Only a few days before race start, team Pál Takáts/Sergio Toro have announced they will not be able to compete in the race. Pál is a rookie to the race, having come from the acro world, via cross-country races to compete in the hike & fly scene. He was 4th in the 2023 X-Alps and a hot contender for this edition of the X-Pyr.
In his own words
“Timo has left us for his final and eternal flight last Friday and I’m still struggling to find peace with this new reality…I have lost other friends in the past and even though we were not close, for some reason this hit me really profound…Maybe because I knew him since he was a small kid, maybe because I know his lovely parents, maybe because he was way too young, too skilled and talented, maybe because recently I already felt disillusioned with high level competitions, maybe because in that situation it could have happened to any of us pro pilots…Probably it is just all of it together. I cannot imagine the pain of his parents, partner and closest friends and my thoughts and prayers are with them all the time 🙏🥺
I’m raising many questions to myself about life and my passion of paragliding as I lost all the motivation to fly right now. After days of battling emotions, I came to the conclusion that I’m simply not in the right headspace for any demanding, high-level flying so therefore I cancel my participation in the @xpyrrace . It was a very though decision but since I was already in doubt, I guess it was the right one. I am lucky to still be alive after 2-3 really close calls during more than two decades of pushing hard in different disciplines and sports. Maybe this is the wake up call and slap in the face to start appreciating this fact more and to reflect on what is important in life…
Céus azuis Timo, abrazos fortes e fortaleza familia querida“
Pál was a late entry to the race, but we could not refuse such a great athlete and pilot. We wish him well and hope we see him in the 2026 edition.
