Author: X-Pyr

Update on Day one

Written by X-Pyr on June 26, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News, reviews, Videos. No Comments on Update on Day one

The start was grey and overcast. The predicted bad weather did not materialise, so the athletes had good weather for hiking. This translated into a very fast ascent (less than 2:30 for the 2 first for some to the turnpoint in Larun.

This is the only sign-in turnpoint and athletes must reach it on foot, sign the board and can then proceed to launch.

David Corpas was leading, but took a wrong turn and arrived with Maxime Pinot, Tanguy Renaud-Goud in a group. Maxime, together with Tanguy signed the task board first. All 42 pilots flew andheaded north as this is better walking country in case of bad weather.

Athletes then split into two groups – those going north and those going south. Lots and lots of pilots few several times.

Maxime Pinot and Chrigel Maurer are both determined to cover 60 km in the next few days when the conditions will be challenging and big distance flying is not possible.

At the end of the day this was the leader board (teams that covered more than 60 km):

Maxime leading with 64.5 km – achieving his day goal already.
Tanguy Renaud-Goud has covered 64 km
Noe Court 63.5 km
Tim Alongi, 63,1 km
Christian Maurer, 63 km
Simon Oberrauner 61.3 km
Logan Walters 60,8 km

Compulsory rest time starts at 9pm, rather than 10pm as in previous editions. The athletes will then have to remain within a 150 m radius of their last location until 7am in the morning. Stay tuned for more racing tomorrow.

The race has just started!

Written by X-Pyr on June 26, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News, Videos. No Comments on The race has just started!

The race has started on time, at 10 am, and the teams are on the way.

See the Facebook Live of the Race Start here.

Day 0 – Briefing with the teams

Written by X-Pyr on June 25, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News, reviews. No Comments on Day 0 – Briefing with the teams

After yesterday’s registration day, today was briefing day.

A long session presented by our race director, Íñigo, that covered many points related with the race.

Long explanations about the route and, especially, the restricted airspace , which is the biggest headache for both the teams and the organisation.

Tomorrow this long-awaited edition of the X-Pyr begins. Although we fear that it’s not going to be the start that both teams and spectators are hoping for, as the weather doesn’t look very good.

Here you have a selection of photos from this session.

SportsTrackLive – Another way to follow the race

Written by X-Pyr on June 21, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News. No Comments on SportsTrackLive – Another way to follow the race

The X-Pyr is happy to announce our collaboration with SportsTrackLive.

SportsTrackLive is a sports tracking system to follow live and online any outdoor sporting event. Equipped with GPS FlyMaster trackers, X-Pyr participants can be geolocalised at any time on an interactive 2D Map in order to ensure their safety, but also with an outstanding and realistic 3D route presentation.

SportsTrackLive allows spectators to better follow race progress. This tool offers the possibility to display participants’ comparisons such as distance, wind direction, speed, altitude, heading, ranking, and virtual lines.

Spectators are also more than welcome to comment during the race! Comments are related to the timestamp of the race. Live comments can be commented after the race by pilots or race organisers.

Follow the X-Pyr using SportsTrackLive: https://www.sportstracklive.com/user/XPyr/live

We hope that this cooperation will be beneficial for all our supporters and will enhance the enjoyment of the race even more. Enjoy race watching from anywhere!

Nick Neynens has to withdraw

Written by X-Pyr on June 20, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News. No Comments on Nick Neynens has to withdraw

We are sorry to announce that Nick had an accident in Annecy and is recovering in hospital. He therefore had to withdraw from the race. We wish him an quick and full recovery. Here he is in his own words about the accident:

We’ll miss Nick’s always interesting and amusing comments.

All the best, buddy!

XCSkies

Written by X-Pyr on June 19, 2022. Posted in sponsors_cat. No Comments on XCSkies

Maurice Koller has to withdraw

Written by X-Pyr on June 10, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News. No Comments on Maurice Koller has to withdraw

Latest news! We are sorry to have to share the news that Maurice has to withdraw from the race due to and old injury.

In his own words:

Unfortunately, I have some very bad news, due to an older knee Injury that recently flared up after a fall during training and severe pain at a training competition this weekend I and my supporter have decided not to go forward with the race.
I talked to my doc and there is a significant risk of severe damage if I keep pushing for prolonged times, and I’m not willing to take that risk as I’m just getting started and want to have many more nice years of competition.
I’m really sorry I have to cancel this close before the competition and we didn’t take the decision lightly after all the training and preparation that has gone into the race already.

It only remains to wish Maurice good luck in his recovery. Cheer up!

This means that 44 teams will finally be at the start in Hondarribia.

Stanislav Mayer is OUT, and Rob Curran is IN

Written by X-Pyr on June 8, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News. No Comments on Stanislav Mayer is OUT, and Rob Curran is IN

Sadly, due to a mountain bike accident, Stanislav Mayer has had to withdraw from this edition of the X-Pyr.

Standa is doing well, but is in the intensive care unit, as he has had internal injuries.

Obviously, due to the seriousness of the accident, the team composed by Stanislav and Miroslav Oros had to withdraw from the race.

Standa, we will be waiting for you in 2024, to hear your traditional: “Vamos a la playa, chicas!”

In his own words:

Hello friends, unfortunately i had a mtb bike crash in low speed but downhill. Doctors found bleading into body and I must lay on ICU minimal two weeks. We hope there will be no more complication. I cannot be part of @xpyr 2022. But we can follow other czech teams there . Thanks to my great wife and amazing Czech doctors and assistants . Athletes and fans, enjoy X-Pyr event and hopefully see you soon.
Stanislav’s Facebook page

But one withdrawal means that other team can enter the race, and that’s a good news for them.

So we welcome the U.S. team of Rob Curran and Julia Seyferth, who will be on the start line in Hondarribia. Rob is no stranger to the race, having been a supporter in the 2018 edition.

Bornes to Fly opened hike & fly racing season

Written by X-Pyr on June 5, 2022. Posted in Blog, team_post_cat. No Comments on Bornes to Fly opened hike & fly racing season

Hike & fly racing season begun for me last weekend with traditional 3 days long race Bornes to Fly around Annecy lake in France. As it was only hike & fly race before X-Pyr for me, it was also about testing all the equipment, logistics, and support team and getting back to race mode.

As the weather looked quite promising, committee prepared a 166 km long task in Bornes, Aravis, and Bauges massifs for us.

I managed to cut almost 100 km of the course on the first day. However the second day wasn’t that successful for me: First I spent a couple of hours waiting on the ridge in fog, then bombed out 3 times. Just the last flight at 7:30 pm was magic and I got into mountains again and saved about a vertical kilometre and couple of hours of walking for the next day.

So it was already quite pleasant to finish the race in the morning of the last day. I was XC flying in Annecy area for the first time, so it was more about discovering the area and gaining some experience.

It will be the same on X-Pyr in couple of weeks :).

Andreas Viehböck X-Pyr Trainings mode on

Written by X-Pyr on June 1, 2022. Posted in Blog, team_post_cat. No Comments on Andreas Viehböck X-Pyr Trainings mode on

On the go…

Change of teams: Lars Meerstetter for Nicola Donini

Written by X-Pyr on May 30, 2022. Posted in Blog, Race News. No Comments on Change of teams: Lars Meerstetter for Nicola Donini

We get bad news from the team composed by Nicola Donini and Fiorenzo Graziano.

Unfortunately, due to a personal situation, they will not be able to participate in this edition of the X-Pyr.

We are very sorry for them, but, of course, this withdrawal means that a team from the waiting list has been able to enter the race.

The team is composed of the Swiss Lars Meerstetter a n d Nicola Heiniger.

Así que, bienvenidos a la X-Pyr 2022!

“X” marks the spot – revealing the X-Pyr 2022 route

Written by X-Pyr on May 25, 2022. Posted in Blog, Home, Race News, Videos. No Comments on “X” marks the spot – revealing the X-Pyr 2022 route

We present the “X”.

The “X” of the X-Pyr, and of our 10th anniversary, and of course, of Munich, our main sponsor since the first edition (and, without whom, the X-Pyr would not exist).

Here is the new route for this fascinating edition.

Longer, more complex, more international, more… challenging!

A route of 605.5 km, with 8 turnpoints. With distances between each averaging around 80 km, and altitudes of more than 2800 metres, and maximum free distances of almost 100 km.

A traditional start, with the now famous Larun turnpoint (come and join us to see the take-off of all the teams).
94 km later, they will reach the famous Accous flying area, on the north face of the Pyrenees.
Then, 83 km further on, they will arrive at a much visited turnpoint, the Peña Montañesa. And here we start our “X”.
With stretches of about 75 km, they will progress from the Peña Montañesa to another well-known flying area, Arbas, in the French Pre-Pyrenees.
From there, they turn back west to the imposing mountain of Midi de Bigorre.
And back again to the Spanish side, entering the Corronco, a well-known cross-country route in the Pyrenees.
After the Corronco, a visit to the famous Font Romeu area, to the Pic del Moros turnpoint, and then directly to the longest stretch of the race, to reach the Santa Helena de Rodes goal, where the individual time will be stopped.
This will be followed by a pleasant glide to the raft on the beach of El Port de la Selva.

605.5 km with a multitude of options, flight exclusion zones and very, very different weather in the different areas.

A route that, for sure, will not disappoint. Now let’s hope that the weather helps the teams.

Without further ado, we present the X-Pyr 2022 route… the “X” marks the spot!

Team Kinga: First Blog!

Written by X-Pyr on May 17, 2022. Posted in Blog, team_post_cat. No Comments on Team Kinga: First Blog!

Months before the race, it’s game on. Our small team is scattered in NZ,
US, and CH, resulting in planning meetings at all times of the day… and
night. We are in the “race to prep mode” right now, as all of us prepare to
make our life changes to accommodate such an incredible race. We have been
deep in checklists, maps, previous tracks, spreadsheets, meeting minutes,
and action items; if I didn’t know any better, I’d say it feels like I’m in
corporate, holding a starbucks coffee with some sort of briefcase. Luckily
the gym, hiking, and overall training are preventing that feeling from
being longer than it takes to finish said coffee.

My favorite moment from our last meeting was: “It’s late, let’s get some
dinner and get to sleep,” and Chris immediately chirped up with “Dinner? It
is time to go back to the gym.” The quiet yet resounding “oh” made us all
laugh. Then Ross fell asleep since it was 1am his time while Nino had
breakfast in Switzerland.