Red Bull Trailfox

Na eerder het rijdersverslag van Jasper Leenarts in de nieuwsrubriek te hebben gehad (zie hier) volgt nu het officiele persbericht van Red Bull met uiteraard de daarbij behorende mooie foto's

"Who's the Fox? Mountain biking at its best: nearly 300 bikers met in Switzerland and went head to head in four stages. The winners in the women's and men's competition: Anja Jerenko (Germany) and Filip Polc (Slovakia) tied with René Wildhaber (Switzerland).

Steep, demanding and difficult: speed doesn't hurt, but technique is even more important. The high level that the sport of mountain biking has now reached was impressively documented at the Trailfox in Laax, Switzerland. Prominent bikers of both sexes like René Wildhaber, Janez Grasic, Daniela Bosshard and the designated cross-country Olympic contestant Ralph Näf along with a large number of dirt jumpers and fun bikers - competed in four disciplines and demonstrated what high-level freeride mountain biking is all about.
It all kicked off at 10 p.m. on Friday, June 25, 2004, with the spectacular Freeride Night Trail. The course was nearly a kilometer long, had a difference in elevation of 100 meters and had to be raced in absolute darkness - unless the rider provided his own light. It was up to the creativity of the biker whether this was a rather inadequate diode lamp or a light scavenged from 750 motorcycle. Special challenges like drops, North Shore elements (wooden teeter-totters and bridges) and a counter-ascent were also built into the course. René Wildhaber and Sonja Granzow dominated the field.
On Saturday the riders took on the same course by the light of day. And then they saw just how narrow the wooden bridge really was: some competitors decided to get off and walk across with their bike under their arm. Generally the speeds were, of course, higher. Filip Polc and Daniela Bosshard led the field here.
All of the women and the 64 fastest men from the intermediary ranking after the first two races met at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday for the Night-X: the 150 meters with a dirt jump, four-person start and a k. o. system by floodlight were anything but a piece of cake. Polc was again in front, with Anja Jerenko finishing first among the women.
On Sunday noon the final race was held: the freeride downhill over a 775-meter course with 70 meters elevation difference and an individual start. This time the bikers had to overcome natural challenges, which as all of the competitors agreed after the race was a very harmless way of describing it. Although Polc and René Wildhaber finished in a dead heat in this race, local hero René Wildhaber wanted to play the gracious host and concede the victory to Filip Polc. In any case, the two will split the prize money. Anja Jerenko was the fastest woman in the downhill, giving her the overall victory.
A special test of another kind was scheduled for Saturday night: a hot party. "Soulfood International" served up a mix of solid reggae, dancehall and hiphop sounds in the Casa Veglia, by the Laax valley station.
The winners of the Red Bull Trailfox certainly had something to celebrate: 5000 Swiss Francs in prize money and the coveted title of Trailfox 2004."