SALEWA IRONFLY 2018 - A RACE WITHIN A RACE

Hiking and flying – imagine combining these two activities. Imagine getting to the top of a mountain and then simply letting the wind sweep you away, diving into nature with all of your senses. How far do you think you could go? To what extent could you rely on your own strength, traveling with the winds current?

Salewa Ironfly was inspired by humans and nature, but more specifically the places in which we push our physical limitations and seek out new boundaries of human experience. Born from the need to challenge the status-quo of what is possible in these spaces is the Ironfly event – a hike and fly event through the central Alps in a seven day period.

From May 12th through the 19th 2018, the first ever race of its kind will start in Lecco. The route encompasses some 450km, taking athletes past the Monte Rosa massif in the west, over the Lombardy foothills at the base of the European Alps, to Piedmont and the Canton of Ticino, and finally to Bormio in the east. Participants will ride four air currents to a town called Suello, the neighboring town to Lecco, where the competition ends in an exciting race against time.

The 2018 Salewa Ironfly will feature live tracking, so you can track your favorite athletes as they make their way across the Alps. This event is sponsored by Club Scurbatt and Dolomiti Super Fly, as well as the growing community of athletes who are pushing the concept of what is possible not only on land, but in the air as well.

Salewa athletes Christian Maurer, paraglider and hang glider pilot, and Aaron Durogati, professional paraglider and athlete in various disciplines will be taking part in the race. Aaron has won the Paragliding World Cup twice and has been the winner of both the Red Bull Dolomitenmann and the Red Bull Elements. He also spearheaded the opening of new steep pastes and speedriding routes in the Alps and Georgia.