Anton Soekeland

I became interested in paragliding in 2021, motivated by my love for outdoor sports and the idea of flying instead of walking down after climbing mountains. I got my licence in Switzerland with my older sister and ever since I always choose to fly, rather than walk down.

In the beginning, I combined my passion for running and climbing with paragliding, focusing on running up mountains and flying down quickly. My first flights were mainly scenic top-to-bottoms after climbing.

Over time, paragliding became much more than just a way to go down mountains. I discovered cross-country flying, which allowed me to shorten long routes and access remote places in a short time. This motivated me to keep learning and perfecting my skills, practising launches in all kinds of conditions, to be able to fly safely from anywhere. Now paragliding is an integral part of my life and my great passion.

In terms of competitions, I have been successful in achieving first place in the X-Race in Salzkammergut (Austria) and leading the Ticino Hike and Fly Championship (Switzerland). This year I have also been on the podium in several Swiss races. Currently, my goal is to improve my XC speed to fly longer distances, do bigger triangles and participate in more H&F competitions. 

I am excited about what the future holds for me with my Niviuk flying equipment, which has the perfect balance between performance and safety. I am happy to be part of this team, which is much more than a brand: Niviuk is like a family where we all share our passion for paragliding and sports in general.