The final Pre-Paragliding World Cup event of the 2025 season took place in Tenerife, Spain, from November 27 to December 1. The competition was held in classic textbook conditions, with tasks ranging from 45 km to 62 km.

France’s Maxime Pinot took the gold after winning four of the five tasks on his Enzo 3. Reflecting on the week in Tenerife, Pinot shared his feelings towards his win:“Tenerife allowed me to confirm what I’d been feeling again. The result, the victory, the four wins. That’s the anecdotal side of the story, even if it’s pleasant and gratifying.

“But when I went for a run in the evening, I was mostly swept away by the emotion of the sensations I’d felt during the race. The thrill of a specific thermal or of finding a line. The ability to replay those hundreds of quick and clear micro-decisions… The ability to feel every movement of the wing, to decode them and refine positioning… Applying the tactics that I now enjoy passing on. To play.”

In the Serial Class, French pilots dominated the podium, with Baptiste Delbecq taking first place, followed by Jazz Cassanas in second and Théo Piatti in third. All three were flying the Zeno 2.

“The pre-PWC was expected to be quite competitive”, explained Baptiste. “The challenge was to adapt to the unusual environment of this island while positioning myself against a group that was pushing hard. The numerous changes of pace helped me find my place in the early stages of the competition, where I was initially too far back. This competition provided valuable experience in adapting to and learning about different conditions.

The female class was won by 21-year-old French pilot Victoria Chevallier, flying the Photon, ahead of Chloé Fafournoux (X-one) and Mathilde Chivet (Zeno 2). For Chevallier, the event marked her first experience at this level. Way to go, Vicky!

She shares:

“Some people have experienced this kind of competition a thousand times; it’s their daily life. For me, it was my first, and it was the most wonderful first time I could have ever had.

“When I think back to the very young pilot I was, watching the champions with stars in my eyes, dreaming of those moments without daring to imagine that one day I would experience them myself… I can hardly believe that I’m now alongside those pilots, sharing the sky and the podiums with them.

“I’m proud. Proud of who I am today, and proud of all the versions of myself who dreamed of this before.”

Congrats to all the pilots and cheers from all the Ozone team!

Official results at https://civlcomps.org/event/Pre-pwc-tenerife-xpo-2025/results

Photos courtesy of Daniel Crespo and Thomas Santellani