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Paraglider Freefalls as Chute Fails Twice in Horrifying Video
by Clayton Edwards December 10, 2021
written by Clayton Edwards December 10, 2021 11:01 am
(Photo by Algi Febri Sugita/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Maud Perrin, a 20-year-old French paraglider, had a brush with death earlier this year. She was in southwestern Turkey above the deep blue waters of Oludeniz on the Turquoise Coast when disaster struck. A cool head, some safety precautions, and a truckload of luck kept Perrin alive to take to the skies another day.
According to The US Sun, Maud Perrin was attempting a maneuver called twisted infinity tumbling. During that death-defying trick, a paraglider and their chute basically do flips through the air. Check out the video below to see what infinity tumbling looks like. The "twisted" part of Perrin's daring maneuver involves crossing the lines that connect the paraglider to the main chute. When done properly, it's a breathtaking display of aerial courage and skill. When things go wrong, though, it turns into a full-fledged horror show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0OkD_rb1xM&t=2s
Video can't be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Paraglider performs death-defying 'infinity tumbling' flips in Norway (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0OkD_rb1xM&t=2s)
Things were going fine for Maud Perrin until she made a miscalculation and ended up falling into the canopy of her main chute. Then, she pulled her reserve chute, and it failed to open. Thinking quickly, she steadied herself and pulled her second reserve chute. Thankfully, the second reserve opened. As a result, Perrin was able to safely glide down to the sparkling blue water below, where a boat picked her up. Watch the first-person video of her ordeal on YouTube.
If you're like me, the first time you watch it, you'll be on the edge of your seat. However, run the video back and watch it a second time. Pay close attention to how Maud Perrin reacts to the miscalculation and her reserve chute's failure. The fact that she was able to stay calm is truly impressive. Additionally, it's probably the reason the story ends the way it does.
Maud Perrin Talks About Her Aerial Ordeal
The US Sun reported what Maud Perrin said about the ordeal. She's just as reserved in telling the story as she was while it was happening. "During the attempt of the maneuver, I fell into the canopy after pulling on the wrong timing and then trying to pull both of my reserves," she said, summing up the incident.
"The first one did not open so I had to pull my second reserve," Perrin recalled. About her demeanor in the first part of the video, Maud Perrin said, "I was just managing the situation in the moment. I wasn't thinking, I was just acting."
She does recall what went through her mind right before pulling the second reserve, though. She thought, "This is basically my last chance so it has to open."
Maud Perrin studied the video and learned what she did wrong. Then, she took to the skies to give twisted infinity tumbling another shot and, "it all went well." Now, she says that she's confident enough to try the stunt over solid ground.