SRS Ozone Edition: Race Report

Baptiste Lambert leads the way as pilots enjoy six out of six tasks

26 July, 2026, by Tarquin Cooper

The act of pimping – following the pilot in front is generally frowned upon in competition flying. But at the SRS Ozone Edition in Le Grand Bornand it was very much the name of the game with pilots doing all they could to keep up with the daily lead set by the star local, the reigning world champion and multiple world cup winner Baptiste Lambert.

Invited by Ozone to take part, Baptiste said afterwards it was a strange feeling to have a target on his back. “I could clearly feel the aggression in the flying to try to beat me. But they finally managed it so it’s cool. I’m very happy,” he said.

The French pilot, who is from the region, won the first five tasks but missed out on the podium on the final day after being forced to turn around after failing to connect onto La Tournette, the 2,351m peak overlooking Lake Annecy. This allowed Luke Nicol, Pascal Blum and Nick Lloyd to seize their moment and gain a four minute lead. Luke found the “magic line” that got them onto the Aravis chain for a thrilling final race to goal. Luke said afterwards his strategy was just to not bomb out. “My goal was to get to goal and I stayed in the second gaggle. But then I managed to jump over the guys who got stuck. It was perfect!”

Baptiste nonetheless took the overall win. Luke came second and the 16-year-old Victor Aguilera Lozano (ESP) came third. Mette Krum (DNK) came 11th overall to take the female win with Lene Spaarwater (CHL) and Linda Hoch (CH), second and third respectively.

Gaëtun Gerber, Aravis and Mt Blanc, SRS Ozone Edition — Gaëtun Gerber flies toward the Aravis with Mt Blanc in the distance. Photo: Simon Steiner

“It’s always nice to have the podium and come home with medals,” Mette said afterwards, “but really, for me, it’s not about the ladies, it’s about the overall and that’s what I’m going to do eventually – the overall.” The team win was taken by Gin 2, made up of Luke, Victor, Marco Sommerfeld and Simon Steiner.

Initially Baptiste said he wasn’t sure if he’d be welcomed or viewed with suspicion in the EN-C sports class event but was relieved to discover that pilots appreciated his attendance and saw it as an opportunity to learn as much as possible.

He not only helped set tasks, but gave a morning briefing on how to tackle the task and its hazards. Sportingly he also flew a Delta 5, not Ozone’s faster EN-C Photon. “I love to race with these wings,” he said afterwards. “It makes me want to push for this kind of stepping down even major events.” During the week, Baptiste also gave a talk to pilots on speed to fly.

But the real story of the week was the epic weather. Le Grand Bornand delivered six out of six flying tasks around its stunning playground, which takes in the Bornes Massif, La Tournette, lake Annecy and the Chaîne des Aravis. It wasn’t all classic flying however – pilots faced strong conditions early on – Marco Sommerfeld reported his his vario clocking 11m/s.

Mid-week task setters shortened the days, keeping the tasks within the valley before a final day saw pilots battling through stable and cloudless skies. The tasks ranged from 48km to a 91.7km task that led pilots across Lake Annecy on day two. It also proved a big day for the retrieve drivers.

“What an incredible week at SRS,” Pascal Blum posted afterwards. “Six challenging tasks, countless decisions in the air, and an unforgettable competition.”