The young paragliding champion Timo Léonetti, 22, died following an accident on Thursday during the French championships in his discipline in Passy (Haute-Savoie), we learned on Saturday from emergency services and the French Federation free flight (FFVL).
The victim was transported to Annecy hospital in an absolute emergency on Thursday afternoon, said firefighters from Codis (Operational Fire and Rescue Center) in Haute-Savoie.
Cared for by a medical team, she was in critical condition, the FFVL announced on social networks.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Timo Léonetti, after his accident which tragically occurred on June 13, 2024 during the French paragliding championships in Passy,” the FFVL said on Friday evening on its website.
“Respected and admired by his peers”
“His passion and dedication for paragliding were unparalleled, and he was respected and admired by his peers for his expertise and sportsmanship,” adds the federation, which expresses its “sincere condolences to his family and loved ones at these painful times “.
“This tragic event also reminds us of the primordial importance of safety in the practice of our activities,” she continues. In 2022, the young prodigy from Corsica won the World XContest against more than 23,000 pilots from around the world, recalls the regional daily Corse Matin.
He also won the distance record on a triangular course, at 313.6 km, and the speed record on a triangular course of 300 km.
