What Pros Use

Christian Maurer is the X-alps paragliding champ — in ordinary-joe-speak it translates to: birdman. For many of us, flying means confining ourselves in an alloy fuselage 5 miles up with air hostesses asking whether we’d like chicken or beef with our MRE’s meals. These birdmen must brave the elements while suspended thousands of feet above ground hunting thermals.

Paragliding is similar to parachuting; the major differences are the control and ability to traverse distance by riding natural lifts called thermals.

That's a mannequin in the window right?

The X-Alps is a 2 week adventure race where top pilots navigate the European alps. Whoever arrives first wins. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy right? Well not really, our participants are expected to camp in harsh conditions, hike up mountains to launch points, fly through high elevation passes, and NOT DIE. They can only fly and hike their way to the finish line 800km away.

Christian has arrived first in the X-alps twice and holds the Swiss and World cup titles. This winged man is probably more comfortable in the air than on land.