South African pilot and veteran sailor Ben Hodgson has been competing in some of the most well-known and intense hike and fly races around the world for a decade, beginning with the XBerg in 2017 and then advancing to the Bornes to Fly, X-Pyr and many others. Last year he was the main supporter for the Wunderkind rookie Gabe Jansen in the Red Bull X-Alps after they met competing in a hike and fly race in Brazil. Next week Ben will begin a new journey covering the X-Pyr as a live commentator from the ground and the air (much like I do for the Red Bull X-Alps!). In this episode we dive into Ben’s insights into training, strategy, and the passion and motivation that keeps him going. We cover what he’s learned as an athlete as well as a supporter, how the body is often stronger than the mind, how much fun you can have with a supporter (in this case his sister!) who knows absolutely nothing about paragliding, all kinds of tricks of the trade, finding flow and humor in stressful situations and a lot more. We both had a blast with this chat and hope you enjoy!

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key topics

Ben’s background in flying and racing
The history and end of the Exberg race
Differences between Pyrenees and Alps terrain
Preparation and scouting for X-Pyr
Support team dynamics and logistics
Mental resilience and race mindset
Lessons learned from race experiences
Future plans for X-Alps and beyond

sound bites

“My first race was Exberg in 2017.”
“Flying is my big focus, if I had to pick one.”
“Your body is stronger than your mind.”

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Hike and Fly Racing
02:45 Experiences in South Africa and Safety Concerns
05:57 The Journey into Paragliding
08:46 Transitioning from Kite Surfing to Paragliding
11:44 The X-Pyr Experience and Preparation
14:44 Challenges and Adventures in the Pyrenees
17:44 Comparing X-Pyr and X-Alps
20:44 Navigating the Pyrenees: Strategy and Support
23:37 Lessons Learned from the Race
26:39 The Role of Support Teams in Adventure Racing
35:13 Conflict Resolution in Adventure Racing
39:02 The Journey to X-Alps
46:04 Gabe’s Unexpected Rise in Racing
52:14 The Importance of Competition Flying
01:01:13 The Joy of Adventure and Community
01:07:53 Planning for Future Races

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:25:09 — 78.0MB)