Patrick
von Känel
Switzerland
·
Paragliding
Date of birth | July 29, 1994 |
|---|---|
Age | 31 |
Nationality | Switzerland |
Career start | 2010 |
Disciplines | Paragliding Aerobatic / Speed Riding / Paragliding Cross Country |
Growing up in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, Patrick von Känel got used to seeing his parents circling the sky on paragliders. By the age of seven, he was already training on the ground, and by 14, he was in the air.
Having convinced his parents to let him take lessons, and after endless hours of small flights on practice slopes, Patrick had his first high flight at 16. After just a few minutes in the air, he knew that this was a career he wanted to pursue.
After quickly gaining his paragliding certification, Patrick became a test pilot and began travelling around the world. Constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible on a paraglider, he would explore speedflying, perform in acrobatics shows and compete in cross-country flights.
In 2019, he took part in the Red Bull X-Alps competition for the first time and, despite being the youngest participant, was able to finish in an impressive eighth place. Two years later, he would achieve a sensational second-place finish.
Determined to one day claim victory at Red Bull X-Alps, Patrick also hopes to break the world record for the longest flight – which currently stands at 588.27km. He’s already achieved more than 500km in Brazil, so don’t be surprised if that record soon tumbles.