser Night Pass which lets them hike through the night in a bid to catch up with the athletes in front.
They include Dawn Westrum (USA3), Nick Neynens (NZL) and Samuel Vurpillot (SUI2). But interestingly, the one person not to pull a Night Pass is the person in last place, Yvonne Dathe (GER2), who remains optimistic that the axe will not fall on her. Asked why she chose not to pull a Led Lenser Night Pass she said: here are still many race days left.
One thing for certain, if they are half as exciting as the first three days, it promises to be one incredible race to Monaco.
Follow live on Red Bull MOBILE live tracking.
Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1). /Kelvin Trautman
Guschlbauer (AUT1) and Maurer (SUI1) battling it out for top spot. /Sebastian Marko
Sebastian Huber (GER3) arrives at Lermoos. /Kelvin Trautman
Aaron Durogati (ITA) waiting for the right flying conditions. /Harald Tauderer
Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1) in the Oetztal. /Kelvin Trautman
ABOUT THE RED BULL X-ALPS
The 2015 Red Bull X-Alps is the seventh edition of the world's toughest adventure race in which athletes must hike or fly 1,038km across the Alps from Salzburg to Monaco in the fastest time possible. The race starts on July 5, 2015. It's an epic undertaking that can involve hiking up to 100km of mountain terrain in a day or flying at altitudes in excess of 4,000m. The race demands not only a very high level of endurance fitness but expert paragliding experience. The 2013 edition was the fastest on record with 10 athletes reaching Monaco. It was won by Christian Maurer (SUI) in 6d 23hr 40m.
New in 2015 is the one-day Powertraveller Prologue on July 2 which was won by Paul Guschlbauer in 2h 21m. Stanislav Mayer (CZE) was 2nd in 2h 22m and Gavin McClurg (USA2) came 3rd in 2h 24m. Athletes started and finished in Fuschl am See, passing the Turnpoints of the Zwölferhorn and Schafberg peaks. The first three athletes each gained an additional Led Lenser Night Pass and a five-minute headstart on the main race start.
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