Day 2 at Red Bull X-Alps Challenger
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Editorial Dept.
Once again, it was the Italian biathlete Lukas Hofer who took the win with an outstanding physical performance in the mountains. The Olympic silver medalist crossed the line in 2h 02m 31s. Chrigel Maurer came second, proving that he’s still at the peak of his game at the age of 43 – and strategic. He said he was hoping for a top five performance but it was his speed in the transition, packing up his wing in under three minutes – faster than most athletes – that allowed him to overtake other athletes to secure his place on the podium. The young French athlete Lucas Bonin came third, cementing his reputation as another Rookie to watch.
Romy Sweda first female
Romy Sweda was first female, finishing just 24 minutes after Lukas Hofer. “In the end it was hard,” she said. “The flights were so nice to cool down.” Antonia Stöger (GER) finished second female and Elisabeth Kofler (ITA) came third. The day belonged to Lukas Hofer however, who led from the outset, building an unassailable lead.
“Part of the adventure”
“Wow, it was crazy nice,” he said at the finish. “I had a little bit of a problem on the second flight with two collapses above the turnpoint but it’s part of the adventure to keep safe.” Lukas, who won a silver medal at the recent winter Olympics in Milan said his win today was on the same level. “In Milan I fulfilled a long-held dream but this is the second chapter and I’m following a new dream to compete in Red Bull X-Alps.” Lucas Bonin meanwhile said it was a tough job keeping up at the front. “We pushed a lot at the start to get a gap and then it was about keeping some energy back for tomorrow.”
The day was designed to test athletes’ ability not just on the ground and in the air but their launching and landing skills – as well as their speed in the transition. So it was perhaps not surprising that Chrigel Maurer excelled. He packed up his wing in two-and-a-half minutes to secure his second place. “It was hard,” Chrigel said. “I was not expecting to gain so much time with the packing. I was pushing hard. It’s good training. Three times up in 25 minutes. Good memories coming here to Mayrhofen. It’s a pleasure. It’s something new and good to also share my experiences.” Last night the eight time champion gave a two hour talk to athletes.
Race organizer Ulrich Grill said it was a relief the day has gone so well. “You never know how these things will turn out but it’s great to see how intensely everyone is competing. You can see the format works really well and the combination of multiple hikes, launches and landings has allowed a handful of athletes to emerge on top. We knew they would be fast, but not that fast.” He added that the launch procedure went like clockwork – with four to five athletes able to lay out their wings at the same time, and take off one after another.
However, it didn’t go well for Brazilian athlete Nickolas Conde. His reserve parachute came out on launch and due to rules that forbid supporter help, he was forced to repack it himself, costing him valuable time and his chances of competing in day three. Only the top 43 go through, seven females, 28 male Rookies and eight Veterans. The final day starts with a 1,400m mountain run before athletes have to complete an out-and-return cross-country flying challenge. The exact route was still to be confirmed, with some forecasts predicting strong winds.
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