Epic Icarus Trophy in aviators’ sight
Billed as the "toughest air race in the world", the Icarus Trophy is a near 1 300km test of ultimate endurance.
Local adventurous aviators, Eugene Cussons and Francois Theron will embark on a gruelling cross-country paramotor race known as the Icarus Trophy.
“I trained for race class on one of the most advanced gliders in the world, doing over 260 cross-country flights over a year, landing at typical locations to be experienced on the Icarus, including vehicle fuel stations and rest stops. I also competed in the Icarus X race earlier this year in preparation. The Icarus X is a sort of warm-up race over a 400km.
“I made a bad call on the weather by trying to fly around a storm instead of waiting it out. It put me in a position where I had to gain an additional 60km on the race leader and ultimately I came second,” said Cussons.
The principal challenge is to travel the course unsupported from the designated start point to the designated finish line, travelling in the directions of the course only by paramotor or on foot.
Cussons and Theron will be part of the Nirvana Racing team competition, which will be comprised of six pilots from the Czech Republic and South Africa.
“I have been using been using Nirvana for the past four years as part of the development of anti-poaching technologies, and the Icarus is an opportunity for me to prove that our systems can achieve remarkable feats of endurance and task.”
The aviators will hopefully arrive at Victoria Falls by August 1.
