Fiona Macaskill

By Ali Dent

OLVESTON'S paragliding supergran Fiona Macaskill has been selected to represent her country in the sport.

Fiona, 54, will compete in the four-yearly FAI European Paragliding Championships in Serbia at the end of this month. The mother-of-four already holds the British Women's trophy, which she won after breaking the world record award for speed last year. Fiona has been in the Guinness World Records three times before and is a former British Women's Champion.

She said: "I'm not doing too badly for someone who was going to retire three years ago."

The former technology teacher formerly ran paragliding training camps and is still keen to bring on new women to the competition scene.  Although more used to unpowered flight, she sometimes takes to the air with an engine. She completed a 6,000 mile trip in a single-engined aeroplane round Australia with her artist husband Angus at the controls in March this year.

"I guess there is something of the 'bird' in my spirit," she said.

Fiona, who trains at Bridges Health and Fitness Club in Thornbury, practices regularly around Selsey Common near Stroud with the Avon Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club.

"I am currently flying in the UK as much as I can," she said. "I did an incredible flight from the Malverns past Brecon in Wales. If not flying I'm swimming twice a week, working out in the gym twice a week and spinning once a week. My fitness is definitely improving and I think a bit of weight is dropping off too."

The paragliding championships take to the air on Monday, June 30.

Thursday 29th May 2008