Cross Country

Cross Country is the world’s leading voice for hang gliding, paragliding and paramotoring pilots. Ten times a year, our magazine content reflects our obsession with flying, and we express it by packing each issue with the most imaginative, inspirational photography and writing we can lay our hands on.

BACK TOGETHER AGAIN

CONTRIBUTORS

Cross Country • In the core since 1988

Gallery

NEED TO KNOW • News and insight from around the free-flying world

FAI BANS RUSSIA AND BELARUS

SPRING ARRIVES IN THE ALPS

PPG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

NAKED PILOT MAURIZIO BOTTEGAL

INSIDER’S GUIDE ZENO 2 (EN D) • Honorin Hamard won the Colombia World Cup flying the new Zeno 2. Michel Ferrer asks him all about the new glider

THE EIGERTOUR IN WINTER

25 YEARS AGO

10 YEARS AGO

FLASHBACK

FLYING IQ • Helping you fly better with expert advice and know-how

WHAT’S NEW AT STUBAI 2022 • We toured the trade tents at the Stubai Cup to get the latest news and updates on gear.

NEW PRODUCTS • Here’s what was announced at the show.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS • Pilots Peter Blokker, Erwin Voogt and Bastienne Wentzel took the newest wings for a quick fly

MANAGING TURBULENCE

WHEN TO UPGRADE? • Théo de Blic lives in Chambéry, France and has been flying paragliders solo since he was 12. He has won synchro gold in the FAI World Air Games, synchro silver at the Acro World Championships and is a five-time Acro World Cup champion. He competed in the Red Bull X-Alps in 2021

UNDER PRESSURE • Meteorologist Honza Rejmanek has been a paraglider pilot since 1993. He has competed in five Red Bull X-Alps, and came third in 2009. He lives in California. Got a question for him? Email editor@xcmag.com

SATELLITE EYE • Looking down at the Earth below from the sky above

BEYOND THE GREEN WALL • A new international airport means paragliding is set to end in Pokhara very soon – but that’s not all there is to flying in Nepal.

100 Miles Old School • With only 19 miles under his belt Chris Gibisch was invited to Big Spring, Texas to fly with some of the best long-distance hang-glider pilots in the world. It was a trip he never forgot.

Egyptian Light • Photographer Matias Nombarasco spent a week on a unique paramotoring tour of Egypt, which culminated in a true world first – flying the pyramids at night

THE SHARP END • Juraj Koreň has been on a mission to climb and fly the hardest north faces of the Alps this winter. But that’s just the start, he tells Tarquin Cooper

KITLIST • All the latest reviews, gear and technology for free flying

IN BRIEF

BOLERO 7

SYMPHONIA 2

NYOS 2 RS

SUPAIR EIKO 2

777 K-LIGHT 2

MENTOR 7 LT

SPHERA RS

MINARI 2022

MOUSTACHE

GIN SWITCH 2

VITTORAZI MY22

NAVITER OUDIE N • Marcus King flies this specialist hardware for the Navigator app

DUDEK FREEWAY 3 • Looking to have fun and learn tricks? This new beginner’s acro glider is designed just for that, says Erwin Voogt

DAVINCI HULA • Just another EN-A hike-and-fly wing? With some intriguing design features, maybe not, says Marcus King

EWOOL VEST AND GLOVES • Heated wearables that keep you toasty. Ed Ewing tries them out

KORTEL KOLIBRI EVO • Marcus King gets to grips with the updated version of this specialist vol-biv harness

WHAT MAKES A GOOD MENTOR?