Only the brave can handle 350m of ridiculously steep, downhill slalom running
Running downhill may be the nicest part of most races but when that downhill is an almost vertical sprint down a ski slope things start to look a bit more daunting.
Now in its second year, the inov-8 Descent Race sees athletes head to Hahnenkamm mountain in Kitzbuhel, Austria where they’ll race the 350m-long ski slope famous for its winter sports.
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The event, which this year takes place on Saturday 5 October, saw hundreds of people lining the slope in 2018 as people tackled the slalom style challenge.
Starting from the iconic ski gate at the top of the mountain, runners set out at 30-second intervals, weaving around a series of ski flags as they head to the bottom.
Each runner will get two attempts at the course with the times added together for the final score. The male and female winner will each receive €300.
As you can imagine, it doesn’t take long to get to the bottom, with the 2018 winners Daniel Hauser and Lisa Kroll taking times of 54:65s and 1m 22:18s respectively.
Price added: “To tame the Hahnenkamm, runners will need total commitment and lots of underfoot traction. Our graphene-enhanced running shoes, like the MUDCLAW G 260, offer the world’s toughest grip to those racing the world’s toughest downhill.”
For more details, or to enter the 2019 inov-8 Descent Race click here. Entry is €45 per person.
Main image credit: Michael Werlberger
