The Great Game: ‘I knew I could keep up with the best’

Lars, tell us a bit about yourself

I’m from Meiringen, Switzerland. I work as a flight instructor and tandem pilot here. Since one year I live 500m above the village on the mountain. I can take off ten metres from the house. So if I have to go down for grocery shopping or work, I usually fly down in the morning and then I hike up in the evening. It makes every day interesting. It was also a good amount of extra training.

At the start of the race you seemed very calm and relaxed. Is that your nature?

Yes, I’m not nervous at all. I told myself it’s useless to be nervous. The race takes eight days. To save some seconds here and there is worthless if you do make a big mistake in the air. So just stay cool and don’t make any mistakes in the air.

What was your expectation at the start?

My first goal was to stay healthy. The second goal was to have a very good time with the team. My friends and my father took...