Episode 156- Eduardo Garza (Team Mex 1) and into the Crazy

Want to listen to some crazy, crazy stories? Eduardo Garza (Team Mex 1) competed in his second Red Bull X-Alps this year. Like all of us, he experienced conditions that weren’t very reasonable. Eduardo has also competed in two X-Pyr’s, and he’s done all of it while working full time in a very intense and demanding engineering job. Most X-Alps pilots are full time, sponsored professional athletes. Their work is flying paragliders. And most of those who do well in the race also live in, and regularly compete in the Alps. How does Eduardo go about finding an edge against the best in the world given limited time and resources? Eduardo takes us well beyond the live tracking so we can see, feel, and hear about some of the madness of the 2021 race. What does it look like to push past your limits? Come along for the ride, this one is a ripper!

Show Notes:

* Eduardo discusses training changes between 2019 and 2021 and time constraints

* Can you play this game conservatively? The answer is no.

* Day 5 of the race- leaving Lermoos

* The importance of your team and training

* The beauty of the locals

* The beauty of the place answers the “why”

* Gavin launches off the Castle:

* Eduardo discusses what it’s like to fly in the Alps compared to home

* Eduardo discusses the difference between going into the 2019 and 2021 races and the pace of the race

* Eduardo goes to sleep. In the Air. For a LONG time.

* Flying in hail. Strong hail.

* Throwing the reserve. Or not. Maybe.

* Flying in dicey Foehn and flying FAST

* Strategy in the heat of the moment

* The disadvantage of not being a local

* Advice for pilots thinking about applying to the X-Alps- it’s not what you know from Live Tracking

* What’s next- how to fill the hole?

Mentioned in this show:

XCMag, Chrigel, Red Bull X-Alps, Nelson De-Freyman, Ben Abruzzo, Aaron Durogati, Laurie Genovesie, Theo De Blic, Nicola Donini, Skywalk, Yael Margelisch, Robbie Whittall, Jason Wallace, Maxime Pinto, Monarca, Anton Salusky, Calef Latorney, Peter Greis, Bianca Heinrich