World Champion Indoor Skydiver Andrzej Soltyk visits Australia to be on the offical judging panel for the 2018 Australian Open Indoor Skydiving Championships.
Andrzej is a world champion flyer, tunnel athlete and a member of Team Vipers with many personal, national and team accomplishments some of the most recent being
- 2018 FAI European Champions 2 way, 1 st place
- 2018 2 way Dynamic European Champion
- 2018 Sakura Cup 4 way, 2nd place
- 2018 FAI European Champion freestyle junior, 1st place
A full list of awards and accomplishments can be found on Andrzej Facebook page and his profile.
Andrzej completed his AFF outdoor skydive training in 2014 at age 14 and is a world class tunnel flyer and athlete.
2018 Australian Open Indoor Skydiving Championships
Having a world champion on the offical judging panel for the 2018 Australian Indoor Skydiving Open Championships is a great incentive for Australian competitors especially for the artistic events such as Freestyle as well as the Dynamic events. These events are very technical with points being awarded for both artistic as well as technical moves. Having the expertise of a world champion Freestyle flyer means competitors are being judged to a very high standard and receive world class feedback. Andrzej is also holding a training camp prior to the event giving local flyers the opportunity to fly with and get coaching with a world champion.
Elise Brown asked Andrzej a few questions about his upcoming trip to Australia
What are you most excited about visiting Australia and the iFLY Downunder tunnel in Sydney ?
“I’m exited to see how flying techniques look on the other continent that is really far away from Europe. Maybe I can take some of them to my style of flying.”
Have you been part of a judging panel before ?
“Yes, I was a judge only once. My judging experience is small, but I know how judging should look from my competitor experience that is pretty big.”
Do you have a favourite event you are looking forward to watching at the Australian Nationals ?
“All of them. I’m just addicted to see how people fly. But I’m exited to see mostly Dynamic and Freestyle.”
What advise do you have for athletes competing in Freestyle, Dynamic or Speed events ?
“To never give up. To go even harder than you can. And just have to know that everything is possible even when everybody says that it isn’t.”
Tell us a little about how much training you put in to be one of the worlds best flyers, what does a typical training week look like for Andrzej Soltyk ?
“A lot. The beginning was the hardest. Doing speed rounds 4 hours straight after midnight. But my week right now is mostly the same. Morning to evening studying biology and chemistry and at night I’m flying.”
What do you enjoy most about flying ?
“I enjoy pushing myself to the limits and making my times faster and faster.”
Do you have a favourite discipline you prefer flying for competition and for personal enjoyment ?
“Solo speed is for sure my favorite discipline. But now is not really known discipline so I’m really enjoying Dynamic.”
Have you been to Australia before ?
“Yes, in 2012”
Are you taking any time to do any travelling around Australia while you are here ?
“Yes for sure. I’m really exited to travel around Australia”
You have flown at many tunnels around the world, each have slightly different characteristics, have you heard anything about the iFLY tunnel in Sydney?
“I was flying in 25 tunnels. But I haven’t heard anything about tunnel in Sydney.”
What is your favourite tunnel or tunnels in the world and why ?
“I like all of the tunnels in the world :)”
One of Andrzej’s more recent events was the invitational Sakura Cup in Japan at the new FlyStation Tunnel. FlyStation is recently opened tunnel in Japan with stunning glass floors, the tunnel spans two stories high with glass floors giving a clear view of the tunnel from the 2nd floor allowing spectators to watch flyers below in the tunnel. You can fly up between the ground floor and the 2nd floor of the building.
How did you find flying at the Sakura Cup at FlyStation with its stunning glass floors with spectators able to watch from both the ground floor and the floor above?
“It was funny to see spectators on the second floor”
Some photos of Andrzej in action at the Sakura Cup in Japan. photos courtesy @flystation.jp
Thanks for the catchup Andrzej. I know the whole Australian flying community can’t wait to meet and fly when you arrive in Australia at the iFLY Downunder tunnel in Sydney.
Elise Brown is an indoor skydiving instructor and tunnel athlete passionate about health, lifestyle, fitness and the art of freestyle flight.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
Elise Brown
Australia