The Paragliding Podcast By Cross Country Magazine

The Paragliding Podcast, Episode 6

In this episode Tarquin and Ed discuss issue 266, which is dedicated to all things Alpine. Ed gives a preview of the magazine, which features a wealth of tips, advice and inspiration for flying in the Alps, whether you're looking to fly your first 100km or like contributor Luca Godenzi, just happy to be in and amongst the Bernina mountains of Switzerland on foot or under wing. The pair discuss Tom Payne's feature on alternative flying adventures, one of which includes flying under a full moon, an experience Tarquin enjoyed with Tom last year, sharing the wild experience. Special guest this edition is Calef Letorney, who recently gave a Masterclass for progressing pilots. The podcast includes a segment from that talk in which he shares his tips for active piloting on speedbar and while thermalling. He also opens the podcast with his advice to prioritise flying in your life.  In the final part, Tarquin shares all the news and gossip from the inaugural Red Bull X-Alps Challenger as well as the insights he and fellow Cross Country magazine contributers Erwin Voogt and Bastienne Wentzel learnt at the Kössen Super Paragliding Testival. Between them they flew 37 wings including the new Ozone Vibe GT and the Advance Tau DLS EN-C.  The episode concludes with Ed discussing the latest near 400km flights in the Alps.  Thanks for listening! Join us every 6-8 weeks as we dive into the stories inside the latest issue of Cross Country magazine. Cross Country is the world’s international free flying magazine and is available online and in print. Subscribers enjoy articles on new flying techniques, inspiring stories from across the world and deep dives into micro-meteorology, the latest equipment advances – and much more.  As well as receiving eight premium quality issues, subscribers can access six Masterclass coaching sessions and discounts on merchandise, books, and flying accessories.  Cross Country is a flying trip found nowhere else. Find us online at www.xcmag.com [https://www.xcmag.com] and on social media @xcmag [https://www.instagram.com/xcmag/].

The Paragliding Podcast, Episode 5

In this episode we get to hear the top-landing tips of Kinga Masztalerz, why you should never fly with dark sunglasses (from a guy who makes them) and the question pilot and climber Christian Black asked himself after launching off a Peruvian mountain at 19,000ft. Between these segments Tarquin and Ed discuss the latest issue and all that's going on in the paragliding world right now, from Austria's "Hammertag" to the latest hike-and-fly results to who to watch in the Paragliding World Cup Superfinal which is just kicking off. Ed discusses the issue of the "jerk test" and why there are calls to change the standards of back protection. Tarquin shares Mymy Heissat's inspiring story of finding love (and flying) in the Lofoten Islands while Ed recounts the adventures of two of this issue's features – flying in Bhutan and Bali. The episode closes with Christian sharing his adventures in the Cordillera Blanca.  Thanks for listening! Join us every 6-8 weeks as we dive into the stories inside the latest issue of Cross Country magazine. Cross Country is the world’s international free flying magazine and is available online and in print. Subscribers enjoy articles on new flying techniques, inspiring stories from across the world and deep dives into micro-meteorology, the latest equipment advances – and much more.  As well as receiving eight premium quality issues, subscribers can access six Masterclass coaching sessions and discounts on merchandise, books, and flying accessories.  Cross Country is a flying trip found nowhere else. Find us online at www.xcmag.com [https://www.xcmag.com] and on social media @xcmag [https://www.instagram.com/xcmag/].

The Paragliding Podcast, Episode 4

Spring is here! In this episdode Tarquin and Ed talk new EN-Bs the team flew at the Pelvoux Testivol in the Ecrins. In particular, Tarquin shares the respective merits of Advance Theta ULS versus the Gin Bandit 2 – as well as a flight that didn't go as planned. He found himself at 3,200m in the wrong gloves with painfully cold hands and – too light on the wing – struggled to descend.  Ed dives into the incredible – and longread story of Ariel Zlatkovski's successful quest to fly 100 100km flights in a year. Spoiler alert – he succeeded, but it came at quite a personal cost. The pair then discuss Ryan Southwell's remarkable photos from a paramotor trip around the land of volcanoes, gorges and Norse gods, AKA Iceland. For anyone who wants to fly just one 100km flight, Tarquin shares some of the tips in this issue that XC coach and Nova CEO Ferdi Vogel gave in his Masterclass. They include learning to recognise triangles in the terrain, and why it's better to visualise thermals as condensation droplets and not honey. It was a record year in the Kerio valley earlier this year and Ed brings up the stories of Titi Macquet and his wife Blandine's record 252km tandem flight as well as the 363km flight by hang glider pilot Jeremy Soper. He tells the podcast that he's on a one-man mission to keep the distance records in the hands of hang glider pilots, otherwise "it's an existential threat" for the sport. Ed and Tarquin finish up talking about what's coming up, referencing the Monte Grappa Trophy and the stories they are working on for the next issue, which include an in-depth look at eyewear for pilots and the new book, 101 Ways to Fly Better.  Thanks for listening! Join us every 6-8 weeks as we dive into the stories inside the latest issue of Cross Country magazine. Cross Country is the world’s international free flying magazine and is available online and in print. Subscribers enjoy articles on new flying techniques, inspiring stories from across the world and deep dives into micro-meteorology, the latest equipment advances – and much more.  As well as receiving eight premium quality issues, subscribers can access six Masterclass coaching sessions and discounts on merchandise, books, and flying accessories.  Cross Country is a flying trip found nowhere else. Find us online at www.xcmag.com [https://www.xcmag.com] and on social media @xcmag [https://www.instagram.com/xcmag/].

The Paragliding Podcast, Episode 3

In this episode Tarquin and Ed discuss issue 263 which is packed with inspiration, advice and news from cloudbase and beyond. Ed kicks off with a dive into Adi Geisegger's wave flying feature, explaining the rare coming together of conditions that made this flight possible.  Tarquin then dives into what the Swiss Hike-and-Fly League are doing right as they go from strength to strength, running 12 events a year. We hear from the veteran filmmaker Henry Hauck, who has digitally restored his archive of early paragliding films. Henry shares some of his hair-raising antics from back in the day to get the shot.  Tarquin also talks through the feature on Tom de Dorlodot and Horacio's Llorens's paramotor flight at the Pyramids of Egypt. The conversation then moves to the summit slopes of Aconcagua.  Ed spoke with the team who made a successful hike and fly of South America's highest mountain in a trip led by Pierre Carter. "It's extremely rare you can launch from the summit, but these guys did." Ed also shares one interesting detail from the trip – Marshall Mosher flew a parakite, not a conventional hike-and-fly wing – and explains why a parakite makes sense.  Next Ed dives into the subject of EN-A+ wings, the subject of an in-depth report by science writer Bastienne Wentzel. Tarquin then covers a story about women speed pilots and we hear from Rachelle McEwen co-owner of Ski-and-Fly, who shares what she's trying to change in the sport.  Ed covers the launch of 101 Ways to Fly Better, the new book from Cross Country magazine. Tarquin and Ed also discuss the brilliant longform article by young writer Hanna Klingbeil Canale, in which she charts the positive change paragliding has brought to Valle de Bravo in Mexico over 40 years.  Wrapping up, the pair discuss Brett Janaway receiving Pilot of the Year and the penalty recieved by Elisa Deutschmann during SRS Gin Edition, Colombia. Thanks for listening! Join us every 6-8 weeks as we dive into the stories inside the latest issue of Cross Country magazine. Cross Country is the world’s international free flying magazine and is available online and in print. Subscribers enjoy articles on new flying techniques, inspiring stories from across the world and deep dives into micro-meteorology, the latest equipment advances – and much more.  As well as receiving eight premium quality issues, subscribers can access six Masterclass coaching sessions and discounts on merchandise, books, and flying accessories.  Cross Country is a flying trip found nowhere else. Find us online at www.xcmag.com [https://www.xcmag.com] and on social media @xcmag [https://www.instagram.com/xcmag/].

The Paragliding Podcast, Episode 2

In this episode Ed and Tarquin talk through the Adventure Issue of Cross Country magazine (262) [https://xcmag.com/issues/cross-country-issue-262-january-2026/]. It opens with an excerpt from Tarquin's interview with Liv Sansov talking about her flight from the summit of K2 in a tandem with Zeb Roche. An interview with the pair recorded at Kendal comes later in the episode.  Tarquin and Ed kick off talking about the inspiring destinations covered in this adventure issue, which include India, the Italian Dolomites, Kenya, Norway, Finland, Colombia and the Azores. They discuss Tarquin's interview with the mountain guide and pilot Davide Sassudelli and his notorious 'dodgy launch' video from the Red Bull X-Alps that went viral. Ed then shares the inside story of his interview with the adventure pilot Michael Gebert now a partner in the Fly With Andy guiding company.  The pair discuss Solène Rombourg's uniquely philosophical contribution to the My Flying Life page, before Tarquin expands on his visit to the Kendal Mountain Festival where he watched two paragliding films, K2 Mon Amour by Liv Sansov and Zeb Roche and Chasing Shadows by Benjamin Védrines, both of which are about their respective flights from K2.  Other topics that come up include Jeff Hamann's epic paramotor flight across the San Rafael glacier in Patagonia, Kinga Masztalerz's top tip for going vol biv, what Ben Kellett packs for an adventure, Paul Gushlbauer's evolution from goal-oriented athlete to Wanderbird organiser to why old-school point and shoot cameras are the way forward in flight.  Thanks for listening! Join us every 6-8 weeks as we dive into the stories inside the latest issue of Cross Country magazine. Cross Country is the world’s international free flying magazine and is available online and in print. Subscribers enjoy articles on new flying techniques, inspiring stories from across the world and deep dives into micro-meteorology, the latest equipment advances – and much more.  As well as receiving eight premium quality issues, subscribers can access six Masterclass coaching sessions and discounts on merchandise, books, and flying accessories.  Cross Country is a flying trip found nowhere else. Find us online at www.xcmag.com [https://www.xcmag.com] and on social media @xcmag [https://www.instagram.com/xcmag/].