Red Bull X-Alps 2015: Aaron Durogati parte bene, ma non basta

Con una temperatura torrida, 32 atleti da tutto il mondo, hanno dato vita al prologo della Red Bull X-Alps 2015

nei dintorni di Fuschl am See, pittoresco paese sulla sponda di un lago nella regione Salisburghese. La gara è stata difficile a causa delle condizioni climatiche calde e stabili.
La partenza è avvenuta alle 10 del mattino, 38 i km del percorso di volo e terrestre contrassegnati da due boe, una sul monte Zwölferhorn, l’altra sullo Schafberg. In palio per i primi tre il permesso di camminare per due notti, invece che una sola alla quale hanno diritto tutti i partecipanti, come da regolamento. Vedi comunicato FIVL.
Il primo a raggiungere il decollo in un’ora e dieci minuti circa e subito prendere il volo è stato il nostro Aaron Durogati che vediamo nella foto in fase di decollo. Aaron ha condotto gran parte della gara, ma ha commesso un errore tattico verso la fine che lo ha costretto ad atterrare in anticipo.
La classifica finale recita: 1° Paul Guschlbauer (Austria), 2° Stanislav Mayer (Repubblica Ceca), 3° Gavin McClurg (USA).
Il prossimo 5 luglio partirà da Salisburgo la gara di 1038 chilometri verso il Principato di Monaco. E’ possibile seguire le fasi della maratona tramite il seguente link
Di seguito l’articolo ufficiale della giornata. Ringraziamo gli organizzatori per le foto e per la notizia.
Alla prossima

Gustavo Vitali, u.s. FIVL

Salzburg hills host gripping hike and fly battle
Local hero Paul Guschlbauer wins the one day Powertraveller Prologue

For Immediate Release
July 2, 2015

In scorching temperatures, 32 athletes from around the world descended upon the picturesque lakeside village of Fuschl am See in Austria today, for the prelude to the world’s toughest adventure race – the Red Bull X-Alps.
Inside the race, things got pretty heated too as the athletes battled for a prized podium position. For much of the race it looked like the Italian flying ace Aaron Durogati would win – he led through much of the day.
“The flight was crazy! It was so cool,” he said afterwards. “The running up, I didn’t push too hard. I was just going fast, enjoying myself.”But it was local adventure athlete Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1) who crossed the line first, in 2h 21m.
Thirty-two athletes set off from Fuschl at a racing pace at 10am. The first athletes arrived at the summit of the Zwölferhorn about 1h 10m later. Conditions on the summit were good for flying and athletes quickly started to launch. The 38km Prologue course took athletes from the lakeside resort of Fuschl am See into the Salzburgerland region mountains. They had to tag two Turnpoints, which included the summits of the Zwölferhorn and Schafberg.
To cover distance in the air, athletes need to find thermals, rising currents of air, that let them stay airborne. It was tricky due to hot and stable weather conditions, but they were soon on track to the second Turnpoint, above the Schafberg. Although he was first to round the peak Aaron Durogati (ITA) made a tactical error towards the end that forced him to land early.
He was philosophical about finishing up fourth. “I took a bad line in the final glide,” he said. “I was at the Schafberg TP first and was taking it pretty easy but I got a big sink in altitude and ended up 2km short.”
Guschlbauer saw his chance and took it – racing over the head of Durogati to take the win, amid cheers and applause from the crowd.
Second across the line was Stanislav Mayer (CZE), followed closely by Gavin McClurg (USA2) who was ecstatic to come in third. “It was a blast, it was so much fun,” he said.
All three athletes win an extra Led Lenser Night Pass to use during the Red Bull X-Alps, which starts on Sunday in Salzburg. The Night Pass allows athletes to walk through the night while other athletes are resting, helping them to steal a march on the other competitors. They also get a five minute headstart on all the other athletes in the Red Bull X-Alps.
The main race starts 11.30 on Sunday in Salzburg and the weather is looking hot. “High pressure and very high temperatures are expected to continue until the beginning of the next week,” says Clemens Teutsch, from official Red Bull X-Alps meteo partner wetter.tv, part of UBIMET.

Team Red Bull X-Alps 2015

Contatti:
team della Red Bull X-Alps
Julia Tolson e Maximilian Blair
tel: +43 622 688 4828 - fax: +43 622 688 484 – media (AT) redbullxalps.com
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