Pierre Carter takes on the Red Bull X-Alps

The Red Bull X Alps is an uncompromising 818km across the rugged Alps from Salzburg in Austria through Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France and finally ending in Monaco.

The race for Glory goes on 24/7, regardless of the weather, over peaks and across valleys. As one of 30 athletes (all trained to the bone) from around the world, Pierre set off in Salzburg for a gruelling two weeks of hard work with next to no sleep, where Enervit sports nutrition and 1St Ascent clothing kept him going.

All competitors are fitted with a tracking device so as to allow spectators to watch the race 24 hrs a day on the red Bull X Alps web site and Google earth.

Launching off steep slopes, trying to stay aloft for as long as the conditions allow and then hiking late into the night through valleys and some times over 3000m mountains, with the ultimate ambition of reaching the final goal – Monaco, in this mega- extreme bi annual event.

The Red Bull X Alps was conceived by Mountaineer/ Para glider Hannes Archer. The first X Alps took place in 2003, attracting extreme athletes from across the globe every second year since then. The competitors are hand picked by Red Bull for their experience in the mountains and with Paragliding. Only the best pass through their rigorous filter system.

Climbing and flying for over 20 years, Pierre Carter was South Africa’s first entry accepted into the X Alps. Pierre trained non stop for 6 months, arriving in Austria 10 kg lighter and ready for what ever came his way.

Starting in Mozart Square in Austria, the competitors have to wind a torturous trail through the Alps, passing eight compulsory turn points en route to Monaco, 818 km away as the crow flies, carrying their 10 – 14 kg rig at all times. The actual distance covered is obviously a lot greater as the athletes try to plot a way to take advantage of weather and launch sites.

The race is not only fought in the front, but against time itself. After 72 hrs into the race the last team gets axed and thereafter one team every 48 hrs until the leader reaches Monaco, when all remaining competitors have 48 hrs to get as far as they can before the race is stopped. With prize giving taking place 24 hrs later in Monaco.

The race started in Mozart Square on Sunday, 19 July at 11am, Salzburg, Austria, and with adrenalin pumping through his veins, Pierre raced up the Gaisberg to TP1 where he arrived leading the field and became the fastest athlete to this first checkpoint in the history of the event!

Unfortunately 850 km is a long way to go through the treacherous Alps and Pierre soon found himself fighting to prevent elimination following a nasty clash with the side of a mountain slope during one of his flights. Luckily, his feet were protected by New Balance, his eyes by Blueye ware and his life, covered by Etana.

Herewith an extract from James Braid’s correspondence shortly before Pierre finally had to throw in the towel…

And yet more race drama.

After staggering to Sallien on Wednesday, we got some advice from a local paragliding school who directed us up to a launch site high above the town. Ahead of us, by about an hour, was the Venezuelan pilot, Raul. The wind on top was strong, blowing down the valley, making any into-wind flying very challenging.

The walkers had chosen a more direct route to the Marmolada, but the flying in that valley would have been difficult, if not impossible. Since walking was no longer becoming an option, Pierre’s only hope would be to fly, however, by flying the dog leg from Sallien to Brunico, and then down that valley to Marmolada was longer, but would be much easier. So that was the plan. Pierre had a good flight from Sallien, almost reaching Brunico. We continued walking through the night to Brunico, so that in the morning, he could just hike up to the launch site at Concordia, over looking the town.

The following morning, we did the 1000+m climb to the top of Concordia. The forecast wasn’t looking too good with strong SSW winds, coming from the exact direction we needed to fly. We sat and waited. The air was very inverted, not even the birds were staying aloft. Pierre launched just before lunch time and managed to get to about 2800m. Not long after, however, a howling south Fohn came through, very hot and dry, making the air extremely turbulent and penetration almost impossible. Pierre managed to fly about 10km into wind (only 20 or so to go to the Marmolada and the other back markers) before slope landing on the lee side of a mountain, so as not to be flushed backwards back down the valley. He traversed onto the windward side to re-launch into the next valley, but by then, the wind speed was 20+ knots. An aborted launch put his glider into a tree (luckily) and we both realised that flying the last short leg wasn’t going to be possible.

Pierre then tried to walk down the mountain, to continue on foot, but just couldn’t anymore, the pain was too unbearable. So I went up to meet him, we switched off the tracking device, and came down to a campsite in the Dolomites for a decent rest and shower. Our only option to pass the back markers would be to sneak in a magic flight this morning.

Strategy also plays an important role in race like this. Not only is the last team at risk of being axed, so is the second last team, whose risk is that the last guy withdraws, and then he is axed! So we had a few stressed phone calls from the second and third last teams wanting to find out what we were planning to do.

This morning, the wind is still blowing, not as strong though, but we’d only have a window of two to three hours to fly ahead - not impossible, but highly unlikely.

The dilemma is that, if we manage to pass another slow team (who is stronger than us), then they get axed and we stay in the game. Unfortunately Pierre’s feet were in such bad state, that if we didn’t get axed, we would have to withdraw in the next day or two anyway. So, to avoid the unnecessary axing of a not-as-weak team, we’ve switched on the tracking device again at the same position and sat there until the reaper phoned. This way, Pierre’s feet got a much-needed rest, and another team got to stay in the game.

The whole drama of the race director phoning up the last team, like in Survivor, and chopping you out the race, is not that much of a surprise to the team in question, a camera crew arrives about an hour earlier, so you kind of know that you’re getting the phone call. :-) The camera guys have just arrived.

So, we’ll be out the race in a few minutes. Our plan then is to jump in the van and follow the route to see more of the Alps (gain some experience), and catch up with the leaders ahead. We’ll be at the closing ceremony in Monaco to watch the end of the race, and for Pierre to officially receive his "king of the Gaisberg" title.

For a full post mortem on the event and what went down, visit www.redbullxalps.com

Pierre and James would like to thank the following

• Logistics
  • Carel and Cameron - Etana insurance
  • First paragliding club - Thanks to all.
  • Red bull South Africa - Tristan, Taryn and Lorin.
  • Campbell Davies Consulting.
  • JJ and the team at Net Trace
• Product
  • Andre’ and James Braid - Gradient Paragliders.
  • Morne’ and the Team at - 1 St Ascent Apparel
  • Leo and Eric and the Team from - Adventure Inc/ Montreal/ Buff
  • Laurence and the team from - Blueye wear
  • Martin and Suzana at – Sky Paragliding
  • Garmin - You'll be lost with out it !
  • Megan and the Enervit team.
  • Mark and Katharine and the New Balance team
  • Icaro - helmet
• Support
  • Julia and Georgia
  • Family and friends, for all the cash you still going to help me find !
  • Mike and JT. Dooley Contracting for the support and time off.