Fabi Buhl in full flow. Photo: Jake Holland
Adventure and inspiration

The Long Game: Making friends with the invisible

There is one common thread amongst all these sports – adventure and time

8 December, 2025, by Gavin McClurg | Photos: Jake Holland

I recently sat down with German alpinist Fabian “Fabi” Buhl for an episode of the Cloudbase Mayhem podcast to discuss his rather extraordinary accomplishments in para-alpinism in the Karakoram and Patagonia; his ascent to the top of XContest this year with six (SIX!) 300+ km FAI triangles; and his exceptional journey from scared new pilot to one of the most accomplished and inspiring pilots of our generation in just a few years. 

At one point in the interview he spoke eloquently about a friend telling him to study a river in Pakistan after he expressed frustration with understanding how to fly in the lee. As he sat on the riverbank watching the water...

Join us and enjoy the full article

Subscribe to Cross Country for €4.50 – Get instant online access to this article and hundreds more plus Masterclasses. Cancel anytime.

Subscribe Already a Subscriber? Sign in here.

You may also like

Paramotor Patagonia

Paramotoring Patagonia

Pilot and photographer Jeff Hamann braved epic logistics, officialdom and the region’s notorious bad weather to pull off a spectacular flight over the San Rafael Glacier in Chilean Patagonia
Read More
View from the tow, Brazil

500k days: Big distance in Brazil

The season in Brazil was a good one in 2025, with Seb Benz recording the longest flight in the country – almost touching 600k
Read More
Kyrgyzstan

Adventure Mode: Going XC in the wilds of Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a mostly unexplored paragliding playground with high potential. Léonard Siclon reveals the possibilities.
Read More