The first day of the Flypa 06, after a reception in which we even had fireworks –just as the locals (the 'Realejeros') like it– was spent under a gloomy gray sky. The low clouds hid any chance of taking off from La Corona (750m) or Izania (2200m), the flight from the heart of El Teide National Park that was exceptionally authorized for the participants of the festival during these 4 days. However, we quickly found compensation watching the tricks and acro maneuvers that the present paramotor world champion Mathieu Rouanet, from the Ozone team, put up for us. He was quickly followed in the air by another world champ and PPG recordman, Ramon Morillas, (Draco Paramotor Team), and the two of them kept us in awe with their risky low level turns only centimeters above the violent waves of El Socorro beach –central spot of the event. The fast F18 airplanes of the Air Force also gave us distraction during this afternoon, helping reduce somewhat the wish to fly... At the beach some PG companies installed a small fair where to buy new t-shirts or accessories, collect brochures or get a demo of some of the new gliders in the market.

Specialized press came from different countries in Europe, and even from the United States! In the picture above: Xavier Remond, editor of the French mag Aerial, and Jaq De Rolland, from Parapente Mag.

Fortunately, conditions improved on Saturday and all the pilots who could get up early enough to go to Izania (almost 1 hour by bus) enjoyed the impressive glide to the beach, starting from the skirts of the highest peak in Spain, the volcano of El Teide (3718m). It's a smooth 20-minutes descent to Puerto de la Cruz, during which some pilots found a few thermals to climb up and so reached the site of La Corona where it was flyable all day long.

The takeoff of the viewpoint of La Corona also concentrated most of the acro action by some of the most outstanding pilots in the world. The Austrian team ‘The Renegades' impressed the crowds with 4-way stacks, down-planes and the impossible ‘hang-over' trick, among other mixes of sky diving and paragliding maneuvers that make their show unique. Impressive also were their landings in 2-way stacks until only a few meters above the beach.

The day went on with a lot of flying and exhibitions in which we could often see Mathieu Rouanet flying tirelessly: The big advantage of paramotoring is that you don't have to drive up to the take-off, so Mathieu had plenty of time to fly up and then lose height in loopings, sats, spins and wingovers, or land on La Corona to take a few pictures and then launch just like any other free-flyer to continue playing with his aircraft as if the paramotor had no extra weight for him. What an ace of the sport!

The Ozone acro and BASE jump Team decided to explore the South side of the island today and due to a misunderstanding they were absent from the show –at least they had some good flying elsewhere, although far from the public's eyes...

Sunday is another day of pleasant flights under the clouds, with some clears that allowed us to see the snowed Teide peak every now and then. The pilots' companions that already had enough of beach and aerial shows are taken to guided trekking routes and tourist visits, or choose to do some sight seeing on their own. Tenerife has so much to see and do for the visitors that it is not easy to get bored here.

The Ozone pilots finally find their way to the takeoff and do their bests to make it up for their absence yesterday, offering smooth syncro maneuvers and the latest Acro tricks. A 20 percent of the Ozone Team –with 10 members– are the Green twin-brothers from the United States, aged 19, who have become known in the paragliding world thanks to their synchronicity in the air and their physical similarities. In the air it is even more difficult to tell Tim from Anthony as they usually fly with any of their two acro gliders Ozone 6907 –one yellow and the other… green.

Also in the team are BASE jumpers that throw themselves from tandem gliders, paramotors, cliffs or helicopter, but the most impressive jump was one done by Matt Gerdes (USA) who waited till the very last moment to open his parachute before dozens of spectators who clearly heard the noise of his body cutting the air and then the canopy inflating to leave him softly on the ground...

Most of the participating pilots of the Flypa06 have done several flights by now so everybody looks cheerful and the ambience is nice and relaxed. The rides by 'guagua' (bus, in Canarian slang) are filled with laughs and stories that are told and heard from one pilot to the other, and there are from all regions of Spain and foreign countries. The nights in Tenerife also have a lot to offer (or that's what the faces of many pilots arriving by midday at the takeoff say!)

Among the pilots there are many correspondents of the specialized press who come from diverse countries, including the USA, invited by the Festival to tell the flying world about this event and, of course, about the charms of this Canary island. Magazines like Cross Country, Parapente Mag, Aerial, Paraglider Magazine, Delta & Parapendio, and Gleitschirm, are accredited here and we share very pleasant moments with the rest of the flying journalists and photographers. We all agree in that the organization of the Flypa06 has taken good care of us and has done a big effort to make our work as easy and enjoyable as possible –something not so easy to find in our Paragliding events!

One before the last night of the Flypa06 there's a conference about security and maneuvers by the instructors of the school ‘Entrenuvols', the only one that runs a SIV center (Simulation of Incidents in Flight) in Spain, who show very interesting not-to-dos videos. Then is Ramon Morillas who takes the big audience to the Canary skies through a footage of the paramotor flight that took him and two other pilots over the sea, from the island of Tenerife to the island of La Gomera. After that, we are all invited to dinner there.

For the last day, Los Realejos reserves the best flying conditions for us. Those who are lucky to fly from Izania (in the National Park of El Teide) find perfect clear skies, the sun shining and a magical descent above pure Canary landscapes with stunning views of the Teide and the coast of Puerto de la Cruz.

Many pilots take advantage of smooth morning thermals to cross the Orotava Valley for the last time towards La Corona, and then land on the small beach of El Socorro to enjoy the rest of a beautiful day. Plenty of acro shows and aerial exhibitions close the last day of the Flypa06 in the air, while in the beach a big stage is set up for the closing show and party in the night.

After a giant paella served onsite, the stage comes to life for the ceremony, official speeches and prize giving of the photo contest done during the event. The finishing touch was the nocturnal paramotor exhibition of the Draco Team, followed by a radical session of acrobatics performed by the untiring world champion Mathieu Rouanet. The town, known for their annual “war" of fireworks between two neighborhoods, could not say goodbye without showing us one of their amazing displays of pyrotechnics, followed by music and party under the stars.