Flyable conditions on Day 2 of the Red Bull X-Alps 2019, Monday 17 June, meant the leaders covered nearly 300km. The top positions changed regularly throughout the day, making for exciting viewing.
Chrigel Maurer (SUI1), Maxime Pinot (FRA4), Toma Coconea (ROU), Peter Von Känel (SUI2) and Benoit Outters (FRA1) were among those jostling for top position. Chrigel wrote on Facebook, “That was a great day! Ran 19.5 kilometres, flew 277.3 kilometres”. This took him from Turnpoint 2 at Wagrain-Kleinarl, to two-thirds of the way to Turnpoint 4, Kronplatz.
Around 100km separated the front of the field from the back. Lebanese athlete Rodolphe Akl decided to use his night pass, allowing him to move past two competitors and up from 32nd position to 30th overnight. This leaves Dominika Kxasieczko (POL) and Cody Mittanck (USA3) as the back-markers as Day 3 starts, but there are almost 24 hours to go before the chopper falls for the first time at 6am on Wednesday, marking the end of the race for the back-marker. The forecast heralds good flying conditions, though hot in the valleys for those forced to walk, so there is everything still to play for.
As Day Three gets underway, leaders Maurer and Pinot have got into position on launch on the Austrian/Italian border where they are waiting for the thermals to start. Less than 15 kilometres behind them Benoit Outters (FRA1), Peter von Känel (SUI2) and Toma Coconea (ROU) are hiking together to a launch. It’s going to be exciting viewing for sure.
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