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 boardXcess Galtür 24-hour Snowboard Marathon January 28-29, 2000
Imagine snowboarding for 24 hours without a break — using all your energy and a bit more, fighting for every seat on the chairlift, fighting against total exhaustion — and still charging at full speed, under high pressure in temperatures below zero, while others snuggle in their beds. This is 24-hour racing. Out of the 23 teams, 14 were able to resist the extreme strain of the second boardXcess Galtür in Austria and finished the marathon in brilliant style. Many participants truly surpassed their goals – and some didn't think they would even finish the contest.
Bright sunshine welcomed the riders Friday, January 28, to the start of the event, but the fickle weather gods soon made it clear they can change the weather on a whim. During the event, temperatures climbed to a "warm" -6ºC. In total, 23 teams from six nations registered, with only one female amongst them. Christine Dietsche from Germany was as aggressive, and ultimately successful, as the men and finished the marathon without any visible signs of exhaustion. "The boardXcess is great. My intention was to participate because of the fun aspect, and I was surprised how seriously this is actually handled here," said Dietsche. "With the darkness, fatigue set in and the flat light made the piste more and more difficult to ride. My board was not heavy enough to properly jump over the obstacles. That caused quite nasty thumps. In terms of body fitness, I was fine. It's a pity that there were no other girls participating." The participants were given gear and a common room to hang out in, but there was no thought of sleeping. During breaks, they were given massages – in which physical pain was treated, as well as mental collapse. And everyone's carbohydrate reservoirs were continuously filled. So demanding was the contest, coaches worked with the riders all night. With a length of 2.5 kilometers and 400 meters of vertical drop, the slope was a real challenge as it was not only a straight descent, but included a steep turn, two jumps and a high-speed slope with an extremely narrow finish line. The later it got, the harder and faster the slope became. Speeds of over 100 km/h were recorded. Even getting back on the lift proved difficult as riders had to aim at its narrow entrance and a crash there would mean the loss of valuable seconds. Despite intense stress, there were no severe disasters. However, racers did have to deal with broken bindings, improper wax, and cramps. On the average, each rider was on the course for seven runs of 10 minutes each (including seven minutes on the chairlift), which adds up to 70 minutes of exertion before relaying with a partner. The exception — Walter Zerpelloni (ITA), teammate of last year's champion Gerry Ring (AUT). Zerpelloni had to master the first five hours alone after Ring showed up late. Despite it all though, Zerpelloni increased his lead, run by run, and gained a few seconds on the field. Ring joined in and only strengthened the team's position and it looked like the pair would win — until Zerpelloni fell just a few meters before tagging off with Ring. With a pulled ligament, Zerpelloni was out of the race. Ring actually went on for another few hours, but the rules for an official ranking state that each team member has to ride for at least eight hours. With the top contenders out of the running, the Kappl locals, Siegfried Stark and Thomas Zangerle, took over the lead and held onto their position till the end. After more than 140 rounds, they finally stood on the podium and took home $10,000 (US). "This is my first time at the boardXcess, a great event," said the slightly exhausted Zangerle, a snowboard instructor. "Certainly, strong teams dropped out, but we had a good night where we could manage a top position. The crunch point comes when night falls and you think 'why the hell am I doing this?' But you have to get over this, and then it works. Now, slowly but certainly, I'm feeling the aftermath. Going to sleep? No way, now we are heading to Kappl for the valley's championships." Finishing the race is a victory in itself, as success or failure depends mostly on your mindset and attitude. When the first doubts crop up at 4am and riders are close to losing spirit, they need to make a strong effort to get themselves motivated again. Down the line, it's all about honor, a big ego boost and the $10,000 split among the top five. Gerhard Walter from the Galtür Tourist Board was pleased with the event and the enthusiasm of the participants. "When the idea of the 24 hour snowboard marathon was born, we had just installed the new floodlight construction. On one hand, we wanted to offer something special and thrilling for the youth, and on the other we also wanted to make the construction popular. The infrastructure was there, so the boardXcess could be realized pretty fast."
RESULTS:
—Tina Schlogl, Boarder's Palace
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