Zeb Roche

Bertrand Roche, known as Zeb, is a renowned French mountaineer, high mountain guide, and paraglider pilot. From a young age, he demonstrated an unwavering passion for mountains and free flight: he reached the summit of Mont Blanc at 11 and climbed El Capitan in Yosemite at 12. At 17, he became one of the youngest mountaineers to reach the summit of Everest, a feat he achieved alongside his father, Jean-Noël Roche. From there, they took off in tandem at 8,000 meters on the south pass.

In the field of paragliding, Zeb has achieved extraordinary milestones. He completed the "Seven Summits" project, ascending the highest mountains on each continent and descending by tandem paraglider. This challenge included summits such as Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, and Everest, from which he became the first person to take off by paraglider from its summit at 8,850 meters altitude.

"We waited two hours at the summit of Everest, alone. When the wind began to blow from the Nepalese side, it was time to prepare for takeoff! Each movement was demanding; there was no room for error. With the lack of oxygen, thinking becomes very difficult, and everything takes longer than usual. In these conditions, it's crucial to rely on the automatic behaviors acquired over years of practice. The paraglider was ready; on the second attempt, it inflated, and a gust was strong enough to lift us to fly over the highest summit on the planet. It was a very emotional moment, with incredible views. The flight was short, reaching the Tibetan side, and we landed safely on the Rongbuk glacier. The most incredible adventure of my life!" he recounts. 

In 2016, he took off from Ama Dablam (Nepal) with a Bi Skin. And in 2024, with an updated version of the same wing and alongside Liv Sansoz, they made the first tandem paraglider flight from the summit of K2, having climbed without oxygen to the second highest mountain on the planet. They marked a milestone in high mountain paragliding, all documented in a video capturing the magnitude of their achievement:
 

"Every time I take off and my feet leave the ground, I experience an incredible sensation. It's like coming home," expresses Zeb. His collaboration with Niviuk has been key in realizing these pioneering expeditions, consolidating his reputation as one of the most daring and innovative paragliders in contemporary free flight.