por parapentenet
Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1) received a psychological boost this afternoon after the Race Committee announced that 27 athletes would receive a penalty for deviating from the official route up the Gaisberg on Day 1.
The athletes will each receive a two-hour time penalty, which was reduced from six hours after the race committee reviewed appeals from the athletes. Among them is Chrigel Maurer (SUI1), who has been racing neck and neck against Guschlbauer all day at the front of the race.
Antoine Girard (FRA2) after landing in tough conditions. /Kelvin Trautman.
In a statement the race committee announced:
Yesterday on Sunday, all athletes except Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1), Toma Coconea (ROU), Stanislav Mayer (CZE), Gaspard Petiot (FRA4) and Gavin McClurg (USA2) made a shortcut up the Gaisberg deviating from the mandatory route. This is a clear violation of the rules. The penalty will be a two hour time period, which the 27 athletes have to add to their next rest period. Therefore all athletes, who violated the rule, must start the day only at 7am!
Crucially for the leaders, Maurer is in the sin bin, while Guschlbauer is not. That means Guschlbauer goes into this evening knowing he has an advantage putting Maurer under pressure. How this will affect the legendary three-time winner remains to be seen but he likes to lead from the front and excels when he does.
Otherwise Day 2 was a day when patience paid off as the race was hit by bad weather and storms.
t kite surfing weather up here on the Kampenwand, one pilot joked, as athletes huddled against the rain and wind.
A cold front passed through the course line of the Red Bull X-Alps at dawn, bringing torrential rain, thunder and lightning. That left all the athletes struggling against the elements on foot.
Race leader Stephan Gruber (AUT3) had pulled his LED Lenser Night Pass on the first day but only used it to walk until 1am, extending his lead by a mere 6km.
e saw the weather forecast and decided not to walk all night. We knew we would be walking in the morning, he said.
The two athletes hot on his heels were three-time Red Bull X-Alps champion Chrigel Maurer (SUI1) and Powertraveller Prologue winner Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1). Both athletes were up at dawn and walking through the rain.
Behind them, a battle of wits and patience played out. Those reaching Turnpoint 3 of Aschau-Chiemsee (Kampenwand) early had to decide whether or not to wait out the bad weather in the hope of better flying conditions, or walk down.
Those who walked down, or risked a wet flight through rain showers, were soon pushing ahead along the valley floor on foot.
Those who stayed high however, gambled that conditions would improve for flying and by lunchtime they did and they were soon airborne.
Below them, the pack of athletes on the ground realised their tactical error they were on the ground when they should be in the air and were soon being overtaken. Among those to suffer was Gavin McClurg (USA2) who slipped back in the rankings.
In other developments it was announced that Toma Coconea (ROU) did not violate airspace yesterday after all. He had been anxious after officials told him this morning they were investigating his track log.
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Stephan Gruber (AUT3) taking off from TP 3 on Day one. /Kelvin Trautman.
The rain brought challenging conditions. /Kelvin Trautman.
Toma Coconea (ROU) shows his dogged spirit. /Harald Tauderer.
Pawel Faron (POL) battling through the rain. /Kelvin Trautman.
Stephan Gruber (AUT3) hiking. /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 Zw枚lferhorn and Schafberg peaks. The first three athletes each gained an additional Led Lenser Nightpass and a five-minute headstart on the main race start.
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