New Zealand [Unofficial] FAI Record | Paragliding XC

[@bobprince1472]

I watched this because I think paragliding is about the cleverest thing human-beings do. Just a bunch of rag and some string and nearly 200km in a day. I think what's impressive is the intention. You're not just going where the air will take you. You had a plan and it succeeded. By the way, it's so beautiful...

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers mate!! It’s pretty cool what we can see in a day! I love flying with an objective, it’s an awesome challenge! 🤓

[@ApexHerbivore]

Been watching your short vids and keep forgetting you have these epic vids too. So magical. Thanks for uploading. Inspiring

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!

[@BobJones20001]

Epic, absolutely epic. I'm talking of course about the one and only retrieve King with pizza and beer!

[@BenjaminKellett]

😂😂🥳

[@miguelpepe5531]

Benjamin, wow congratulations for your great work and great experience to show the world that everything is possible when you do it with all your heart, I am starting in the world of Paragliding here in Italy where I live, but I am in love with New Zealand thanks to you, many blessings to you and your loved ones🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate! Theres beautiful flying in Italy as well! Safe landings!

[@sharemyjoys]

Awesome videos mate, nice to see those places again. I was trying for ages to crack the 200fai (wanted out and return as well) and one of those times I got stuck on the Tyndall snow field like where you had to back track. The ridge east of Rob Roy stream is my favourite in NZ, pretty awesome walk up there one time too. Flying low hills end of day and head wind end of day bit of a down side to that route. Best part to see was your first turn point on main divide. Nice one

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! Pretty amazing flying on the divide there eh. If I get there again next year I’d love to try crossing and flying around the back of Edward and through the Matuki saddle. I think it would’ve been hard this day as there seemed to be more easterly wind that side (you can see it on the clouds). I studied every minute of your videos/track logs/blogs from when you flew these lines. You’re a huge inspiration. I hope you’re well and enjoying surfing the clouds in the French Alps!!

[@sharemyjoys]

@@BenjaminKellett Cheers. Yeah that line in the never never land is tempting :)

[@BobJones20001]

@@sharemyjoys I sense another sail plane vid

[@JamesBrock80]

This is absolutely epic. It makes me want to move back to Wanaka (from the UK). Your XC and vol-biv videos are the best! Great filming and the descriptions of your thoughts on route and very useful. Keep them coming.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks very much!! Will do! 😁

[@wonderfulworldofWoody]

Another brilliant video Ben. You are truely an inspiration to the Paragliding community and anyone with a sense of adventure. Thanks for taking the time/effort to share your adventures in such cinematic, dramatic and epic detail.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thank you very much mate! Very kind!

[@Flo-mk8xw]

Hi there. I Always enjoy watching your Videos. The Landscape is stunning. And it helps me a Lot as beginner to see how you plan the Route and make Progress.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Awesome! Glad you like it mate! 😁

[@kurthaston3058]

What an adventure! Nice work! Thanks for taking footage and putting it all together to share with us! Taking footage in the air is difficult and editing it takes sooooo long!

[@Mike-lh2oi]

Much respect Benjamin.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thank you!!

[@darylroygard8246]

As a fixed wing pilot, I have a lot of respect for you and other paragliders. Keep up the awesome work dude and hopefully you can smash that 200km glide. You know your mistakes now so this season I hope you smash it out of the park!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate I appreciate it!! 🙏

[@Veton03]

Very inspiring and informative. I admire that you are putting so much effort in the video editing.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers mate!

[@anotherwingover]

What an awesome flight! Congratulations to the record 🎉

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!

[@richiesadventures76]

Fantastic! Naild it with this video mate.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks bro!!

[@juliajauss]

Great video of the best day of the season! So unreal nice and smooth (for New Zealand) 😍

[@BenjaminKellett]

Such an epic day, come back and we can finish it!

[@russelldesilva1560]

Unbelievable flight, and what a view! Can't wait to get back to Central Otago and put the hiking boots on again❤

[@BenjaminKellett]

Awesome place eh!

[@DamianChaparro]

Incredible, and committed...

[@InsectsEvolving]

respect for how much editing you put into these! super entertaining and shoutout to cloudbase mayhem podcast where I came across your interview!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Awesome thanks mate! Much appreciated!

[@CGStreat]

Best paragliding video ever Ben well done on the flight and video. Congratulations to Leo as well been missing him out kiting

[@AJHewson1]

Great video Ben! Really captured the challenge, the planning and the execution

[@isleofwightlife8221]

Incredible stuff - well done

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers!!

[@Chris.Davies]

I once managed to fly the entire length of the Craigeburn range in my Edel Racer 32 (Sponsored by WordPerfect!). That was a 42-klick Out & return, plus an 8-klick glide to land at Lake Coleridge. I did that practicing for the NZ Champs back in 1994. :)

[@BenjaminKellett]

Whoa awesome!! Gliders we’re a bit different back then!!

[@Hemersonr]

thanks for sharing your method... great tip and a great process!!! I am a huge fun, first because the fly in NZ is amazing, high mountains and sea breeze in the same place...

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! It’s an awesome place to fly!!

[@phillipbaker7834]

Truly inspiring Ben, thanks for your great vids and what an epic flight this was! Also caught your helpful podcast on Cloudbase Mayhem. Cheers!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Awesome thanks heaps mate!!

[@Moosecoaster]

Adventurers! Thanks for sharing

[@BenjaminKellett]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@chestyoz9725]

Awesome, inspirational, best flying videos on YT

[@BenjaminKellett]

Ah thanks heaps!

[@BeingLiving]

Nice one Ben! Keep it up man 🤘

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!

[@soaringman]

Great distance and great video production

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!

[@joethermal6740]

Epic flight! …and really nice edit

[@paulrichards8760]

Pizza and beer gave me a big smile

[@BenjaminKellett]

😎😎

[@kostiouch]

Insane performance ! 😧 New Zealand seems to be a such a nice place to paraglide, hope to fly&biv here one day 🤞🏻

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! Yeah it is a awesome place to fly!

[@straleo614]

Good video as usal. Keep it going mister !

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! Will do! 😁

[@mickhelliwell6446]

An awesome watch Ben. 😎

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers Mick!

[@Graham_lee]

Marvelous

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers!

[@madelincristancho9413]

Espectacular manera de mostrar el vuelo.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!!

[@guido.demedici]

Congratulations! Well done, Ben. And as always a hi-quality video. Did NZ tourism board hire you yet ?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! Haha no not yet 🤣

[@redhawk9883]

👏👏👏

[@BenjaminKellett]

🙏

[@replay.flights]

Epic flight and epic video. I dont even want to know how much time it takes to produce video of this quality, love it, though ❤

[@BenjaminKellett]

Haha yeah takes some time, but when it’s something you’re super passionate about it’s not so hard to find the motivation.

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

So inspiring. Got to work to get my P.2!!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Do it!!

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

@@BenjaminKellett In progress!!

[@lukeheurlin639]

This is such an epic flight! Well done. I can see many hours and flights went into its preparation. Total masterclass Do you think a 200k triangle is the max for the speed of the gliders currently and the length of flyable daylight hours?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate! Nah I think that 250 is possible in NZ in the next 5 years. 300 wouldn’t be impossible at some point either. I’m just incredibly slow 😆

[@adayinthelife5772]

Congratulations. Do you choose the lightest gear possible ? Like even your carabiners and speed bar being not made of any kind of metal ? 2 liner wing ? What gear did you and didn't you pack for this mission ?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Yeah I try to keep it as light/functional as possible. Mostly because here we are often facing long walks out if it doesn’t work. I flew with a tent, sleeping bag etc, enough food for 3 days. It gives me the confidence to fly anywhere without worrying.

[@adayinthelife5772]

@@BenjaminKellett Very well done cheers

[@nachnamevorname5917]

@@BenjaminKellett Animals there, like wolves or bears?

[@lautoka63]

Now, if we can just tempt you over to the big fibreglass wing world, you'll be doing 1,000km and be home for afternoon tea.

[@HELLOPATTAYA]

Would like to see your entire paraglider in a picture in picture. Why don't you place it in top left corner. Easy to edit as you use a 360 camera. You produce one of the best flying videos.

[@carlosvomkulm6382]

Cool congratulations from crazy april with shit weather in austria😂. Enjoy your cold beer😊

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate! Hopefully the weather improves! I’ll be there for some flying this summer!

[@sza1985]

Why do you take your leg out of cocoon at about @11:00

[@BenjaminKellett]

I was going to the toilet 🤣

[@PureClarity-ru6ln]

way to go |

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!!

[@jerrydelyea5820]

Fuck ya man. Good effort. If you had made that one climb to cross the saddle you would have had it!!!! Always enjoy your stuff!!✌️✌️

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!

[@Florian24]

How long does it take you to accept the sun is passing in the north during the day?

[@BenjaminKellett]

I'm not sure I understand the question...

[@StefanHaworthNZ]

think this is the one best one yet! haha.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! I need to do a bloopers reel of the interviews! 😆😆 thanks for that!

[@happywatermelon9024]

Ben.. R U okay?

[@CoIoneIPanic]

I hope not, but it does seem that something unfortunate happened to this fellow.

[@sharemyjoys]

Also I would never try breaking the record, it can be broken again, how about getting the first 200fai? Then you don't need to hold the record, you were the first :)

[@BenjaminKellett]

A good point!! To be honest I’m just happy to fly with an objective and some motivation! It’s great to push the boundaries here, the most epic part of this day was the amount of people out flying the course. Thomas, Julia, Kinga, Michi all flew about 160km of the task as well! Was pretty epic being back there with everyone else!

[@sharemyjoys]

@@BenjaminKellett nice.. your heart is pure lol.. resisting the flying for a number trap :)

[@steamy_rendini]

XContest says you had a 10m/s climb?! I would pee my pod...

[@BenjaminKellett]

Haha not sure about that one, it was probably a spike. I don’t remember any 10 averages

[@MarcLeatham]

DAYUM, JUST .5km More! GAHHH

[@BenjaminKellett]

Yeah I’m pretty good at doing that 😂 oh well, I’m looking forward to having another crack at 200 next year! 😁

[@CoIoneIPanic]

Whatever happened to thees guy?? He crash down? Hope it is not!

[@BenjaminKellett]

nah I'm all good!

[@CoIoneIPanic]

@BenjaminKellett Lazarus returns! Good you are well mate. Your channel went dead and all the crashes lately assumed the worst. Hope to see new videos!