Speed Riding: the best of skiing and paragliding

29 of January, 2014

What is Speed Riding?

SpeedRiding (also known as SpeedFlying) is a winter sport that combines off-piste skiing and paragliding since on-piste is prohibited. The wing is much smaller than that of a paraglider, which allows it to react quickly, increasing the sensation of adrenaline when flying!!!

If you want to be a Speed Rider it is essential that know how to ski off-piste and have basic knowledge of paragliding. Its wings are easier to use than those of a paraglider.

This sport was born in the French Alps in 2003 and years later it became popular in France, Switzerland and Germany. Currently, it has already reached the Pyrenees where it can already be practiced in the Andorran resort of Vallnord and in the Aragonese Pyrenees.

Also the documentary:

The necessary equipment according to “Tandem Team”

All the equipment fits in a backpack with a capacity of about 35 liters. Being able to compress up to 25 liters.

These mini wings have a surface that can range from 7 m² to about 14 m².

The material of the sail is nylon with a specific construction and design for the characteristics of the activity.

The 3m long supports attach the sail to the skier, they are made of specifically treated polyethylene (Dynema).

The harness that joins us to the mini glider is very light, with little volume and makes it easy for us to stand up. It won't stop us from sitting on the chairlift, either.

When we have made a descent and access the chairlift, the mini glider is not folded and the harness is not removed, but the harness remains on and the glider is inserted into a kind of bag that is compressed, hung from the shoulder pad and allows us to ski and ride the chairlift without major impediment.

Skis are necessary for the practice, the snowboarding material being incorrect, due to the sliding position

If you want to start visit these two schools

If you want to start with this sport you can take a course at: Paragliding School and Flight Center: “Tandem Team has made the first agreement in a Spanish resort to create the first SpeedRiding school in Cerler located in the Aragonese Pyrenees and very close to our school in Castejón de Sos. We have a closed slope for the practice and teaching of the sport, the work zone will be trampled by the machines and will be suitably signposted so as not to interact with the skiable area”.

And also at Speedride Vallnord in Ordino-Arcalís station.

We say goodbye with this beastly video flying over an avalanche!!: