My story to becoming a Paragliding World Champion

My name is Charles Cazaux, paragliding french team member for 20 years , coach at the Airlinks Academy in Annecy.

I grew in Morzine-Avoriaz watching the summit around and the big eagle gliding around. And as part of my family was living in Annonay, the town of the Montgolfier brothers well know for their achievement in ballooning, I’ve always been dreaming to touch the cloud. Reading aviation book, watching plane movies, designing paper plane, playing with kites were my hobbies during summer camp on the atlantic coast. 

Later on as a teenager hiking and climbing around in the alps, I saw this amazing scenery with a bunch of 100 paraglider turning above a pic and gliding to the next one. It was like a big gaggle of colorfull butterflies! 

This day of 1993, I decided I would like to join them! Step by step, I learned the basics from ground handling, take off and landing, then all process to discover the aerology flow mystery and knowledge. From the local paragliding school in Morzine till the Paragliding Junior Academy in Pyrénées, I was so lucky to meet great teachers and pilots to go through details so I could fly better and better. My dream came true to connect the summit by the air and fly like a bird!

Learning about myself, the wing, the sky pushed me on the performance way. I went to competitions to learn more and to improve my skills. I also involved myself in a few record attempts to fly faster and further that anyone else. I’ve been able to see all the new development of paraglider over the the past 20 years coming from 4 risers to hold the profil till only 2 now! Giving more power, speed and safety to this new generation of paraglider. 

And it still fits in a bag which is quite unbelievable for a wing which can hold you up to 12 hours in the air for hundreds of kilometres gliding from a thermal to another. Flying in between cloud and above unknown terrain is so exciting.

Winning the World Cup Superfinale in 2009 and Worlds Championship in 2011 were some important moment of my career which is still on. I am fully in love with this sport, addicted to the fresh air on my face during every flight! Feeling like a bird while thermalling; cruising above such a beautiful playground that is our world.

A little tour around with my 2 kg hike and fly equipment around home, just to enjoy a glide at sunset to my garden. It is enough to be happy! What else? Since 2 years, I dedicate part of my time to share my tips, knowledge in a school « Airlinks Academy » so pilot with some experience could learn to fly safer and better. Know yourself, learn to manage your wing and respect the nature are for me the basics.

In 2021, Worlds will take place in France on my playground from Grenoble to Morzine-Avoriaz. Hope to see all my flying friends from all over the world back to competition to achieve great flight and share good time all together.

Keep in touch on @kzoairlines (Insta) for the next event ;-) Feel free to ask me any questions !

Fly safe,

Charles