Molveno, flying over the lake 

Nicola Donini is an experienced paraglider

Following family tradition, Nicola Donini, who was born in 1996, was only 17 years old when he became the Italian Paragliding Champion: the youngest ever in both disciplines (acrobatic and speed). Between a competition and a training session, he now accompanies people who want to fly over Lake Molveno and the Brenta Dolomites.

Nicola’s family has “wings”: both father and son are paragliding champions. His father, Luca Donini, became world champion in 2001 and in 2016 both became Italian ex-aequo champions. They have in common the love of speed, which is a key feature of cross-country competitions, where the first to get there wins. “You need a sharp mind and good strategy to win.” says Nicola, “Your physique is not enough, you have to make as few mistakes as possible.” However, for acrobatic competitions you need great precision: the more spectacular the stunts you do, the more points you get. "

The lakes in Trentino: the story of Nicola Donini, a paraglider

"Flying takes you to another dimension"

Nicola was only 3 years old when his father took him tandem paragliding for the first time. As he grew up, Nicola's pastime was to detach himself in flight, only for a few metres, on the beach of Lake Molveno, until adds Nicola, “When I was eleven I did my first solo flight and the view of the lake and mountains was incredible. Everything is more spectacular from up there.”

The lakes in Trentino: the story of Nicola Donini, a paraglider

Nicola was only 3 years old when his father took him flying for the first time

Paragliding requires a good deal of courage, but Nicola and Luca know they are experienced pilots and they also know how to “control” the emotions of the people who fly with them. They also have a thorough knowledge of the sky above Molveno.

Usually, the most difficult thing is to get over the take-off phase. You must trust the pilot and run fast downhill, but once your feet are off the ground it’s something completely different. “It’s normal to be scared and feel dizzy,” ends off Nicola, “but when you run and lift up in flight, you feel fine again. Flying takes you into another dimension”.

Published on 06/06/2023