

Hike-and-smile
“This never gets old!” I thought as I ran (and ran, and ran…) down the shallow summit slopes of the Dent de Crolles. Airborne a quick (but not too steep) right turn saw me just crossing the col to emerge on the “right” side of where we all wanted to be: at the top of the honey-coloured cliffs of this limestone mountain in the French Alps. Below us, the big tents and playground that is the annual Coupe Icare free-flight extravaganza.
“Fly towards the cloud” had been our photographer’s instruction, and so I did that. It is weird how exposed you can feel in one of those skinny lightweight harnesses when you haven’t been out of a pod for a while. My legs were very crossed and my knees were held very high as I skimmed the top of the wisps of cloud, my Cross Country colleagues to either side.
How can it get old, that sort of experience? It’s a once in a lifetime event for most people, if that. People you meet who don’t fly will tell you they “did a tandem jump in Turkey” and it was one of the best/worst experiences of their life. We get to do it whenever we want.
This issue we have packed all the Coupe Icare news towards the back. We toured the trade tents to find all the latest on what is new and what is coming soon. Inside the main magazine we take a deep dive into the new world of parakites – it’s like soaring, but in 4D. Get your hands on one and get to the coast!
Other highlights include an in-depth interview with Kinga Masztalerz, who marked 10 years in free flight earlier this year. An inspirational pilot for many reasons she first hit the headlines with some remarkable vol-biv and XC flying in New Zealand. She tells Tarquin Cooper how flying has completely changed her life – for the better.
Landing on the plateau close to where we were staying I turned and watched as another pilot came in close behind me. “They look very sorted,” I thought, as the pilot popped down and gave me a grin. “Joanna!” I said, surprised and pleased to see my friend and colleage Joanna Di Grigoli. “You’re here!”
“Of course I am,” she said. “I love it! I wouldn’t miss it.” As I said, it never gets old.
Enjoy the issue!
Ed Ewing, editor
Here’s what’s inside

On Launch With
The new Junior World Champion Marcelo Sanchez on learning to fly and setting Spanish records

In-Air Hydration
What goes in must come out – we take a look at how to let it all go with the flow while flying far

Interview with Kinga Masztalerz
“It’s all about the lines.” After a decade in the air Kinga tells us what’s next

The Parakites are here
“Dive, swoop, climb, soar…” Bastienne Wentzel dials into the new world of parakiting

Dolomiti Superfly 2024
François Montuori takes us inside the heart of this elite hike-and-fly race in the Italian Dolomites

True Colours
Dimitris Kolliakos headed to Albania’s Narta Lagoon on the Adriatic coast to fly the unique Vlorë salt flats

Coupe Icare Gear Special
We round up what’s new and what’s coming soon at the world’s biggest free-flight fair

My Flying Life
“The winner was whoever flew the longest and landed accurately.” Martin Jovanoski on his life in flying
Plus
- Seb Benz wins XContest 2024
- Baptiste’s World-class World Cups
- Red Bull X-Alps 2025
- Théo de Blic wins Acro Season
- The SHV’s Golden Jubilee
- Brazil dominates PanAms
- My Kinda Vol-Biv by Allen Weynberg
- Icaristics: Why can I not find a glider in my size? by Bruce Goldsmith
- Weather: Understanding wind gusts by Honza Rejmanek
- Learning from my failures by Théo de Blic
- SRS St André-les-Alpes
- Destination: Bir, India
- Coupe Icare 2024: Supair Skymate system
- Coupe Icare 2024: Instruments and Technology
- Coupe Icare 2024: Also spotted in the gear tents