Foto: GISELLE NUAZ
,, Altogether, 34 men and 3 women hope to stand on the podium tomorrow.
Saturday, May 16, 2026, marked the first day of the Ceará Free Flight Cup. A total of 37 pilots registered to see who could fly the fastest over the Ibiapaba Mountain Range. The first stage of the Cup began on a sunny morning, but after the briefing, a light fog and, later in the afternoon, heavy rain signaled the end of the competition.
The Maranhão team came to Ceará to fly. Photo: Giselle Nuaz
Athletes from five different states came to fly in Tianguá, Ceará. Altogether, 34 men and 3 women hope to stand on the podium tomorrow. According to João Bosco, owner of Sítio do Bosco and also a competitor, the conditions on the first day were challenging. “I tried to launch high from here to reach Cristo Ressuscitado, but I couldn’t make it. Today we have no thermals,” said the businessman and pilot.
In addition to the trophy, winners will also receive cash prizes. Photo: Giselle Nuaz
Today, the only pilot to complete the task was the Swiss pilot Roland Zgraggen. Flying in Switzerland since 1989, Roland earned his free flight certification for the first time in 1990. Living in Brazil since 2004, the pilot has already flown for 11 consecutive hours, covering 404 kilometers from Quixadá, Ceará, to Piripiri, Piauí. Tomorrow, the pilots will continue flying, and by the end of the day we will know who will step onto the podium. In total, representatives from four countries are taking part in the competition.
