Sky Racing: Competitive Paragliding With the World’s Best

Once a year, the top paragliding pilots in the country gather for a grueling, gravity-defying, seven-day marathon called the Rat Race. Powered only by the wind and sun, pilots must navigate a different course each day as they soar thousands of feet over the Oregon countryside. The fastest to the finish line wins. This year, the Rat Race—named for its launch-point at Woodrat Mountain—hosted the U.S. National Paragliding Championships. One of the top American pilots, Nick Greece, takes us into the “gaggle” to experience what its like to soar with the wind.