Red Bull X-Alps

The Red Bull X-Alps is a paragliding adventure race in which athletes hike or fly approximately 1,200 km across the Alps. It first launched in 2003 and has taken place every other year. Around 30 athletes take part, navigating their way via a predetermined set of turn points that vary with each race. Every kilometer must be covered either on foot or by paraglider – athletes either hike carrying their wing, or they fly, carried by their wing.

Teams consist of one athlete and one official supporter, whose role it is to provide strategic advice, weather reports, and psychological and nutritional support. In practise, many athletes have two or three supporters.

Originally the race followed a course from the Salzburg region to Monaco. (The exact start and finish has varied over the years.) Inherent in the race’s early appeal was the adventure of journeying from the mountains to the sea, following the length of the Alps from east to west.  

The race last finished in Monaco in 2019. For the 2021 and 2023 editions the Red Bull X-Alps followed a circular route around the Alps finishing in Zell am See, Austria. The 2025 route is a figure-of-eight course, also finishing in Zell am See. The exact route is normally unveiled in March before the race start.

Every edition of the race since 2009 has been won by Christian Maurer. Red Bull X-Alps is often credited with the revolution in lightweight paragliding equipment design, helping to kick-start "hike and fly" as its own paragliding discipline.