Gavin McClurg breaks US record

Flying his Niviuk Peak3, Gavin McClurg battled his way across Idaho from Mt Baldy, 387km into Montana, committing to some of the deepest, remote solo flying and turbulent lee-side conditions, to comprehensively break the US foot launch distance record.

McClurg had landed just short of the Idaho state record the day before, and had only had a few hours’ sleep that night. It came in a week where the cross-country ace clocked up almost 1,000km in the air.

“It was a seven-and-a-half-hour flight. Not particularly long, I would have loved to keep going, but I’m deeply satisfied,” McClurg says modestly.