[SatNews] The toughest race in the world, the Red Bull X-Alps, where athletes are pushed to the limit during 14 days of paragliding, hiking and running, has been won for the fourth time by Christian Maurer of Switzerland.

This intense challenge, wherein athletes hike 2,000 meters up a mountain and paraglide for several hours a day as they race from the East to the West of the Alps, tests fitness, endurance and discipline skills to the extreme. This formidable race, supported by Thuraya, involves monitoring complicated weather systems as adventurers endure treacherous terrain almost every day for two weeks. Relying on Thuraya IP+, one of the most compact and portable mobile satellite broadband terminals in the world, for updates on weather conditions while on-the-move in the mountains, proved essential to the well-being and safety of athletes and their navigation.

Thuraya IP+, weighs 1.4kg and is smaller than a regular laptop. Designed to achieve the fastest IP speeds of up to 444kbps on standard IP and 384kbps on streaming IP with a built-in antenna, it ensures quick and reliable access to data services over Thuraya’s extensive network. Serving up a wide range of applications including live high-quality video broadcasting, web browsing, email, social media communications, data transfer and VoIP applications, as well as access to corporate networks, this compact and portable satellite terminal can be deployed from a backpack to broadband in a matter of seconds.

A highly rugged and portable device, Thuraya IP+ is ideal for various mission-critical operations and for those who live, work and play beyond the reach of traditional terrestrial networks.

The team from Red Bull X-Alps said, “It was an amazing experience to see world-class adventure athletes take part in this challenge and we were even more confident with the overall race because we had access to reliable data and voice communications from Thuraya IP+ wherever we were located. This race is extremely tough and takes place in some very difficult terrain with severe weather conditions. We depended on Thuraya IP+ for emergency purposes and the fact that we could send out vital data when needed.”