Paragliding is pure freedom to me—a moment when my focus is completely in the here and now, enriching me with deeply intense experiences.
I love spending my free time outdoors. I’m also lucky that, as an environmental engineer, I get to spend a lot of time in nature through my work as well. I discovered mountain sports at the age of 18 and have since spent a lot of time rock climbing, ice climbing, ski touring, and mountaineering. What fascinates me about mountain sports is the interaction between body and mind, immersing myself in the moment, and rediscovering the beauty of nature time and again.
Just like with mountain sports, I was introduced to paragliding through a colleague. First came a trial day on the training hill, then a tandem flight. From that moment on, I knew that one day I wanted to fly myself. And with today’s lightweight paragliders, paragliding is perfectly compatible with mountain tours. Since earning my license in 2017, I take my paraglider with me whenever possible to make my mountain outings even more special. I’m incredibly fascinated by the fact that you can take off at great altitude in the cold with such a small piece of fabric, and only a short time later be back in the warm valley, reflecting on the tour. But it’s not only the combination of mountain touring and paragliding that has captivated me—cross-country flying and acro flying have as well.
At some point, the desire to share these experiences grew, which is why I began training as a tandem pilot in 2020. The opportunity to exchange experiences and learn from one another also fascinates me in my role as a launch assistant at paraworld.ch