A 400m race might be tough enough for some of us even when it’s on a flat surface. Turn your mind to the same distance, and add an incredibly harsh incline up a ski jump - the story is very different.

That’s what the Red Bull 400 challenge asks of its competitors, as it ran its seventh annual event back in April. The challenge takes place at 14 ski jumps out across Europe, Asia and North America, beginning in Kazakhstan and ending on the Winter Olympic jump of Sochi in Russia.

Germany will be the host of the first-ever Red Bull 400 World Championships come July, with over 1,000 competitors anticipated to be pitching up and trying their hand.

Last year, a new record was set by Canadian Kieran Lumb, aged just 17, who completed the 37-degree incline in JUST 3 minutes and 48 seconds - a quite remarkable time considering the challenge some describe as including a feeling that “my lungs were going to burst”.

If you’re keen for a challenge and want to take on the Red Bull 400 yourself, entries are now open. If you’re crazy enough to throw your hat into the ring on this one, we salute you - it’s not something we’ll be doing any time soon.

Alternatively, if you’d rather lie on the sofa whilst watching others take on the challenge, the event will be available to stream via Red Bull, broadcasting live from such jumps as Park City in Utah and from the Whistler Olympic Park of Canada. 

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