Aaron Durogati Sets Staggering 24-Hour Hike-and-Fly Record: 19,424m of Vertical Gain
Italian pilot Aaron Durogati has shattered the 24-hour hike-and-fly world record, accumulating an astonishing 19,424 metres of vertical ascent in a single day on Norway’s Slogen mountain.
The feat took place on 7–8 June 2026, with Aaron repeatedly ascending and flying from the 1,080m peak on Norway’s western coast. By the time the 24-hour window closed, he had surpassed the previous record by nearly 1,900 metres.
“It was demanding, but I had incredible support which kept me going the whole way through,” Aaron said after the attempt.
The concept is straightforward but brutal: climb a mountain carrying your paraglider, launch, glide back down, and repeat as many times as possible within 24 hours. Aaron’s effort translates to climbing more than two Mount Everests in under a day — maintaining an average ascent rate of around 900 metres per hour.
Slogen’s geography and Norway’s long summer daylight hours made it the perfect venue — the same mountainside used by Erlend Ukvitne during his record attempt in 2024. The peak rises straight from sea level, allowing Aaron to maximise every single lap.
Each circuit covered 2.57km with roughly 1,080m of vertical gain, starting almost at the water’s edge and rising directly from the fjord. The same route was selected by Kilian Jornet — the legendary mountain endurance athlete — for his Vertical Kilometre record attempt.
“There were moments of real difficulty,” Aaron admitted. “After 4,000 to 5,000 vertical metres I was exhausted, especially looking ahead at the 20 hours still to go. But I tried to stay locked in on each lap individually. I also focused on being as efficient as possible during the flying phases — almost like running, but at night, in the dark, with some rain showers. That part was genuinely tough.”
Preparation was meticulous. “I worked extensively on my physical conditioning and strength,” he explained. “I even built custom paragliders specifically for this project, along with bespoke backpacks and harnesses. I know that across 18 laps, saving 10 seconds here and there adds up to 1–1.5 minutes total — and that could be the difference between a world record and falling short. That mindset drove everything.”
Aaron Durogati, who won the Red Bull X-Alps in 2025, described the achievement as the culmination of a long-term project: “I’m a competitive pilot and pulling this off required about nine months of planning. I needed the right location, a strong support team, and the right motivation. This record was something missing from my career, and this year everything aligned.”
A brief history of the 24-hour hike-and-fly record
The 24-hour hike-and-fly record — while not an official FAI world record — has become fiercely contested over the past decade:
- 2014 — Florian Ebenbichler (Austria): 8,860m
- 2016 — Pascal Purin (Austria): 9,540m, Stubai Valley
- 2019 — Lukas Hofer (Italy): 13,040m, Kronplatz
- 2021 — Tanguy Renaud-Goud (France): 13,390m, longest day of the year
- 2022 — Andy Symonds (UK): 16,976m, first to fly at night with a full moon
- 2024 — Tanguy Renaud-Goud (France): 17,534m, night flying with special permission
- 2024 — Erlend Ukvitne (Norway): 16,178m, unsupported solo attempt on Slogen
- 2026 — Aaron Durogati (Italy): 19,424m — new world record
Whether you’re training for your next big XC flight or tackling technical terrain, a quality fast packing bag can make all the difference when every gram counts on the hike up.
Source: Cross Country Magazine