The Columbia Speed Flying Pro Les Arcs 2010 contest will take place from the 25th – 29th January in Les Arcs. For those not in the know, speed flying involves descending a ski slope with a small parascending sail attached to your back. It attracts skydivers, base jumpers, paragliders and professional skiers, whose sports all combine in speed flying. The event will judge the best world level of the speed flying across these four disciplines. In just one year, this unusual event has become a rendezvous for the planet’s best Speed Flyers. The “World Class Invitational” will bring 20 athletes together from seven nationalities to compete. The goal is to win “Speed Flyer of the Year” – the title currently held by Antoine Montant. Hosted by Les Arcs in the high altitude Paradiski area in the French Alps, the resort boasts specially dedicated areas for this discipline.
Les Arcs (Paradiski), a precursor in Speed Flying, has had specially dedicated areas for this discipline since 2006. If you can’t make the event, there is a chance to try Speed Flying for yourself in Les Arcs with special classes available for guests in resort throughout the season, but you need to be a good skier to try it. The disciplines are, firstly, Seed Cross which takes slalom to its extreme with two speed flyers competing head-to-head and only one winner. Secondly Big Downhill, which speeds through one of the steepest downhill runs in Les Arcs and finally the Big Mountain Freeride event which includes jump offs, figures and a choice of tracks. Shown on a huge screen, the runs will be judged by the other riders. “In this event we want to show the public that this sport is a new way of blending glide and skiing together. A cocktail of speed and art is a pleasure. The best riders in the world shall be present to explore their limits and to show you what Speed Flying is all about.” said a Paradiski spokesperson.