Otro vuelo epico en traje de alas

En Octubre del 2010 el projecto "epic flights" (vuelos epicos) se organizo en la region de la Jungfrau en suiza. El projecto que tuvo lugar justo antes del campeonato mundial de salto BASE 2010 asi daba oportunidad a los pilotos de volar sus trajes de ala en una de las zonas mas bonitas y impressionantes del planeta. Los pilotos se les llevo en helicoptero a 4 mil metros de altura, encima de los picos mas altos de suiza, el Eiger y la Jungfrau, donde salieron del helicoptero para sobrevolar los glaciares espectaculares de la zona.
Volar en este sitio pone varias dificultades para los pilotos, porque es dificil juzgar la altura sobre el hielo y como los glaciares son tan amplios es muy facil de perderse durante el vuelo, que dura mas de 2 minutos.
Las lineas de vuelo estaban predeterminadas para asegurar que los pilotos volvieran a las zonas de aterizaje. Aùn asi habia varias contratiempos y mas de uno tenia que ser rescatado despues de equivocarse y tomar en el medio del glaciar.
En el video vemos como el amarillo vuela la linea de la Jungfrau, una de las mas dificilies y peligrosas del mundo. Es precisamente la linea que, hace un año, costo la vida a uno de las estrellas mundiales mas importantes del paracaidismo, el estadunidense Eli Thompson, durante el rodaje de una pelicula.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1i8WRMz9T4

Campeonato mundial de salto BASE

El campeonato mundial de salto BASE se celebro por segunda vez en el valle suizo de Lauterbrunnen en la region del Jungfrau. 40 de los mejores pilotos de traje de alas de 17 naciones se reuniron en esta localidad para competir y buscar el campeon del mundo de este deporte extremo.
Los favoritos eran el campeon del año pasado, el sloveno Luka Fornazaric, el frances Ludo Woerth, el suizo Moritz Schellenberg y el norueges Espen Fadnes que gano la otra carera de trejes este año, el BASE Race de Innfijorden.
En esta carera los pilotos saltan desde una roca a 700 metros encima del valle y tienen que sobrevolar una linea de meta a 1.2 km de distancia. Se compite en parejas y el primero de pasar la linea se mete en la siguiente ronda.
El vuelo tarda unos 20 segundos y los pilotos alcanzan una velocidad de hasta 200 km/h.
despues de las 4 rondas clasificatorias Ludo woerth era el mas rapido y todo apuntaba que se iba a coronar campeon del mundo de salto BASE, pero en la semi final tenia una salida ligeramente retrasada que le costo unos decimas muy valiosas.
Esto abrio la puerta para Espen Fadnes que uso su rutina para batir el hombre sorpresa, el suizo Mathias Wyss, en la final para coronarse campeon.
Fadnes asi ha ganado las 2 competiciones mas prestigiosas este año y lleva el titulo de campeon absoluto de salto bASE 2010.

Primer salto BASE en Cuba!!

El saltador BASE cubano Albrecht Carrazana, residente en España y conocido como "el comandante" se ha convertido en el primero de realizar un salto BASE en su pais natal. El objeto que habia elegido es el puente "Bacunayagua" que reune las ciudades cubanas de La Havanna y Camaguey. El puente tiene una altura de 120 metros y escasa de una zona de atterizaje. El comandante, alumno de la ACADEMIA DE SALTO BASE consiguio un sueño desde que empiezo con este deporte tan adrenalitico. Siempre habia sonado con realizar un salto en su pais natal y lo ha conseguido.
El reto era extremamente duro y deficil por las circumstancias de la poitica del pais caribeño, y por el hecho que el salto desde este puente no tiene una zona para atterizar. Tenia que ir a los arboles y por suerte no me lisione nos cuenta Albrecht, para subir otra vez ariba me costa casi media mañana.
Asi Cuba no mas es una virgen, por lo menos con respeto al Salto BASE!!!

Victory at Nissan Outdoor Games 2010

The Outdoor Games is one of the greatest extremsports events of the year and every athlete who participates always comes back with a tremendous feeling of accomplishment, joy and satisfaction. In its 6th year it looks like the event is here to stay and to showcase the kinds of sporting activities that usually are not featured in the mass media. The event is also growing, bringing new people, new teams, new contributors and colaborators every year and especially more media coverage and wider exposure of the films produced there.
Our Team this year participated for the 4th time, although there were only 2 people form the original crew left. We ourselves grew every year as well, getting better organized, bringing the right people into the mix both amongst the athletes as well as amongst the crew, cutters, camera operators and support team. Compared to our first participation and our first film, we are lightyears ahead. Location scouting is done a few days before the competition starts, when everyone arrives we got a storyboard and a shot list ready, everyone knows what is needed and what part he has to play. Accomodation is sorted, transport is organized and as soon as shooting starts we can attack with a plan.
There are of course always hold ups or unforeseen obstacles to be overcome. But even then we have learned how to deal with those special situations and adapt as quickly as possible. The team members are flexible and ready to help out where help is needed. The BASE jumpers spent a day this year building a dam in a river to shoot a scene where the water rises rapidly. It was a days work, but it contributed to the end product. The next day almost the entire crew came along to shoot a flyby in a Wingsuit on an inaccesible ledge. A whole day was spent on one little shot, a lot of effort and planning went into it, but what matters is that in the end the product benefitted from it and the film became better because of it.
In any case, it was once again a huge experience, a great time with awesome people, great fun and we also won the main prize!!!!
The golden peak is a prestigious award and we are very proud of it. It shows that we have learned to handle the format of shooting a 5 minute film in only 5 days, produce it, edit it, and finish it almost to perfection!
A big thanks to our producer, Seppi for the great organization, to Bani, our director for the great idea and the vision it required to realise it and to all the rest of the crew and the athletes for their contribution to this amazing event and to our TEAM!!

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.

Spain BASE 2010 first day

After all the jumpers arrived yesterday we had a briefing in the evening to introduce the new boys to the object, exit and landing zone. Everyone was chilled but excited at the same time and ready to get the competition going. There was a brief talk about certain changes in the rules but finally head judge Csaba Szorenzy decided to keep things as they were last year.
The big absentee this year is of course Klaus Renz who had to cancel last minute. Although everyone misses him tons, there is a broader array of podium contenders, such as Johnny Utah, Dan the Man, Marco Waltenspiel or Stig Knudsen.
In the morning the winds looked fine but as soon as we were ready to hit the ramp and get off, the winds gut gusty and strong so we had to go on standby right away. After a lucious breakky we had a short lull which the Aussie Twins took advantage of to get a test jump in. At about 2 secs they still got quite a few turbulences and had offheadins towards the left so we went back on standby.
Lets see what the afternoon brings!!!
Stay tuned!!

BASE jump Extreme World Championship 2010

From June 11th to 13th 2010 the Hotel Bali in Benidorm, Spain will host the BASE jump extreme World Championship for the 3rd year in a row. The event, created as Spain BASE 08 by BASE jumper "El Amarillo" is going into its third year and attracts many BASE jump stars from around the world. Jumpers such as american Johnny Utah, german Klaus Renz or Gabor Verebes from Hungary get together for a target landing comeptition to crown the best amongst them. Klaus Renz took the win for the last 2 years, so lets see who can push him off the throne in 2010!!
Follow the event here on our exclusiv blog!!!!!

Upcomming BASE jump course in July!

The next BASE jump course of the ProBASE Academy will take place from june 29th to july 4th 2010. There is one slot available, so sign up now!
Contact us via email
info@probaseworldcup.com

This BASE jump video is an absolute classic! The first ever BASE jump from the Cristal Tower in Madrid, Spain. This is the tallest building in Spain with 250 meters and getting off it was the most amazing thing!!!!!
Check it out, its a true RUSH!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m69hn_-5Grs

ProBASE signs Sponsorship deal with Human Flight

ProBASE World Cup is proud to announce the signing of a new Sponsor for the ProBASE World Cup Series. An agreement has been reached with Filmproducers Human Flight 3D to sponsor the ProBASE World Cup series of BASE jump events.
No details of the agreement have been released as of date but ProBASE co-organizer Mirko Schmidt said in a statement that a "deal to colaborate and mutually promote each others brand" has been reached. Human Flight 3D is currently working on a sequel to last years IMAX film "Human Flight" which will be released lateron this summer. A large part of the film was shot in the Eiger and Jungfrau region of Switzerland, where this years ProBASE Wingsuit Race will take place. Several ProBASE competitors also star in the Film which features some of the most radical and spectacular Wingsuit proximity flying ever captured on film. To watch a trailer of the upcomming release, click here!

ProBASE Academy opens doors

We at ProBASE World Cup are proud to annonce the arrival of the ProBASE Academy, our FJC program and BASE jump school. The Academy will hold beginners courses, advanced courses, offer BASE jump trips and expeditions as well as new and used BASE gear.
Our centre is located near Barcelona in Spain and will be open year round. Our operation includes a hotair balloon and several ultralite aircraft available for jumping using both BASE specific as well as skydiving gear. For available dates for both courses and balloon or ultralite jumps, please contact us!
info@probaseworldcup.com