Tag: route

Breaking News! Route Change for the 2024 X-Pyr

Written by Judith on June 22, 2024. Posted in Blog, Home, Race News, Slider-home, Uncategorized. No Comments on Breaking News! Route Change for the 2024 X-Pyr

In this edition there has been a rule change to allow the route of the race to be changed. The only reason for this would be if the weather was bad and there was a risk that pilots would have to walk for several days. This situation is bad for the athletes as it is hard on the body, soul-destroying and for the and spectators at home it is extremely boring to watch a small dot moving slowly across the screen. Athletes were consulted about this rule change and the response was very positive.

For this edition of the X-Pyr, the weather looks sufficiently bad at the beginning of the race, to justify invoking this new rule.

What will change? There are three differences:

– TP 3: Boí Taull, radius is now 12 km

– TP 4: Monte Perdido, radius is now 33 km

– TP 5: Pic des Trois Seigneurs, removed!!!

This makes the X in the middle of the route much smaller and the total optimised distance is now 486.9 km, some 80km shorter. The longest leg of the route is now 143.7 km.

The teams have been informed and are busy updating their instruments and plotting a new course. The race starts on Sunday at 10am (CET), come rain or shine!

X-Pyr 2024 – the route

Written by Judith on May 27, 2024. Posted in Blog, Race News, Uncategorized, Videos. No Comments on X-Pyr 2024 – the route

Finally, we are able to publish the route for the forthcoming edition of the race. There are a few exciting features to this route and it will not be an easy edition. For the 2024 X-Pyr, there will be the following turnpoints covering a distance of 592.5 km:

Start: Hondarribia
TP1: Larun
TP2: Val d’Azun
TP3: Boí Taull
TP4: Monte Perdido
TP5: Pic des Trois Seigneurs
TP6: Vall de Núria
TP7: Santa Helena de Rodes
Goal: El Port de la Selva

You can have a look at the route in detail here here.

As in every edition, after leaving the beach at Hondarribia, the athletes need to hike to Larun, a trip of 15 Km (23 km hiking really) with an altitude gain of 870 m. This is the first point where the athletes can take their equipment out of their bags and can finally fly.

From then on it is a back and forth zig-zag between France and Spain. The first long leg (the largest in this edition) is the 122.2 km trek to Val d’Azun. Last time rookie and third-placed pilot Pierre Remy will have a pleasant surprise, the second turn point is in the famous flying area where he lives. From there they go South East into Spain and visit the Parque Nacional de Aigüestortes, the waypoint Boí Taull.

Crossing back to the west, they go to the edge of the Monte Perdido in the Ordesa National Park. Since flying is restricted there, there is a large cylinder (7 km) around this turnpoint.

From there the race heads North East to the Arriege, Pic des Trois Seigneurs, north of Andorra, which may be the most complicated part of the route.
After this more complications await the teams… they will head to a sign-board, where they have to land (or arrive on foot) – there is no turnpoint radius. The special thing about the Vall de Nuria is that it is in a hanging valley at 1962 m which can only be reached by rack and pin railway. Teams supporters have a free ticket to ride, as there is no access road to the monestary which will be the turnpoint.
From there is is “only” 75 km as the crow flies to the end-of-race point at Santa Helena de Rodes.

Who will get there first? You can see all the competing teams here.

Race start is at 10am on Sunday the 23^rd of June, on the beach at Hondarribia. See you there!

“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!