DNN1
"It doesn't get any higher than this. We're over a mile above sea level and over a thousand miles from the nearest sea, and even the extremity of this location might not be a match for the drama that the last four races of this year's championship offer. Welcome to Sayanskiy Pereval, the Sayan Pass, high in the wilds of Uriankhai, for the fifteenth round of the 1454 Imperial League season. I'm Sam Tinbru, and with me, as always, is former IL team principal Bob Anmo. Bob, how are you handling the altitude?"
"Well, Sam, I had a horrible discovery when I arrived here on Tuesday, apparently I'm so old now that they've given me an emergency oxygen cylinder that I have to carry around everywhere, look at this thing."
"Haha, take care of that, Bob, I couldn't do these broadcasts without you. In all seriousness, though, the altitude really does tell here. We're standing on the ground at the bottom of the stadium, and even here at the lowest point of the course, we're higher above sea level than the summit of Karhuntassu in Ura where we raced two weeks ago. I'm feeling it, you're feeling it, Bob, and the dragons and riders will certainly feel it."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Yeah, when they were designing the course here, they had to really stretch the ascent out, if they'd had dragons flying straight up to the ridge they'd have been at serious risk of altitude sickness."
"And that's still a risk here, but the course more than makes up for it. It's fast, it's got some incredible tight turns and chicanes, it's a dramatic test for riders and drakes of all sizes, and qualifying yesterday has given us a fascinating starting grid."
"Unbelievable, honestly. I have no idea where Phoebe Tenryuu has pulled Soot's turn of speed from but he's almost seven tenths of a second faster than any of the dragons behind him."
"Indeed, Soot's not exactly thrived at mountain races before, but he's dominating championship leader Olympia and all the other big golds – Incandesia, Phosphora, Gerald Ipemas' Renner. Think he can carry that form in the race?"
"No idea, Sam, no idea at all. It could really change the shape of the championship if he does, though."