Nissan Oudoor Games 2010 day 1 to 3

Arrived in Geneva on wednesday, early afternoon. Had to wait a few hours to be picked up by our Team leader and then cruised over to Chamonix along with Mirko who had flown in from Norway. We arrived in Chamonix to find thaty teh tream had set us up in this amazing apartment complex with all possible comfort, a BIG step up from last year! We met the team, some new faces, many old ones and watched Spain beat Germany in the Semis of the Football World Cup.
After dinner we held the official TEAM meeting the script of our film project was introduced and all the athletes got an idea of what was needed from them in order to make it all come together. We can't of course reveal any details of the project yet, but let me just say that its an absolutely rad idea that will ROCK Chamonix next thursday.
The next day we had an official meeting at the ODG headquarters in Chamonix centre and in the afternoon we could start shooting. Everyone immediatly shot off in different directions to start working, scout locations or check availability of certain spots. Mirko and I hooked up with a local french jumper to check a spot we had in mind and I did a test flight from it. The place rocks and has endless possibilities!!!
Since it was a late jump we returned to our quarters SUPER late and had a well deservbed rest before we attacked the place for real today. The hike was treeacherous in 30 degree heat but the place held what it promised, teh results are stunning. Tomorrow the weather is supposed to change and there might not be any arial activity, but lets enjoy the awesome flight from today and see what happens. Stay tuned for our next update!!!

ProBASE at Nissan Outdoor Games 2010

On wednesday its on again!!! Off we go to chamonix, france to participate for the 3rd time in a row at the Nissan Outdoor Games, the worlds most prestigious extremsport video event. Mirko and el amarillo will be the BASE jumpers for Team Argon, which is made up of mostly austrians and a few Krauts. The Team consists of 5 or 6 athletes, a camera crew as well as a film editor and loads of equipment plus a photographer. The goal is to make the best 5 min video possible in 5 days including one sequence of each extremsport Paragliding, BASE jumping, Kayaking, Climbing and Mountain biking. Often times all the team members have to help out when shooting someone else´s scene and thats what makes up a great team. Its furthermore great cause you get to work with professionals from all sorts of areas, photographers, camerapeople, directors, editors and every one learns from everyone else. Last year at the winter edition, which we won by the way, (I love being modest!) we all had to act as well, which was sooooo much fun. We all had a small part in the film and it was a huge contribution that made all the difference in the end.
Team Golgoth from Finland is there for the 4th or 5th time, the only team that hasparticipated more then us. there are also the russians from Team Gravity Rebels who were there last summer and a new swedish and french team. Its a great event where you always pump into familiar faces and get together with friends from all over the world. I am looking forward to it and will keep you posted boys and girls, so stay tuuuuuned!!!!!

Exhibition Jumps at Paragliding championships

Last saturday was a busy day here in Spain for the BASE jumpers. We first had a film crew following the Spain BASE Team from the ASBA, (spanish BASE Asociation) in order to shoot a documentary on our sport. When that was done we moved down the valley to the campground of a small town called Ager where the national paragliding championships were taking place. It was teh final day and the organizers had hired us to do a few display jumps from an ultralight plane to contribute to the final ceremony. There was 6 of us and that ultralite didn't stop for a minute. We all got a few jumps in and the spectators were amazed, especially a few lo passes in the V3 got them off their feet. I even signed my first autograph as a BASE jumper!! amazing!!
Good times, and this week we're up there again, for the finals of the hanggliders, so watch out for us!!

Spain BASE Tour

After 3 days at the Bali Hotel in Benidorm, the spanish BASE jump Tour kicked off on Monday, 14th of June at the Seagul cliff in Calpe. Our group, consisting of 7 jumpers did an early morning jump at this impressiv 300 meter sea cliff before heading off north to the mythical mountains of Riglos. The place is pretty amazing with its red towering conglomerate rocks that reach up 250 meters into the sky. We did a jump the next day, Tuesday in near perfect conditions and then headed east to jump catalonia wall the next morning. Again a perfect day for this wingsuitable cliff!!
A few WS 2 ways later we were tired and worn out so we decided to not go for the 2nd jump in the area and opted for a BBQ at the ProBASE Academy HQ instead.
Vanija proved a fantastic grill man and we an amzing dinner with some of spains best wines which grow right in the area. What an evening!!
The next day would bring the highlight of the trip, a jump from the "Arial Wall" in Montserrat. The morning was a tad windy so we waited til early afternoon by when it had quieted down. The hike is brutal but well worth it and we all got an amazing flight from this great cliff. For some of them it was not only the best jump of the trip but also the best jump in their careers this far!!!
Can´t wait to do it again and c ya all very very soooooooon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uli Emanuele wins Spain BASE 2010 competition!

After a great day of jumping, the final round was being held on Saturday evening and it brought a few surprises. Stig Knudsen who was in front through out the 3 quali rounds didn't get a standup landing in the final and thus openend the door for his competitors. Vanja Siljak, the dalmatian imitation, who had also had 3 solid quali jumps, overshot the target in the final and ended up in the pool. Thats when the Italians, observing from the exit point, saw their chance. Uli Emanuele, the last jumper on the ramp, and having improved round after round in qualifying, kept his cool, took a perfect 2 sec delay and hit the target. That was enough to take home the win and crown himself SpainBASE 2010 champion. The podium was completed by consistent performer Miklos Marcos, a 3rd time contender from Hungary as well as surprise man Robert Moschella from Australia. Congrats to the winners and Cya at the next ProBASE competition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here we are on saturday, 3 quali rounds have been finished and we are waiting for the winds to calm to do the finals. Yesterday we got one round in late in the eve and this morning had perfect windstill conditions to offer which we took full advantage off. Stig, the man form Kjerag is in the lead, followed closely by Hungarian Miklos Marcos and Vanjia from Croatia. Its gonna be a tight finish tonight! Surprisingly ine of the favorites, Johnny Utah from the States didn't make the finals this time, but he got to do a kick ass fly by of the Hotel in his Wingsuit! Check it out!!

Spain BASE 2010 BASE jump competition!

Only a few test jumps have been possible so far. Winds are still pretty strong and not expected to go down til late at nite. In the few lulls Johnny and the Aussies got another one in before the winds picked up again. We are still hopefull we might get a sunset round in though!!!
Tomorrow things look a bit better, the morning especially should be good to go, so lets hope for the best.