Four paraglider pilots fly from K2 on 28 July 2024

Four pilots fly from K2 summit on same day

12 August, 2024, by Tarquin Cooper

Four French pilots have succeeded in flying from the summit of K2, the world’s second highest mountain in a paragliding first. They all summited without the use of supplementary oxygen, while one made the fastest ascent of the mountain.

Benjamin Vedrines, a Briançon-based mountain guide, was first to launch from the summit of the 8,611m mountain with a 17m single-skin on 28 July at approximately midday, after making a record-breaking 11 hour ascent (shaving 12 hours off the previous record).

“It was many years of experience that were expressed on July 28,” he posted. “Combining high-altitude rapid mountaineering with paragliding mastery. It once again gave me indescribable sensations and emotions that day.” He flew with a custom made Skywalk Pace that weighed even less than its stated 1.05kg.

He was followed in the air about two hours later by Jean-Yves Fredriksen, who made a solo ascent that avoided the popular and well trodden route in a 32 hour non-stop push. He then spent 90 minutes trying to launch his Niviuk single-skin in nil-wind before a gust finally allowed him to take off. “It was just enough to hold me,” he reported.

Also on the summit were former world climbing champion Liv Sansoz and the mountain guide and pilot Zeb Roche who planned to launch together in a Niviuk single-skin tandem proto. The pair summited after following the regular Abruzzi route in 14 hours but also found the lack of wind an issue.

“There was almost not enough,” Liv tells us. “We were so tired on the summit, the brain is in hypoxia. Zeb launched the wing and it felt ok. We just had to run five or six steps and we were off.“

Liv Sansoz and Zeb Roche descend from the summit of K2 on their single-skin tandem proto from Niviuk. Photo: Liv Sansoz and Zeb Roche

Zeb is no stranger to high altitude tandem launches. He famously flew a tandem from the South Col of Mt Everest with his dad as passenger in 1990 at the age of 17, and from the summit with Claire Bernier as passenger in 2001.

Ben, Liv and Zeb managed to fly down to base camp at 5,100m. Jean-Yves, better known as Blutch, flew back to his last high camp at 6,600m where he shouldered his 25kg rucksack and hiked the remainder of the way down.

In a newsletter announcing the news to his followers on Monday 12 August, he wrote: “Satisfaction level before the summit push: 100/100. Satisfaction level during: 100/100. Satisfaction level after: 100/100.”

Liv was also ecstatic with their success, telling Cross Country: “We are really happy we succeeded. We were four people to take off from the summit the same day because the weather was perfect. When we landed we realised we had done it and we were very happy. It was also such a relief to fly down and not have to hike down.”

The four pilots waited until they were all back in France to announce the news, due to the fact they did not have permits to fly.

This issue is a particularly delicate one this year following the death of the Brazilian pilot Rodrigo Raineri on 4 July in the Baltoro Glacier region who was flying, apparently without the right paperwork. It resulted in the arrest of a local tour fixer for several days.

In his newsletter Blutch is unapologetic about the decision to fly: “For me, it’s clear: I won’t risk descending on foot, and I won’t abandon my long-held dream so close to the goal. I am sincerely sorry for my Pakistani friends. I deeply respect your culture, the incredible trust you’ve placed in me, your rules, but not this one! Not the rule against flying from the summit of K2!”



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