John Pendry. Illustration: Steve Ham

Campione del mondo! A personal essay by John Pendry

The FAI World Championships have always been the pinnacle of our sports, writes former hang gliding and paragliding world champion John Pendry

9 September, 2025, by John Pendry | Illustrations: Steve Ham

The FAI World Paragliding Championships  have always carried a unique kind of magic. I stopped flying in 2000, so it has been some time, but the memories and the emotions that competition life gave me will last forever. Over the years I experienced many powerful moments, including some dramatic ones, but in paragliding, the event that stands out most is the 1997 FAI World Paragliding Championships in Castejón de Sos, Spain, where I became World Champion.

Of course, you could say the victory itself was the defining moment – but no, it wasn’t only about winning and claiming the title. It was about everything that went into it: the long path that led me there, the lessons learned, the struggles endured, and the moments of flight...

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


Premium Articles