View source for X-Pyr

{{Short description|Paragliding race in the Pyrenees}}
[[File:Fontarrabie depuis Hendaye 2012 - cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Hondarribia]], the Spanish-Basque border town where the X-Pyr race starts|223x223px]]
The '''X-Pyr''' is an international multi-day "hike-and-fly" [[paragliding]] endurance race. The competition route traverses the [[Pyrenees]] mountain range from west to east, starting near [[Hondarribia]], Spain, on the [[Bay of Biscay]] and finishing near the [[France]]-[[Spain]] border along the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-29 |title=X-Pyr, la carrera de para-montañismo que recorre los Pirineos durante una semana |url=https://www.antena3.com/noticias/deportes/xpyr-carrera-paramontanismo-que-recorre-pirineos-semana_2022062962bc1dfc378ee10001a327b6.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=www.antena3.com |language=es}}</ref>
==Race details==
The X-Pyr race was founded by Íñigo Redin, who was inspired to create a [[Pyrenees]] version of the [[Red Bull X-Alps]] race that crosses the [[Alps]]. Since the first iteration in 2012, the race has been held biennially.<ref name=xpyr1>{{Cite web |title=A bit of history |url=https://x-pyr.com/history/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=x-pyr.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=X-Pyr: The Race |url=https://x-pyr.com/rules-2022/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=x-pyr.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2012-03-16 |title=X-Pyr: race across the Pyrenees by foot and paraglider |url=https://xcmag.com/news/x-pyr-race-across-the-pyrenees-by-foot-and-paraglider/ |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Cross Country Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=23 June 2022 |title=X-Pyr 2022: All You Need to Know |url=https://xcmag.com/news/x-pyr-2022-all-you-need-to-know/ |journal=Cross Country Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Relyea |first=Kie |date=4 September 2016 |title=Bellingham paraglider sets out to see the world by foot and by sky |work=[[The Bellingham Herald]] |url=https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article99713472.html |access-date=10 July 2023}}</ref> Generally, the X-Pyr occurs in even-numbered years to avoid overlap with the X-Alps race, which happens in odd years. The 2020 race was cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="xpyr1" /> There have been five editions of the race, most recently in 2022. All four editions since 2014 have been won by [[Switzerland|Swiss]] pilot [[Chrigel Maurer]], who in 2022 completed the course in under five and a half days (130:15:35), thirteen hours faster than runner-up Maxime Pinot from France.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cluff |first=Jilli |date=2022-07-06 |title=The Paragliding Adventure Race That Almost No One Finished: 'X-Pyr' 2022 Results |url=https://gearjunkie.com/endurance/adventure-racing/x-pyr-2022-paragliding-adventure-race-results |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=GearJunkie |language=en-US}}</ref>{{efn|Maurer did not participate in the first (2012) edition}}
The routes of the five X-Pyr iterations to date have all started in [[Hondarribia]] and ended in [[El Port de la Selva]], both in [[Spain]], on the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] and Mediterranean coasts, respectively. The intermediate turnpoints vary from year to year, but remain roughly along the Pyrenees and the France-Spain border.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ewing |first=Ed |date=2022-05-27 |title=X-Pyr 2022: X Marks the Spot – new route revealed |url=https://xcmag.com/news/x-pyr-x-marks-the-spot-2022-route-revealed/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Cross Country Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> Of the 42 pilots who started the 2022 race, four reached the final goal of El Port de la Selva.<ref name="xpyr1" /> In previous races, three to eight competitors finished.<ref name="xpyr1" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Score – X-Pyr {{!}} The pyreneean challenge |url=https://x-pyr.com/score/ |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=x-pyr.com}}</ref>
[[File:Port de la Selva 6.jpg|left|thumb|[[El Port de la Selva]] - X-Pyr Goal]]
Like the X-Alps and other hike-and-fly paragliding races, competing pilot-athletes must complete all parts of the declared course by either flying their paraglider or hiking. They must pass all specified intermediate turnpoints in the specified sequence. The first to arrive at the declared destination, or "goal", is declared winner. Race participants must carry their paraglider, [[Paragliding|harness]] and other related equipment in their [[backpack]] while [[hiking]]. They each declare one official ground crew member, who assists the pilot with food and logistics but is not allowed to carry the essential flying gear.<ref name="xpyr1" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=X-Pyr 2022, Rules – X-Pyr {{!}} The pyreneean challenge |url=https://x-pyr.com/rules-2022/ |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=x-pyr.com}}</ref> Both pilot and ground crew are continuously tracked by [[Satellite navigation|GPS/GNSS]] loggers/trackers during the race to monitor their progress. Any [[Controlled airspace|airspace]] violations, or flying during the mandatory rest period between 21:00 to 07:00, may result in penalties ranging from extra time to disqualification.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ewing |first=Ed |date=2022-06-24 |title=X-Pyr 2022: Live Tracking and Weather |url=https://xcmag.com/news/x-pyr-2022-live-tracking-and-weather-info/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Cross Country Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>{{efn|Mandatory rest hours and other rules are specified for each edition, the hours mentioned were for the 2022 edition.}}
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==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://x-pyr.com X-Pyr] official website
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et3D2F6TgVc&list=PLxfEDBaYDo5yyRGwSLTbH7q-1buXNDyQG The X-Pyr Story - Mountain Marathon] - A racer's perspective (by [[Greg Hamerton]])
[[Category:Adventure racing]]
[[Category:Endurance games]]
[[Category:Paragliding competitions]]