PREVIEW

BY MARK WORGAN

Italian paraglider Aaron Durogati has set a new Hike-and-Fly World Record after climbing the equivalent height of more than two Mount Everests in less than 24 hours on Norway’s Slogen Mountain.

Durogati completed the record-breaking challenge on 7 and 8 June, combining repeated mountain ascents with paraglider descents as he battled demanding conditions to achieve a total vertical gain of 19,424 metres.

The 41-year-old, a two-time world champion, has spent more than two decades exploring the Alps, with the Dolomites near his home in Merano providing the backdrop for much of his career.
For his latest endurance test, however, he turned his attention to Norway and the dramatic Slogen peak rising from Hjørundfjorden.

One of the leading figures in the hike-and-fly discipline, Durogati has built a reputation through major mountain endurance challenges and elite competition. His biggest achievement came last year when he finally won the Red Bull X-Alps - widely regarded as the world’s toughest adventure race - after years of attempts.

The hike-and-fly world record has developed rapidly in recent years. Austrian athlete Florian Ebenbichler set the first benchmark in 2014 with 8,860 metres of vertical gain in 24 hours using an ultralight paraglider, before fellow Red Bull X-Alps pilot Tanguy Renaud-Goud increased the record to 17,534 metres in 2024.

Durogati’s goal was simple: accumulate as much vertical gain as possible in a 24-hour period by climbing Slogen on foot before flying back down by paraglider.

The attempt was far from straightforward. Difficult wind conditions, the challenges of night flying, carefully managed nutrition and the need for lightweight equipment all played a role. Norway’s near-continuous daylight during the summer period helped maximise efficiency and reduce some of the risks involved.

The Italian followed a route similar to one previously tackled by mountain endurance icon Kilian Jornet, taking on a 2.57km course with around 1,080 metres of elevation gain per climb. The route began almost at sea level and rose directly from the Norwegian fjord.

Despite fatigue and rain showers, Durogati completed the challenge in just under 24 hours. He reached a maximum paragliding speed of 86km/h and covered a total distance of 103km.
His final climb was more than double the height of Mount Everest, which stands at 8,848.86 metres, with his 19,424 metres of ascent beating the previous record by 1,890 metres.

After completing 18 climbs - each around 1,080 metres - at an average ascent rate of 900 metres per hour, Durogati said: "There were a couple of hard moments, already after 4000-5000 vertical metres I got really tired, especially thinking about the 20 hours I had left, but I tried to stay really focused on every lap, every step."

Explaining how he maintained his concentration, he added: "I also tried to divide the ascent in little pieces and be really precise, efficient and fast during flying. It was tough, but I had really good support which kept me motivated throughout."

Durogati said detailed preparation was crucial to making history, revealing the extent of the work behind the attempt.

"It was the full package, I worked really hard on my strength, my physical preparation. I built a few special paragliders for this project, special backpacks and harnesses. I know that out of 18 laps, every 10 seconds I'm able to save here and there, will in the end make up to 1-1,5 minutes times the 18 laps, and that might make the difference between having a world record or not so I was really motivated to be as efficient."

Reflecting on adding another achievement to his career, Durogati said: "It feels really amazing as it was a long-term project. I'm racing a lot and to pull off this whole project I needed about 3/4 of a year, and the right location and a good team. It was something that was missing in my career, and this year I found the motivation, the place and the time. In the last 24 hours, everything came together."