Frédéric
Fugen
France
·
BASE Jumping
Date of birth | July 25, 1979 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Annecy |
Age | 46 |
Nationality | France |
Career start | 2000 |
Disciplines | BASE jumping / Wingsuit flying / Skydiving |
Born in Annecy, France, Fred Fugen’s eyes were opened to the aerial world at a very early age, thanks to his parents’ interest in parachuting. He completed his first solo jump in 1996 at the age of 16 and his feet have barely touched solid ground since.
Always an early adopter, Fugen began to compete in freeflying. In 2004, he earned his place on the French national freefly team and won the first of many World Championships in Brazil later that year. He would remain undefeated at World Championship level between 2004 and 2009.
Around this time he also joined the Skydive Empuria parachute club in Empuriabrava, Spain – the most prestigious skydiving school in Europe.
Fred’s passion and talent for aerial sports have seen him expand beyond parachuting and skydiving and into the realms of BASE jumping, canopy piloting, extreme landings, wind-tunnel skydiving, jetwing and wingsuit flying, and speed riding.
However, Fugen is perhaps best known for his work with long-time friend, team-mate and collaborator, Vince Reffet, who tragically passed away during a training incident in Dubai in November 2020. During their time together, Fugen and Reffet dominated the competitive skydiving scene, founded the Soul Flyers and joined Yves Rossy’s Jetman project.
If you’ve seen an aerial spectacle over the past decade that’s taken your breath away, it’s likely that Fugen and Reffet were behind it. World’s highest BASE jump from a building? Freeflying from Mont Blanc? Flying alongside a passenger jet with just a jetwing attached? Jumping from a Swiss mountain peak into a passing plane? They did all this and more together.
It’s a partnership which lives on in memory after Reffet’s tragic passing: a loss that was felt deeply within the global skydiving community and by the many fans the duo have gained around the world.