German makes first paraglider flight over Aoraki Mt Cook
17 Jan 2008
A German tourist has traveled New Zealand for 40 days, undertaking 40 different sports and setting a world record in the process.
"New Zealand is the whole world, divided into two islands. And it's the place to do sports. All the crazy people are here", said 42 year old Gerry Mayr.
The owner of a motorcycle shop in his home city of Konstanz, Mayr chose to get around on a quadbike because "you get more contact with nature and the people".
The German adventurer, who has already traveled all continents, was amazed by New Zealand. "The natural landscapes are overwhelming, the people are enthusiastic and very friendly. There is a lot of freedom and opportunity here", said Mayr.
Mayr became the first person to fly a powered paraglider over Aoraki Mt Cook. But while here he also went riding, climbing, diving, fishing, sailing, jet boat riding, skiing, kayaking and he ran the Off Road Half Marathon in Auckland.
Gerry Mayr’s record setting flight took off from the Fox Glacier airstrip and landed at Mount Cook airfield two and a half hours later. During the flight he got up to about 3960 metres which is significantly higher than Aoraki Mount Cook which measures 3754 metres.
"The flight up was pretty smooth," said his support crew Tim Heller, "but he hit some pretty severe turbulence in the lee of the hills coming down. It was a bit like being in a tumble dryer and he was falling 500 feet (150 metres) a minute. That's like falling like a stone."
The idea for the unusual trip occurred to Mayr in Germany while he looked at photos of the New Zealand mountain scenery. "I saw a picture of Mt Cook while I was in Germany, and thought, 'I have to do that'."
Already the holder of four Guinness world records, Mayr's record-breaking flight was part of his personal challenge to tackle a different adventure every year.
When asked for his personal highlights of his New Zealand trip Mayr said: "My flights over Cape Reinga and of course Mt Cook as well as diving at the Poor Knights Islands".
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