On April 14th, Peggy McAlpine took to the skies on a tandem paraglider in Cyprus to claim back the Guinness world title as the oldest person to go paragliding, after her previous record set at the age of 100 was snatched away by a 101-year-old American last year.
McAlpine, a Scottish living in Cyprus, arrived at the takeoff on her wheelchair which was then replaced by the tandem harness for the record flight. Aided by two persons, she successfully launched from a 700m cliff with pilot Ozgur Gokasan, from the paragliding company Highline Air Tours, who was also her pilot 4 years ago.
Pilot and passenger glided above the clouds and were acclaimed on landing by Peggy’s family, friends, and the three witnesses required by the Guinness World Records to certify the feat.
"I enjoyed every minute of it," the Scottish centenarian told the UK’s Sunday Express. "It was better than the last time. I would certainly like to do it again — especially if anyone takes my record!"
Peggy originally entered the Guinness book of records in 2007 after flying at age 100, but she had lost the title to Utah resident Mary Allen Hardison (101) in September 2011.
Peggy's daughter Elizabeth Forsyth, 75, said that if “that American lady hadn't beaten her record maybe we could have kept her on the ground but that was not to be. She was delighted to claim the record back and said she might do it again in six months’ time – but I don't think we'll let her”.
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