The French Free Flight Federation (FFVL) announced on Friday the death of Timo Leonetti, a young (21 year old) paragliding prodigy. He suffered a serious accident on Thursday during the French Paragliding Championships which were taking place all week in Passy Plaine-Joux (Haute-Savoie). Transported in serious condition to the Annecy hospital center, the young man succumbed to his injuries.
“His passion and dedication to paragliding was unmatched, and he was respected and admired by his peers for his expertise and sportsmanship. Timo leaves us leaving behind an immense void, both with his family, his friends, and the paragliding community”wrote the FFVL on its Facebook account.
Several victories and records to his name
Born into the world of paragliding, Timo Leonetti, son of a couple of paragliding instructors, was only 18 months old on the day of his baptism, and only eleven years old on the day of his first solo flight, according to Corse Matin. He won the World XContest two years in a row, in 2022 and 2023.
The Frenchman also set the record for the longest flight ever made in Corsica by covering 193 km in eight hours. He also completed a 10-hour flight of 562.7 km, becoming the first athlete to have completed flights of more than 500 km on two continents (he had traveled 569 km in Brazil in 2021).
“All my condolences to the family and loved ones of Corsican prodigy Timo Leonetti, who left much too soon. Thoughts for the bereaved paragliding community, who admired and inspired him »reacted the Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games Amélie Oudéa-Castéra on her X account.
