May Long weekend
x-Alps fundraiser fun and x-country competition

The road to Mt. Swansea will already be open so let's do some flying.

We will have a little fun competition and a fundraiser for the x-Alps 2009 team (Max & Penny).

There will be a party held at Frank's "mansion", with a live band and a presentation from Max.
Camping/accommodation will be available at Frank's and Max & Penny's place.

Australian pilot, Lloyd Pennicuick, having survived the 2007 X-Alps with his sense of humour intact, is taking on the challenge again this summer. In order to raise the necessary funds to make this possible he is raffling his 2007 X-Alps gear, including glider, on his new website, www.lloydy.com.au.

The most iconic mountain in the Alps, the 4478m Matterhorn is part of the huge Monte Rosa massif which straddles the border between Switzerland and Italy. The only way from one side of the massif to the other is by foot or by air, there are no bridges or tunnels for the supporter's car. Driving from one side to the other takes several hours: Cervina (Italy) to Zermatt (Switzerland) - only 13km apart as the crow flies - are 232km and 3.5 hours distant by road via the Grand St Bernard pass.

Part of my preparations is to learn as much as possible about each of my competitors. Some are amazing XC pilots, others are great runners, a few are both. It's important to know which is which.

10 days ago we had 2 days of rain, which resulted in icing over of the x-country ski tracks on the lake. A positive side of this is that it forced me to mix up my training a little, and do some skating.

Max Fanderl's preparation for the 2009 X-Alps

Tom Payne (GBR) and Alex Raymont (CAN)

Thirty International athletes race non-stop through the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea, with just a paraglider and a pair of hiking boots to help them, their every move tracked by advanced technology and broadcast to an audience of millions.

Now established as one of the toughest and most spectacular adventure races in the world, the Red bull X-Alps will be even more exciting for its fourth running in 2009.

Thirty athletes will negotiate turning points in Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France before finishing on the beautiful Mediterranean Coast.

The last 10 days it got really cold. The temperature dropped down to -37 Celsius on the mountain (about -27 in the valley). The kids where still gung ho to go skiing last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This cold keeps me down in the valley training in the gym and on the stairs (with backpack and sometimes with ski boots). Penny put me a new program in the gym. The exercis she gives me looks way better on her then me, but hey, what ever works will be done.