International wind tunnel flying competitions confirmed, in early April 2026, the excellent level of French teams. Between the World Cup and the European Championships organized at iFly Aix-Marseille and then at Weembi Lesquin, the French multiplied the podiums against particularly high-level global competition.
A World Meeting in Aix-Marseille
From April 1st to 4th, 2026, the iFly Aix-Marseille wind tunnel hosted the World Cup and European Championships of Dynamic, Solo Freestyle, and Solo Speed, organized with the official support of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). A total of 104 competitors from 21 nations and 4 continents competed in the wind tunnel.
During four days of intense competition, French athletes distinguished themselves with a total of 5 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 3 bronze medals.
Among the standout performances, the duo composed of Adrien Gallot and Sofya Pauzin, both registered at the Nice Parachute Circle, excelled by winning the gold medal in two-way dynamic flying (D2W), at both the World Cup and the European Championships.
In solo speed open, Adrien Gallot also dominated the competition by securing the gold medal and setting a new world record at 20.144 seconds, confirming his status as a global reference in the discipline.
Among juniors, Malya Jalaguier, also registered at the Nice Parachute Circle, won a bronze medal in the World Cup of freestyle, before claiming a silver medal at the European Championships, confirming her notable progress on the international stage.
The French Confirm Their Level in Lesquin
A few days later, the Weembi wind tunnel in Lesquin hosted, from April 9th to 11th, 2026, another major international competition organized by the French Parachuting Federation. The world elite of relative flying and Indoor Para Skydiving came together, with 21 nations represented.
In a highly competitive event, the French teams also excelled with 5 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 1 bronze medal.
In four-way open relative flying, the France 1 Aethers team triumphed with a gold medal, notably led by Tom Mattoni, a member of the Monaco Parachute Team.
In eight-way relative flying, French performances continued with a new gold medal for France 3 Aethers Nephtys, while France 2 D ARC 8 claimed bronze with Noé Mattoni, another representative of the Monaco Parachute Team.
A Confirmed French Dynamic
With remarkable individual performances and solid collective results, these two competitions confirm France’s place among the major nations in wind tunnel flying.
In both Aix-Marseille and Lesquin, French performances illustrate the rise of French structures and the consistency of athletes at the highest international level, in disciplines where precision and speed are measured to the hundredth of a second.
