Six Sky Racers battle it out in the centre arena of the largest balloon fiesta in the world. This is the first time Parabatix has come to the USA and what an incredible event is was!
Prepare yourself for the most talented pilots in the world tearing shapes in the sky. This is the most action packed display of Paramotors and Hot air Balloons ever seen! Why Albuquerque?
Its the aviation hub of Southern New Mexico and has the fastest growing flying
interest in the USA. The world-famous International Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta has become a global icon, helping the city to build its reputation as the world’s premiere Balloons Fiesta.
Interest spread from all corners of the planet, we are happy to announce a really diverse team soaring through the skies at this event.
New Mexico is an electrifying stop on the 2015 calendar for Parabatix. Being one of our most iconic events to date, Check out the highlights right here, so you can re-live it all!
The first ever Parabatix Sky Race in the USA made history in Albquerque New Mexico. With seven electrifying action packed sky races over five days at the worlds largest international balloon fiesta.
Check out the Parabatix update videos (#1 to #5) and the full story and photography right here
As the seven top race display pilots warmed up on the first two days of the event New Mexico got a taste of what the Parabatix Sky Racers is all about. Outstanding times from our youngest Sky Racer Nicolas Aubert and rookie Sky Racer Ivan Pestun from Slovakia for his first Sky Race ever!
Although the weather conditions where somewhat radical the pilots still managed to complete a multitude of sky races that tested their skills to the absolute limit as they zigzagged the pylon courses with outstanding precision and showmanship.
After an exciting start over the first weekend Parabatix founder Pascal Campbell-Jones had planned a two-day excursion for the Monday and Tuesday for the entire team. Migrating 200km west into the dessert to capture the shear beauty of the wild west from a totally new perspective.
Joining us from Utah was the Supertramp film crew armed to the teeth with the latest camera gear and drones the Parabatix Sky Racers tore up Red Rocks National park. Flying down canyons and following the natural curves of the rock formations this turned this India reserve into an aerial playground for the team to get some extreme practice in.
This was the first time some of the Sky Racers had experienced flying in such a majestic location. With the magic and spirit of the Navajo indian tribes always at bay and wild-west weather conditions swirling the air above the moment was absolutely perfect for our stunt pilot Manu Maligita who performed impressive infinity tumbles down into and between the rocks!
Wednesday midweek saw the Sky Racers screaming back into race mode as the two-day excursion came to an end and all eyes were focused back on the scores for Sky Races 3 & 4.
Thursday saw the pilots get into a new ‘Team’ scoring mode allowing pilots to ‘work together’ for a team score which will award them each a bonus. The two teams Red and Blue would have to battle it out in bonus-rounds in between the sky races.
Some of these rounds included:
Precision take off where pilots have to launch as soon as possible in to the air. Timed from the word go to the last pilot to leave the ground.
Target landing had pilot swooping in engine off at a target were the first touch counts, closer to the target the more points for each team.
Parabatix Airball, were by each pilot takes it in turn to swoop in to the pitch and kick a ball into each others side or goal! (This is the Parabatix version of quidditch 😉
If pilots where quick enough they would even have enough time to carve a turn and swoop back in to defend an on coming shot. The results were truly spectacular!
With the final Race day closing in the scores were very tight with USA Sky Racer Matt Minyard running into some unfortunate luck putting him further than he anticipated down the scoreboard. Thomas Migneaux and Javi Guerra were facing it off in a team battle of Airball brining us a reminder of when things got heated in the last Parabatix in France.
Just when it looked like Javi was going home with the gold he too got unlucky when his engine failed which meant he had to land out mid-skyrace leaving him with the worst time.
However keeping consistent right till the end was Paco Guerra and Nicolas Aubert who were in a close met dual right till the end.
For the youngest pilot Nicolas at 17 years old this would have meant his first gold in Parabatix and as close as he was there was no fooling the Toro from Spain Paco saw it coming he put in absolutely everything he had whipping up the last few Sky Races in pole position giving him the edge he needed to step-up his game and grab 1st place on the podium.
What an eye-watering moment of aerial excellence to watch these incredible pilots battle their way up the scoreboard throughout the week. Putting on a truly bird-like performance when it comes to display and race skills, while never forgetting to make safety was their number one priority!
