Erin Comstock
/
Nevada USA
FOLLOW ME
www.klaudiabulgakow.com/
Date of birth:
1982.03.05
Hometown:
Warsaw/World
Sponsors:
Lukoil,
Salewa,
Zanier,
Paraclinic.at,
Finansowachata,
Hobbies:
ski free ride, mountain biking, climbing, running, hiking, reading
Favourite athletes:
Kelly Slater, Xavier de la Rue, Lorrine Houber, Karina Hollekim, Ted Ligaty, Didie Cuche.... I can list for ever.
BIO
I was born in Warsaw in 1982. From early days I was an enthusiast of sports – a spatially climbing. My mother didn’t let me go in this direction so I started ice-skating at age 3 and went very serious into it. After serious injury I threw this discipline and focused on learning. Soon I discovered tennis and started to play seriously. Again injury stopped me. I always dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. With paragliding it was possible.
From first solo flight in 1999 I fell in love with free flight and focused on that, what I knew to do best – training hard. Very soon I started competing – due to some friends who convinced me to try and I just loved the ambiance of paragliding competitions. Soon I realized that I need to learn a lot to be competitive, so I quit competitions for some time. I focused on improving my flying in the mountains where most of competitions were held.
In 2003 I tried my first comp after the break. I decided to do all summer on competitions in 2004 and from this moment on I was following my path, my goals. In 2005 I qualified for first World Cup and National Team of Poland. Same year I won some sponsors who supported me with gear. In 2006 I did my first European Championship and in 2007 I went for my first World Championships. I won my first financial sponsor who busted my carrier. Same year I won my first World Cup.
Crisis of 2009 meant end of my two sponsor partnerships and was very hard for me mentally as I fell into depression after death of a fellow pilot during the Worlds. In 2010 I managed to get new sponsor and new wind in my wing. Whiteout ”Lukoil” I would never be able to achieve as much as I did.
Since then I just focus on improving my skills, fly better, safer and in first place enjoy what I’m doing.
Becoming world Champion in 2013 was like a dream come truth but I was always looking further, looking for more improvement and perfection.
INTERVIEW
What are you looking for to accomplish?
Learn a lot, improve every day, be better person and pilot.
What would be your greatest achievement?
Female World Champion 2013.
What kind of difficulties does your sport’s performance involve?
Weather conditions make it sometimes difficult – sometimes we wait for days for wind to stop blowing too strong or rain to stop. Sometimes conditions get too stable – means thermals aren’t strong and we are struggling to get to goal.
For girls like me and for small male pilots the main issue is our weight. Small paragliders don’t fly as good as big ones. It is more dangerous and more difficult to fly too.
What makes you feel satisfied when performing your sport?
Knowing I did my job well and sharing the passion with friends.
Where do you practice your techniques when being alone?
I try to fly as much as possible, but very important to me is mental training and physical preparation. Being in great shape isn’t maybe required in paragliding but it helps me a lot to fly better.
What do you do during your training which is key to your success?
Working on mental strategies for situations which may look like unexpected but still we can prepare our self for this to come. Getting the right mind set up before and during the competition.
What are you most nervous about when competing?
Gaggling before the start – we wait for about an hour in a big group and some pilots don’t know how to behave well in tight groups.
Flying gaggles close to cliffs in the mountains especially thermaling.
Who would you say is your biggest fan and why?
My friend and my family – they let me know what I love to do and always support it.
What is the best piece of advice you have been ever given?
Enjoy in first place.
What are your future plans?
Close future – flying, flying, flying… Competing and traveling. I have some projects to come to.
Further plans – maybe get a family life too.
What are your tips for those who begin now?
Don’t hurry, learn with small steps, and take your time to get most of every step. Collect information, categorize it and organize. Learn by adapting. Keep stretching your boundaries and comfort level but STAY SAFE.
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