An Intro to Speedflying

Suunto Ambassador Neil Amonson is at it again. This time Neil introduces us to the world of Speedflying. Neil and a few friends were at the Canyons resort near Park City, Utah this week and he shared his adventures.

Speedflying is a relatively new sport that has a large following in Europe, combining a high speed paraglider with skiing. Unlike my summer hobby of BASE Jumping, no cliff is need to start this type of flying. Just a steep slope and the speed generated from your skis and you quickly lift off the ground. You can choose to fly hundreds of feet off the ground, just a few inches or ever stay in contact with the snow.

I wear my Suunto Core and it came in handy recording the altitudes gained during our hikes that day, the rising temperatures reminding us to keep an eye on snow conditions, as well as making sure we didn't lose track of time.

For video of the adventure go here. To see everything Neil is up to, go here.

A special thanks to Jacom Stephens for the picture.

The Fastest Flying American

Suunto ambassador Neil Amonson is now the "Fastest Flying American."

Amonson just returned from Norway where he comepeted in the World Base Race. Video footage here.

Neil finished 4th in the world and was the top US racer.

Base Racing is an extreme sport to say the least. Two racers go head-to-head as they leap off the edge of a mountain cliff. Each participant wears a wingsuit and a parachute. At the signal, they leap and race to the finish line before deploying the chutes and gliding to a safe landing.

This year, 35 athletes from 12 different countries competed.