To ensure an additional level of safety during the race, all Red Bull X-Alps athletes will be equipped with RECCO reflectors.
Stockholm, Sweden – September 25, 2018-Thirty of the world’s most talented paragliders and endurance athletes will embark on a transalpine journey from Salzburg, Austria to the Principality of Monaco on June 16, 2019 via land and air. To ensure that competitors are searchable during their 1000km journey through demanding and complex mountainous terrain, Red Bull X-Alps event organizers chose to equip contestants with RECCO technology.
For the 2019 edition of the Red Bull X-Alps, all thirty athletes will be equipped with RECCO reflectors in their helmets, backpacks, and official SALEWA outerwear. Should any of the competitors become lost or missing, the RECCO Helicopter Detector will help support location efforts in the difficult-to-access terrain. The RECCO Helicopter Detector allows rescuers to search and scan large areas from the air to locate missing persons equipped with RECCO reflectors.
“Thirty-two international athletes battle their way from Salzburg to Monaco, traversing the Alps by foot and paraglider through a series of turnpoints. It’s these ingredients that make Red Bull X-Alps such a unique event – and the reason that it’s widely considered the world’s toughest adventure race. Athletes face the difficult task of choosing their own routes, which will often lead them through remote alpine territory. Partnering up with RECCO, we are very happy to have all our athletes equipped with these tiny reflectors that permit us to locate them for safety purposes – even in the most remote and mountainous areas.“ -Jürgen Wietrzyk, Safety Director Red Bull X-Alps.
“We are very pleased to announce this partnership because it demonstrates the practicality of our new system. Although the athletes are already equipped with the latest outdoor mobile navigation, GPS, and satellite tracking devices, the event organizers decided to add an additional level of safety by equipping all athletes with RECCO reflectors. This helps ensure that rescuers can locate a missing athlete. Additionally, the Red Bull X-Alps is one of the world’s most popular adventure races and reaches a broad audience of people–highlighting the importance of being searchable for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts–not just extreme athletes.” -Fredrik Steinwall, CEO of RECCO AB
The Red Bull X-Alps takes place every two years and the detailed route of the race will be announced March 13, 2019. Applications for entry are now closed for the 2019 event. The final list of participating athletes will be released on October 16, 2018.
Julia Granhed, Assistant Marketing Manager
Tel: +46 (0)70 735 43 07 julia.granhed@recco.com
RECCO® advanced rescue technology makes outdoor enthusiasts searchable to rescuers in case of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. The technology builds on a two-part radar system. Rescuers carry RECCO® detectors that send out search signals which are echoed by RECCO® reflectors, carried by the user. RECCO® detectors are used worldwide at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 28 countries. RECCO® reflectors are integrated into select apparel, helmets, protection gear and boots manufactured by more than 150 leading outdoor brands. RECCO AB was founded in 1983 in Sweden and is owned by its founder Magnus Granhed and the publicly traded investment company Traction AB (listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm). More info at recco.com
