Ski touring – fun right? How about 40 days of it, covering over 1900km? This is exactly what one team of athletes are currently attempting across the Alps with Red Bull Der Lange Weg.
Seven top international athletes started the adventure of a lifetime last Saturday as they bid to cross the main chain of the Alps on skis within less than 41 days. The intrepid group set off near the Austrian capital of Vienna at 10am last Saturday in the hope they can reach Nice on skis and on foot – a task nobody has done for almost 50 years.
Altogether, the athletes will have to overcome 1917 kilometres in distance and more than 85,000 metres of cumulative elevation gain on their travel to Nice.
Only Austrian ski mountaineers Robert Kittl, Klaus Hoi, Hansjoerg Farbmacher and Hans Mariacher have mastered this adventure so far, completing their journey back in 1971.
Tamara Lunger (ITA), Nuria Picas (ESP), Bernhard Hug (SUI), Philipp Reiter (GER), David Wallmann (AUT) as well as Janelle and Mark Smiley (USA) are the new team.
Lunger said, “My personal goal is to arrive in Nice, have fun and make new friends. I want to take each day as it comes and enjoy what I’m allowed to experience here.” Wallman added, “The highlights are sure to be the highest mountains in every country we cross: Grossglockner in Austria, Dufourspitze in Switzerland and Mont Blanc in France.”
Picas revealed, “It will be tough to live without my kids for such a long time. But for me, a dream comes true. I have a good feeling about the whole expedition.”
Follow the expedition live tracker here.
Featured Image © Sandra Birklbauer/Red Bull Content Pool
