Why did you choose the X-Pyr?
The X-Pyr is one of the most important hike and fly races with the top pilots in the discipline. I though it was a great opportunity for me to fly and learn from the best!

What is your greatest sporting success?
Friendships and good memories.

When and why did you start paragliding?
I started paragliding when I was 16 years old, I was flying gliders at the time and loved the idea of using that free available energy to climb up and travel, just like a wave in the ocean.

What is your mountaineering experience?
I do an average of 3500 m elevation a week on hikes and fly for fun, at my local flying site, Bright in Australia, and around the same elevation at home in Salta, Argentina. I have been in the Himalayas, hiking and flying and doing vol biv expeditions as well, from India, Pakistan and Kashmir.

What are your best and worst sporting memories?
Good memories I have many but bad memories maybe the one I spent 7 weeks in hospital after a paragliding crash.

Have you flown in the Pyrenees before? Do you have a favourite area?
I flew only in Organya, so I could not say I have experience flying XC in the Pyrenees, but I have the intention to go and explore 3 to 4 weeks before the race starts.

Is there anything you like to see (or not) in the route?
I would really like to see good weather! 😉 I hope the weather Gods will give us a hand.

Apart from flying far and walking little, what will your strategy be during the race?
I will definitely keep an eye on my body and avoid a fatigue injury.

What does your typical training week consist of?
My days normally start with a hike and fly from Mystic, the local launch in Bright, and then depending on the day my training would change from long runs or rides to interval training, strength training or trail runs.

What has been the hardest part of your race preparation so far?
Perhaps the time to follow a formal training and organising it around other life commitments and weather.

What excites you most about participating in the X-Pyr?
The idea of learning from the best pilots in this discipline.

What worries you the most about the event?
We always stretch a little bit out of the comfort zone when competing, and put ourselves in situations or places we normally would not do on a cross-country day. I wonder how much of this out of the comfort zone business will be happening during the race, but at the same time that one of the reasons I am doing it

How do you know your assistant?
I met him flying cross-country.

What are your assistant’s main strengths?
He has a good understanding of the area, he completed the crossing of the Pyrenees on foot and by paraglider in 2022 unsupported and he has experience and knowledge on volbiv flying and mountaineering.

What advice would you ask of the race veterans?
I’d like to know more about their sport psychology and physical preparation for the event. Also in terms of flying, the decision making process they go through on a daily basis in the event to formulate and follow a strategy.

Anything else you like to comment?