It is nearly a year since Chrigel Maurer caused a stir at the top-class desert event. Not only were his skills put to the test in this superlative competition, but also his conscience. Fans and followers started asking critical questions: why are you flying here? Are you letting yourself be bought? Where are your morals? Chrigel found this difficult to deal with. What conclusions did he draw from this experience? Here is his personal review.
Those who know me know that I’m a perfectionist. I do not go to take-off without a clear strategy and meticulous preparation, and my head must be absolutely ready. I went to the UAE Hike & Fly in Dubai in this state of mind, but no-one really knew in detail exactly how the competition would work. We knew we would climb a skyscraper and then take off from the heli-pad. That excited me! That was new! There were about 25 top pilots at the start with me.
Sensational pictures
I was not disappointed. From the first day of competition, it was an unforgettable experience: we were allowed to climb the 300 metre high Address Beach Hotel and take off from the roof – an absolute first. Because it went so well, we asked if we could fly again from the roof after the task. The conditions were perfect and we were able to soar high above the Dubai skyline on the building until late at night. My heart beat faster: it was one of the most moving moments of my entire piloting career. Of course, the sensational pictures and films went viral immediately.
The boomerang impact
But instead of Likes, a storm of criticism hailed down, massively: reproaches, rejection, accusations. Chrigel, where is your morality? My elation was trashed. Everything came back at me like a boomerang of negativity. Just a few hours ago I was overwhelmed with feelings of happiness. And now I had become the target of criticism. I had never experienced anything like this before! I was aware that not everyone will always like everything I do. But just like this? Why these reproachful comments? What had I done wrong?
Welcome to Social Media
I had already been to the FAI World Air Games in Dubai back in 2016. At that time, my participation in the competition was neither questioned nor commented on. Now, in 2021, this was completely different, and so I locked myself in my hotel room and clicked through the platforms. I studied the comments. I wanted to understand. The carousel of thoughts in my head began to spin: am I doing something bad? Am I ultimately for sale? Can I justify my participation in the competition to myself? Nothing but questions and doubts.
What if I win?
Detailed mental training is part of every competition preparation for me. I invest a lot of time in strategy and always have a plan B and a plan C ready in case plan A doesn't work out. My credo: everything that can be planned, should be planned, so that you can react better to the unplannable. I try to judge everything rationally, but in the end, I can only rely on my gut feeling. And now? I sat in my hotel room with no plan. What if I win? Will the criticism then be even more massive? Will I be punished for it? The carousel of thoughts was spinning at full speed.
Last second, last place
The last task of the competition was held on a hill at the edge of the Al Faya desert. I was in the sprint to the finish and was in the lead: victory and high prize money were within direct reach. The heat was getting to me. Sand as far as the eye could see. I was at my limit. And the carousel of thoughts was still spinning: can this victory be justified? How do I deal with the accusations? At the last second, I decided to cross the line outside the finish arch. That put me in last place in the day's standings. Victory had been given away. I felt a brief moment of peace – but the conflict was not resolved.
It has to be fair
As an athlete, you want to win. That's why you go to the start line. That's the idea of competition. Not wanting to win – that's anything but fair. That's not me – I'm not just "for sale." I decided to write a post about it. It was the first one since I've been in Dubai. Here's the wording: "I've never done anything like this before and I won't do it again because it's unfair. I apologise to the participants, my partners and the organisers. It was a kind of blackout that I’ve never encountered before."
Epilogue 2022
The UAE Hike & Fly 2021 has taken me into new territory. A competition that offers new tasks: I wanted to be there! Looking at the spectacular skyline pictures again, I think: the flying is one thing, having values is another. For me as an athlete, being a top professional today also means thinking about values. So not only having a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, but also a Plan V (Values). So, part of preparing for a competition is also the question: can you stand behind the event?
Chrigel‘s Equipment
The Team
Chrigel Maurer
Chrigel Maurer a déjà remporté huit fois la X-Alps, trois fois de suite la Coupe du monde et a été champion d'Europe. "L'aigle d'Adelboden" est un nom connu de tous les pilotes de parapente. Il transmet son immense savoir aux pilotes et aux jeunes talents lors d'innombrables conférences, par le biais de la X-Alps Academy qu'il a fondée ou à l'occasion de séances de coaching personnelles.
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