Red Bull X-Alps 2027: Maurer Wins Challenger Event as Rookies Shine

Chrigel Maurer claimed victory at the inaugural Red Bull X-Alps Challenger event on Saturday, 30 May 2026, but it was rookie pilots Aaron Mathis, 20, and Romy Sweda, 35, who walked away with the biggest prizes – wildcard entries into next year’s Red Bull X-Alps.

The three-day event, held in Mayrhofen in Zillertal, Austria, from 28-30 May, saw approximately 80 hike-and-fly pilots tackle a demanding challenge designed to test both mountain fitness and paragliding skills. Competitors hiked more than 4,000m in elevation gain and flew over 100km during the competition.

**The Format:**

– **Day 1:** A straight 1,400m mountain run, with the fastest to the summit declared the winner
– **Day 2:** Three laps of a hike-and-fly course – going up and down a 440m hill three times
– **Day 3:** The field was cut to 42 pilots who tackled an 82km cross-country flying task after completing another 1,400m ascent

Italian biathlete and Olympic medallist Lukas Hofer dominated the hiking stages, winning Day 1 in an impressive 1hr 21m 51s – a full 11 minutes ahead of eventual overall winner Chrigel Maurer.

Maurer, the eight-time X-Alps champion, demonstrated his prowess by winning the final day and overall competition, completing the 82km task in 3h 56m 02s. It was a close finish, with X-Alps veteran Tobias Grossrubatscher just 10 seconds behind. Rookie Aaron Mathis claimed third place, crossing the line three minutes later in 3h 59m 49s.

“I’m speechless,” Aaron said after his performance. “I don’t know what to say. It’s incredible. The final day was tricky. There was a strong north wind and we had to thermal up quite high to get to every turnpoint. But it was really special to compete alongside athletes like Chrigel and Tobi.”

Romy Sweda encountered difficulties when she missed a turnpoint and had to backtrack, finishing in 27th place with a time of 6h 23m 07s. Despite the setback, her performance earned her the female rookie wildcard spot.

“In the end it was really hard,” Romy admitted. “I was hoping after the first climb I would not have to walk again but that’s part of the game. You fly, you hike, but I’m really happy with the win.”

Maurer praised the rookie competitors: “It’s always nice to have a battle with the others, it was good fun, with good organisation and good weather. It’s a good event and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

**Final Results:**

*Overall Top 3:*
1. Chrigel Maurer
2. Tobias Grossrubatscher
3. Aaron Mathis

*Male Rookies Top 3:*
1. Aaron Mathis
2. Paul Romiée
3. François Montuori

*Female Rookies Top 3:*
1. Romy Sweda
2. Joanna Di Grigoli
3. Elisabeth Kofler

The event featured participants from 23 countries, including eight X-Alps veterans. Veterans were not eligible for wildcard entries to the main race. The three-day program also included workshops and panel discussions led by experienced athletes like Chrigel Maurer, Simon Oberrauner, and Celine Lorenz, along with product presentations from sponsors Tactical Foodpack, Dynamic Tape, and Naviter.

Event organizer Ulrich Grill described Red Bull X-Alps Challenger as the “perfect arena” to develop the next generation of X-Alps athletes. “The goal was always to sniff out new talent and see who’s got what it takes to compete in the world’s toughest adventure race. We’ve been blown away by so many promising athletes.”

Full results are available at [redbullxalps.com](https://www.redbullxalps.com/int-en/results-of-red-bull-x-alps-challenger).