After a physical and mental torture, Christian Maurer (SUI) crossed the Red Bull X-Alps 2009 finishing line in Monaco at exactly 11.24 hours local time on Wednesday morning. Having set off from Salzburg armed with only a paraglider and hiking gear, the 26-year-old extreme sportsman came out on top in the toughest of battles across Europe’s highest mountains against 29 other athletes from 23 countries. The 2007 winner, fellow countryman Alex Hofer, was the only other athlete to reach the Mediterranean principality.

MONACO. Maurer covered an incredible 1,376 kilometres on the edge of physical and mental exhaustion during the planet’s toughest adventure race as he became the first athlete to plunge into the refreshing waters of Monaco’s legendary harbour on Wednesday morning, writing extreme sport history in the process as he finished over a day ahead of Hofer.

However, the Swiss athlete’s route to the millionaire playboys’ favourite playground on the Mediterranean Coast was anything but luxurious. As well as completing turnpoints at mountains including the Gaisberg (AUT), the Watzmann (GER), the Grossglockner (AUT), the Marmolada (ITA), the Matterhorn (SUI), Mont Blanc (FRA) and Mont Gros (FRA) with no external help, Maurer was also forced to withstand the worst nature could throw at him, including heavy rain, fierce storms and extreme heat. Yet, thousands of vertical metres over rough terrain with bleeding blisters and extreme flights despite sleep deprivation weren’t enough to bring Maurer off course as he emerged victorious in the 2009 edition of the race.

Third place went to the American athlete Hozna Rejmanek as he recorded the best ever result for a non-European racer. The pain in Rejmanek’s knees was so extreme during the final days that he had been forced to walk down the mountains backwards.

Only 18 of the original 30 starters made it into the final standings, with 12 athletes retiring from the race early or being disqualified. Meanwhile, Maurer began to take stock of the toll the race had taken on him: “My body is totally exhausted, I won’t move a metre over the next few days. I was on the edge during the whole race, but since landing in the water I feel better than ever – mentally, at least!”

The Swiss athlete spent a total of 42.17 hours in the air, ran for a further 87.32 hours (and spent a mere 100 hours resting!) as he covered no fewer than 34,890 vertical metres on foot and 999 kilometres with his paraglider during the 1,376 kilometres from Salzburg to Monaco.

The finishing area remained open for 48 hours after the winner’s arrival, with the final position of the athletes still on the course being used to calculate the official race standings after the cut-off point. In 2007, five athletes reached the line in Monaco.

Final Result Red Bull X-Alps 2009:

1. Christian Maurer (SUI)
2. Alex Hofer (SUI)
3. Honza Rejmanek (USA)
4. Aidan Toase (GBR)
5. Evgeny Gryaznov (RUS)
6. Michael Gebert (GER)
7. Jouni Makkonen (FIN)
8. Pal Takats (HUN)
9. Ramon Morillas (ESP)
10. Thomas de Dorlodot (BEL)
11. Julien Wirtz (FRA)
12. Andy Frötscher (ITA)
13. Kaoru Ogisawa (JPA)
14. Max Fanderl (CAN)
15. Tom Payne (GBR)
Jan Skrabalek (CZE)
17. Filip Jagla (POL)
18. Peter Vrabec (SVK)

Withdrawn:

Helmut Eichholzer (AUT)
Toma Coconea (ROM)
Martin Müller (SUI)
Masayuki Matsubara (JPA)
Vincent Sprüngli (FRA)
Lloyd Pennicuik (AUS)
Raul Penso (VEN)
Ronny Geijsen (NED)
Pierre Carter (RSA)
Leone Antonio Pascale (ITA)
Primoz Susa (SLO)
Christian Amon (AUT)