Paragliding
Aaron Durogati: From victories to new horizons
After a summer of competitions, Aaron Durogati tells us he’s looking forward to some more relaxed activities this fall. Featured in Touching the Sky VR, he spoke with us while driving home to Merano.
Tarquin Cooper: How does your Red Bull X-Alps win feel now, looking back?
Aaron Durogati: It’s an amazing feeling, but already feels like it was long time ago! I had such an intense season, with many competitions. I was also training really hard for Red Bull Dolomitenmann (Aaron won the stage, setting a new course record of 25m 41s). Somehow it feels really long time ago that I won.
T.C: Was there one thing that worked really well or did it just all come together?
A.D: For sure many things came together. It was the same when people ask me what you did to make your knees good. It's not one thing but it's the sum of many things. Winning Red Bull X-Alps was the same. I didn't have any bad luck, which maybe in other editions I was not super lucky, but this time everything ran smoothly. Johanna (Aaron’s supporter and girlfriend) was really the right person to motivate me and to give me a good feeling before and during the race. The equipment I had was super good.
Aaron Durogati getting ready to hike
© zooom / Maximilian Gierl
Aaron Durogati hiking during Red Bull X-Alps 2025
© zooom / Maximilian Gierl
Aaron Durogati at Turnpoint 8 - Niesen during Red Bull X-Alps 2025
© zooom / Fabio Zingg
T.C: So your confidence was good?
A.D: While flying, I knew that if I started the same as the others, I would arrive at least the same or maybe even better. I think all I did in the last 15 years came together – the flying in Pakistan, flying PWC (Paragliding World Cup), all the training. And this year, I really trained a lot in strong wind and rain to feel even safer in these conditions. For example, on day 2, which was quite a tough day, I felt really okay. I was by far not on my limit and I felt always comfortable.
T.C: Was there one moment that stood out?
A.D: The last day. From the moment I got alone and I flew my line all the way to Pinzgau. It was the longest time I was in my flow. It felt super short and super long at the same time. I totally lost the sense of time.
Aaron Durogati flying on the last day of Red Bull X-Alps 2025
© zooom / Maximilian Gierl
T.C: How does it feel to have beaten Chrigel?
A.D: After so many years winning Red Bull X-Alps, it has to be for sure a hard feeling for him. But we speak and he's a very nice guy. I learned so much from him. I think everyone did! I’m sure that he's going to race again and it’s going to be really interesting.
T.C: Tell us about the new film Touching the Sky VR...
A.D: It's just a new dimension of entertainment. It's really hard to describe. It's something so different than anything else out there. Touching the Sky VR is something for everyone whether you’re a pilot or not, young or old. It gives so many emotions and the chance to normal people to be in places where most likely they will never manage to go. The final product is something really unique.
For context: Touching the Sky VR is a fully immersive VR film from Meta that follows Aaron flying in Pakistan. It was filmed by Jonathan Griffith flying tandem with Juraj Koreň.
1 min
The Making of Touching the Sky VR
Paragliders Aaron Durogati and Fred Fugen push the limits of VR filming while flying in iconic mountains.
T.C: So what’s next on the calendar?
A.D: I'm really looking forward to having an easy fall. I want to climb a little bit more and be in the mountains without being on a training plan and looking all the time at my heart rate and stuff like this. So I want to enjoy the mountains, combining hiking, climbing and flying. I would like to do a little bit more BASE jumping in the next weeks and months and get ready for the winter. But in the next weeks, I want to spend some time with my son Arno and Johanna.
