Dolomitenmann
The Red Bull Dolomitenmann is billed by its organizers as "the world's toughest team relay race".
The race is held yearly in September in the East Tyrolean, or Dolomite Mountains of Austria, near the city of Lienz. The founder and organiser is Werner Grissmann, a former World Cup skier and self-proclaimed "tough guy". 110 teams typically start the race each year.
Each team consists of a mountain runner, a paraglider, a whitewater kayaker, and a mountain biker, racing in that order. The course varies slightly each year according to weather conditions and the mountain runner typically runs and climbs a few thousand feet from a start line that is already far above sea level. The actual running distance is usually around 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), but that is far less challenging than the change in elevation.
When the runner makes the hand-off to the team’s paraglider, he must also run, this time with his whole equipment to the first take-off point. After descending by air to Moosalm, the paraglider runs (again!) to a second take-off point, descending to Leisach where the kayaker is ready and waiting.
The teams kayaker swims across the river Drau where his boat is stationed. His first maneuver is an "alpine-start", or a drop off a 7 metres (23 ft) ramp to the river. After the jump the kayaker must navigate a difficult white water track on the river Isel before handing off to the mountain biker.
The mountain biker typically climbs 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) or more, over a distance of about 27 kilometres (17 mi). After the climb, the mountain biker must ride a downhill track to the finish. The winning team collected 15,000 Euros in 2002.
The Dolomitenmann relay race has been run yearly since 1988. In recent years the race has been sponsored by the manufacturers of Red Bull energy drink and is now known as Red Bull Dolomitenmann.
Winning teams and tracks
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The fastest athlete of each discipline is awarded the title 'Dolomitenmann'
Top 10 Dolomitenmen (as of September 2012)
| # | Name | # of wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Stauder Roland (ITA) |
7 |
| 1. |  Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
7 |
| 3. | Ortner Wendelin (AUT) |
6 |
| 3. |  Hilger Thomas (GER) |
6 |
| 5. |  Wyatt Jonathan (NZL) |
5 |
| 5. | Schmuck Helmut (AUT) |
5 |
| 7. | Pock Kurt (AUT) |
4 |
| 7. | Pallhuber Hannes (ITA) |
4 |
| 7. | Prantl Markus (ITA) |
4 |
| 10. | Schmid Gerhard (AUT) |
3 |
| 10. | Schatz Peter (AUT) |
3 |
| 10. | Hörhager Alfons (AUT) |
3 |
Dolomitenmen
| Year | Mountain running | Paragliding | Whitewater kayak | Mountainbike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Stern Florian (AUT) |
Bucher Andre (AUT) |
Schimansky Alexander (AUT) |
Denifl Ernst (AUT) |
| 1989 | Pfitscher Peter (AUT) |
Geg Peter (AUT) |
Pock Kurt (AUT) |
Ekkehard Dörschlag (AUT) |
| 1990 | Randl Hansjörg (AUT) |
Holzmüller Walter (AUT) |
Pock Kurt (AUT) |
Mattersberger Uli (AUT) |
| 1991 | Schatz Peter (AUT) |
Bachmayr Hansjörg (AUT) |
Pock Kurt (AUT) |
Kornelson Manfred (AUT) |
| 1992 | Schmuck Helmut (AUT) |
Pucher Andre (AUT) |
Kirn Alexander (AUT) |
Pallhuber Hubert (ITA) |
| 1993 | Schatz Peter (AUT) |
Perathoner David (ITA) |
Pock Kurt (AUT) |
Zadrobilek Gerhard (AUT) |
| 1994 | Schmuck Helmut (AUT) |
Ortner Wendelin (AUT) |
Gickler Markus (GER) |
Ekkehard Dörschlag (AUT) |
| 1995 | Tomasselli Pio (ITA) |
Hörhager Alfons (AUT) |
Becker Thomas (GER) |
Ilg Thomas (AUT) |
| 1996 | Schmuck Helmut (AUT) |
– (cancelled) | Hilger Thomas (GER) |
Stauder Roland (ITA) |
| 1997 | Schmuck Helmut (AUT) |
Ortner Wendelin (AUT) |
Hilger Thomas (GER) |
Stauder Roland (ITA) |
| 1998 | Schmuck Helmut (AUT) |
– (cancelled) | Hilger Thomas (GER) |
Stauder Roland (ITA) |
| 1999 | Schatz Peter (AUT) |
Hörhager Alfons (AUT) |
Hilger Thomas (GER) |
Stauder Roland (ITA) |
| 2000 |  Krupicka Robert (CZE) |
Hörhager Alfons (AUT) |
Hilger Thomas (GER) |
Pallhuber Hannes (ITA) |
| 2001 | Skalsky Roman (CZE) |
Ortner Wendelin (AUT) |
Hilger Thomas (GER) |
Stauder Roland (ITA) |
| 2002 | Kröll Markus (AUT) |
Amon Christian (AUT) |
Schmid Gerhard (AUT) |
Stauder Roland (ITA) |
| 2003 |  Maluni John (KEN) |
Ortner Wendelin (AUT) |
Schmid Gerhard (AUT) |
 Golcer Juri (SLO) |
| 2004 | Wyatt Jonathan (NZL) |
Ortner Wendelin (AUT) |
Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
Pallhuber Hannes (ITA) |
| 2005 | Wyatt Jonathan (NZL) |
Amon Christian (AUT) |
Schmid Gerhard (AUT) |
Stauder Roland (ITA) |
| 2006 | Magal Jiri (CZE) |
Ortner Wendelin (AUT) |
Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
Pallhuber Hannes (ITA) |
| 2007 | Magal Jiri (CZE) |
– (cancelled) | Mruzek Kamil (CZE) |
Lakata Alban (AUT) |
| 2008 | Wyatt Jonathan (NZL) |
Prantl Markus (ITA) (short track) |
Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
Pallhuber Hannes (ITA) |
| 2009 | Wyatt Jonathan (NZL) |
Prantl Markus (ITA) |
Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
Lakata Alban (AUT) |
| 2010 | Wyatt Jonathan (NZL) |
Guschlbauer Paul (AUT) |
Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
Longo Tony (ITA) |
| 2011 |  Weldemariam Azarya (ERI) |
Prantl Markus (ITA) |
Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
Kristian Hynek (CZE) |
| 2012 | Weldemariam Azarya (ERI) |
Prantl Markus (ITA) |
Hudetz Harald (AUT) |
Kristian Hynek (CZE) |
As of September 2012, there are 46 Dolomitenmen from 9 nations.
References
- "Spektakel Dolomitenmann" (in German). Kurier. 2007-09-08. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
- ""Schneekettenpflicht" für Dolomitenmann aufgehoben" (in German). ORF. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
External links
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