RISE&FALL contest for adrenaline seekers in Mayrhofen, 19th Dec 2015
An extraordinary contest takes place in Mayrhofen on 19th December. The 4th multi-sport RISE&FALL event is a meeting of extremes. 430 metres in altitude must be conquered while ski touring, paragliding, mountain biking and ski or snowboarding. Athletes and fans are already pretty fired up about RISE&FALL on 19th December, during which spectators can catch all the action live on giant video walls at the festival grounds.
Uphill and downhill, triumph and defeat. As the name implies, this exceptional sporting event in Mayrhofen in Zillertal is full of exciting dynamics. Sixty teams will be battling for victory according to the motto 'Four people, one team, no mercy'. Athletes from all over Europe compete in four disciplines: against 430 metres in altitude, against other teams, but above all, against themselves.
There are many extreme competition formats in diverse disciplines; but rarely do they involve the excitement of experiencing four challenging sports simultaneously. It is not tactics that count at RISE&FALL, but intensity, speed and exceeding one’s limits. The race uphill on tour skis and mountain bike and downhill via paraglider and skis or snowboard takes everything the contestants have to give. You snooze, you lose.
Every athlete belonging to the four-person team must conquer 430 metres in altitude in his/her discipline. The race begins at 2pm with a mass start of the ski tourers at the base terminal of the Ahornbahn cable car, which also doubles as the finishing line. The athletes must battle up and over the steep 1.7 km long uphill course. At Gasthof Wiesenhof, they make the handover to the paragliders, who fly down a predetermined “corridor” of 3.2 km and land next to the Ahornbahn cable car. Now it is time for the mountain bikers to enter the game. They must complete a 4.1 km section of challenging uphill terrain. They handover again to their teammate at Gasthof Wiesenhof, who in turn ski or snowboard down the 1.7 km valley run, which includes a few obstacles along the way. The fastest teams will finish in an incredible time of under one hour – high-speed rules at RISE&FALL!
Two times up and down may seem a little absurd to the innocent bystander – but that is exactly where the appeal lies in RISE&FALL and gives this action-packed event in Mayrhofen its cult status. Because whomever voluntarily takes this challenge on, in order for his/her teammate to complete the self-same route, must be merciless with themselves. Although the high prize money of €10,000 in total for the first ten places provides a little extra motivation.
In addition to the amateur participants, professional athletes have taken part in RISE&FALL from the very outset. These include, amongst others, Roman Rohrmoser from Zillertal, one of the world’s best freeriders, Markus Kröll, multiple Dolomite Man winner and world famous professional mountain runner, Marc Pinsach, member of the ski touring and mountain bike Spanish National Team and former Belgium cross-country pro, Roel Paulissen, paraglider pilot Patrick Hörhager and ski tour spring world champion and 2013 sprint world cup winner 2013 Sepp Rottmoser. RISE&FALL is the brainchild of former professional ski-cross athlete, Christoph Ebenbichler and was brought to life working in conjunction with Mayrhofen-Hippach Tourist Board and the Mayrhofner Bergbahnen Cable Car Co. Thanks to its extraordinary format, RISE&FALL has already caused a stir in the extreme sports world in just the first years of its existence.
What would a competition be without its spectators? The public don’t miss a thing at the RISE&FALL event, because all the action takes place right at the festival venue and is transmitted live on to a giant video walls with two slow motion cameras and helicopter recordings made by Red Bull. Spectators can take themselves to their limits on the morning of the event and practise a few turns on the snow-sure slopes of Mounts Ahorn and Penken until 1pm after which they should head towards the race start at 2pm, at the finishing area of the Ahorn downhill run.
Admission to RISE&FALL is free.
Please get in touch if you would like more information or check out Mayrhofen for details of the resort and accommodations.