SAFA Skysailor Magazine

24 SKY SAILOR November | December 2024 One of sports aviation’s rising stars has just been accepted to compete in the gruelling adventure race, the 2025 Red Bull X-Alps. Shane Tighe has been paragliding since he got his licence in 2009 and has several impressive achievements already under his belt. Among his most recent ventures, Shane competed in the X-Pyr Hike & Fly race in the Pyrenees. This was his first hike & fly event so he had some uncertainties, therefore deciding to fly conservatively and making the most of the conditions, while trying to walk the least distances possible. Shane finished an impressive third amongst some of the world’s best H&F athletes. In the following Q&A, Shane relates his experience as a pilot, along with his upcoming X-Alps preparations. How did you start paragliding? When I was a teenager, I was fascinated by aircraft. I remember watching paramotor videos on YouTube and thought it was a great way to get into flying. Back then, to learn to paramotor you had to get a paragliding licence, followed by a paramotor endorsement. I did my paragliding training in 2009 at Rainbow Beach (Sunshine Coast, QLD) and soon become hooked on free flight. I later got a paramotor in 2012 but free flying has always been my true passion. What’s your favourite flying site in Australia and overseas? My favourite site in Australia is Rainbow Beach in Queensland, I learnt there and have spent hundreds of hours playing around on the Q&A with paragliding pilot Shane Tighe