XAndes

XANDES is a paragliding, hiking, mountaineering and endurance race across the Peruvian Andes .

The XANDES race or event itself will take place mid June 2012 in the spectacular Cordillera Negra and Blanca  of the Ancash district of Peru . The course is to start in the beautiful basecamp of Alpamayo Mountain, declared officially as the “ Most beautiful Mountain in The World ” . From here the route will cross the valley and proceed south along the Cordillera Negra , crossing over to The Cordillera Blanca then back to the Negra and down to the Pacific ocean. The event has a 2011 preproduction reconnaissance mission to accomplish in June 2011.  Two alternative routes with GPS turn points have been plotted along the high Andean ‘altiplano’ route in order to keep the athletes on a safe course near road access. One final route for 2012 will be chosen.  The athletes will arrive at the coast by air or on foot to a final goal. Apart from the pure sport aspect of the event, the Organisers’ goal is also to create an awareness of the receding equatorial glaciers in Peru and its beautiful Cordilleras. XANDES consists primarily of a paragliding event along with some film nights, workshops and evening presentations as well as a cultural exchange with Pemberton and Whistler in Canada.

The goal of that mission in June 2011 is to carefully plan and fly/hike/run the route and address all logistical issues of the event. Press conference , Lima June 17 . End of event, July 1^{st .,}2011.For more background about organisers please refer to www.explorex.net and recent festival held in Pemberton BC , www.pembertongames.com . The Pemberton Games, a sister festival in Canada, helps create awareness of the XANDES  event and planning phase.

XANDES hopes to create a sustainable event in Peru for many years to come and thus help with eco-tourism in the country and especially the Ancash mountain region in Peru . XANDES also hopes to promote tourism in Pemberton BC through cultural and sports exchanges.The plan would be to hold XANDES every two years in between the XALPS event  in Europe , thus enjoying the same athletes participating, as well giving an opportunity to Peruvian and South American Pilots to participate in an event on their own continent. Footage for a documentary XANDES and YouTube  / facebook type campaigns will be shot as well as stills and editorial for Peruvian and international media.