Intro:

The Red Bull X-Alps race got underway on Sunday (5th July) in Austria.

Script:

The Red Bull X-Alps race from Salzburg to Monaco commenced in searing temperatures.

Athletes must race across the Alps, by foot or paraglider, covering a straight-line distance of 1,038 kilometres.

Thirty-two athletes from 18 countries set off from the city centre for Gaisberg mountain in temperature of 30 degrees celsius.

The first to reach the summit was German Sebastian Huber in an hour and three minutes, followed, five minutes later, by Italian Aaron Durogati.

Third up was Austrian Paul Guschlbauer in 1 hour 14 minutes.

Having waited for good flying conditions, the first athletes were up in the air after approximately an hour.

From Gaisberg, they headed south for Dachstein, before moving west towards Aschau Chiemsee (Kampenwand) before nightfall.

Athletes can race between the hours of 05:00 and 22:30 local time.