Bernd Amann from Germany likes the high altitudes in the full sense of the word… He is the professional pilot and is into gliding. But now he wants to conquer the heights from the ground and make an ascent to the West Elbrus Peak during the Festival Red Fox Elbrus Race 2015.

Disciplines:
- 2015 Russian Skyrunner Series: Vertical Kilometer - Mt Elbrus, 2450-3450 m
- Kabardino-Balkaria Open Skyrunner Championship. High-speed ascent to the West Elbrus Peak (3780-5642 m). Nonprofessional (classic) class


- Some information about you and your sport achievements.
Bernd: I am 35 years, having a master in software engineering and owning a small software company. My sport is gliding, I am a pilot with a lot of experience in competitions and high altitude flights for example in the Andes. For fitness, I prefer marathon races, skiing and mountaineering.

- How did you know about the Festival Red Fox Elbrus Race?
Bernd: I see it in the Internet.

- Why do you want to participate in the Festival?
Bernd: It is a cool event, reaching top of Elbrus and having fun at the same time.

- In what disciplines are you taking part? Why?
Bernd: Vertical Kilometer and the Ebrus Race from 3600 m to the top.

- Do you have any experience of the mountaineering race on such height? Do you participate in high-speed runs in other countries?
Bernd: No, I have experience in mountain races below 3000 m and mountaineering up to 7000 m.

- What is your best result?
Bernd: No high mountain race yet.

- What is attractive in this region for you?
Bernd: Skiing is possible.

- What about preparation, training? Acclimatization?
Bernd: I was on Aconcagua in December 2014 / January 2015 and do extended training for Ultra Marathon Zermatt, Switzerland (June) and Ironman 70.3 Worlds in Zell am See, Austria (August). I had never problems with altitude; my oxygen concentration in the blood by mountaineering is always over 90%. I checked my body together with other pilots in the low-pressure camber of German Institute of Space and it looks good up to 30.000 ft.


- What seems to be the main problem for you personally on the way to the top of Elbrus?
Bernd: The weather and that I start too fast.

- Do you consider the participants to be serious competitors?
Bernd: Yes.

- Your forecast of your results in the competition.
Bernd: Somewhere in the middle of the field.

- What can you advise for the Festival’s participants?
Bernd: Just having fun…

- Thank you! We wish you good luck on the competitions!