‘World’s steepest race’ comes to France

The Red Bull 400 has been taking place for seven years now and is coming to the Olympic ski jump at Courchevel, Savoie on June 10.

The concept is to run the ‘wrong’ way up a slope usually used for ski-jumping, finishing with climbing up the jumping ramp to the platform where jumpers usually start their descent.

The 400 participants – the race is already closed if you were hoping to take part – face a slope which becomes progressively steeper in the bottom part, where skiers usually land and finish their jump, then the last scramble up the ramp.

The Courchevel race is one of 14 across the world this year, in Europe, Asia and North America. Also this year, it is holding a world championship for the first time, in the Black Forest in Germany, in July.

The record time for a Red Bull 400 race so far is 3mins 17s.

For more information see the official site, which contains handy tips such as how to travel to the site, including the information that the trip from Paris to Courchevel by jetpack takes 13min 18s with the possibility of landing next to the ski-jump site.