What a race! The 2023 Global Rescue XRedRocks is a wrap and it was a thrilling three days of racing. Go here to see all the results, and follow us on Instagram (@xredrocks) for recaps and teasers for the 2024 event (Sept 25-28, 2024)! Athlete announcements have just been made for the 2024 race! See who made the cut here.
BIG NEWS! Starting in 2024 the FAI will now recognize hike and fly races like the Global Rescue XRedRocks as counting towards WPRS points. This year’s event will be a CAT 2 event with CIVL and participants will get WRPS (world ranking) points! Find out more here.
The race 22 Race Recap film is LIVE!
The Global Rescue XRedRocks is a premiere hike and fly race in North America, organized in a similar way to the Eigertour, Vercofly and DolomitiSuperfly- multi-day hike and fly events that take participants into magnificent mountains to see what they’re made of when we pair back free-flight to it’s most raw and exciting form. Travel is only allowed by wing or on foot. There are no supporters. It’s just you and the elements for 4 days! The 2024 race will be held September 25-28. APPLICATIONS are NOW OPEN!
Want to get a feel for what it’s all about? Watch the wrap-up video from the inaugural 2021 Global Rescue XRedRocks race, edited by Ben Horton or the one above for the 2022 film.
There are THREE Divisions- PRO, ADVENTURE and CHALLENGE! More details below.
The PRO division is meant for participants who have competed in any of the premiere hike and fly events in the world (e.g. Red Bull X-Alps, Bornes to Fly, X-Pyr, Eiger, etc.), OR have over 2,000 hours in an XC environment and have very solid top landing skills, AND who are very skilled at solo navigation in a mountain and desert environment, AND who are capable of traveling long distances by foot- especially up mountains! Prize money will be announced for the 2024 event soon. Apply now.
The ADVENTURE division is meant for XC pilots who want to take part in an organized, fun hike and fly event in an incredible part of the world. The ADVENTURE division will focus on fun and improving your skills. It will still be very challenging, but it will most likely not have top-landing demands and the courses will be more reasonable and less demanding physically than the PRO division. Apply now.
The new CHALLENGE division is aimed at those who are new to hike and fly and want to get a feel for what it’s all about. A physical training regimen and video series on the ins and outs of hike and fly competition (topics include navigation and app use, foot care, history of hike and fly, gear and packing, etc) will be supplied from May 1st, mentoring will be provided before and during the race by some of the best hike and fly athletes in the world. The CHALLENGE Division is based on safe fun, some solid going uphill, and making good decisions in the high mountain desert environments of Utah. Apply now.
The race for all divisions will be held as a stage event (ie each day will be tasked independently) starting at 225 East 800 South (the main LZ), every day in Monroe, Utah (weather may dictate that we shuttle all participants to another start). There are 4 possible days to race but only 3 will be scored in the Adventure and Challenge Divisions (ie we have one day extra that will not be used which gives the competition a “weather day” margin. Participants are welcome to race all 4 days, but the lowest score will be dropped). Pros must race all four days. The task committee has more than 24 tasks created in advance (more are being added all the time) so tasks are ideally called 48 hours minimum before each days race-start. The race will begin for all participants at 0800 (subject to change) and each participant will have until 2000 (subject to change) to complete the task (12 hours). At 2000 if you are in goal you can simply prep for the next day and go to bed! If you aren’t, you will be retrieved and brought back to the rodeo grounds so you can get a good nights sleep and be ready for the next day.
Scoring is simple- the winner gets one point. Second place gets two points, etc. Ties are allowed. At the end of the race, we add up the points, whoever has the least points wins. More details in the race rules.
The Global Rescue XRedRocks is the result of several years of preparation and support from numerous people and organizations, including Red Bull X-Alps veteran Gavin McClurg, and Red Rocks Fly-In superhost Stacy Whitmore. Imagine a European-style hike and fly event in the Intermountain west, in one of the most incredible arenas in the world for cross country paragliding, with some of the world’s best pilots to learn from! We don’t have the huts and infrastructure like they do in Europe, but we’ve got beautiful mountains and an incredible team to pull off a memorable, challenging event!