"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." George Bernard Shaw.
About Me
Welcome! I've been flying paragliders since 1997, and in 2010 received my tandem pilot/instructor rating and founded Jet Set Paragliding. In 2011 the competition bug bit me, and in 2013 I was thrilled to be crowned Canadian Female National Champion for the first time. I went back to Quebec for the Nationals in 2016 and came home with the title again. You forget how much you miss the competition circuit until you do it again, and am now looking forward to competing more frequently. With so many avenues to pursue in this sport (competing, acro, cross-country, instructing, and powered paragliding to name a few), there is always something new to learn and to keep things exciting!
Supporters
There are many people who have supported me through this journey. The following have been kind enough to sponsor me so I can continue to pursue my dreams of competing:
Media, Competitions and other stuff I get up to:
2023-Present: Administrator for the Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association of Canada (HPAC/ACVL), running our national office.
2018: Promote paragliding for Tourism Chilliwack in this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ttO6DYoxA and this
one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgw6iE3Bm3o&list=PLLdCy3VOMs2aTOgNbpALWMolpVzw8RLd9&index=8
2010-2019: Operated Tandem Business and Flight School
August 2016: Competed at the Canadian Nationals (once again in Quebec). Won the title of National Female Champion for 2016!
September 2015: Jet Set Paragliding listed as one of the Top 3 Summer Adventures Outside of Vancouver in this article!
August 2015: Featured on UrbanBlissLife website
May 2015: Invited to be one of the first paraglider pilots to legally fly in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada
April 2015: Worked on commercial for Canon Camera L-Series lenses, one of 2 tandem pilots picked to fly camera operators
February 2015: Interviewed for Outdoor/Lifestyle supplement in the Chilliwack Progress Newspaper
November 2014: Attended the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival in support of our flying buddies and donated a tandem flight.
2013-2016: Regional Director (Fraser Valley) and Treasurer for the BCHPA, which allocates grants for site development
August 2013: Competed at the Canadian Nationals in Quebec. Became Female National Paragliding Champion!
March 2013: Participated in Women of Aviation Week with a Jet Set Paragliding booth
February 2013: Second place in a local spot landing competition
September 2012: Took local radio personality on a tandem flight. Video
October 2011: Interview with Launchettes, a website devoted to female pilots. Story here
October 2011: Featured in Oregon Public Broadcasting's TV show "Oregon Field Guide". Link here or scroll down to view now!
June 2011: Competed at the Rat Race/Sprint (Oregon, USA): 4th place Woman, 18th in my wing class. Results here and here
June 2011: Competed at the Ozone Chabre (Laragne, France): My best result that week was 2nd place Female in Task 2!
April 2011: Paragliding cameo in a music video from Rose Reiter's international relief song to aid Red Cross.
2009-2011: Membership Director for our local flying club
2018: Promote paragliding for Tourism Chilliwack in this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ttO6DYoxA and this
one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgw6iE3Bm3o&list=PLLdCy3VOMs2aTOgNbpALWMolpVzw8RLd9&index=8
2010-2019: Operated Tandem Business and Flight School
August 2016: Competed at the Canadian Nationals (once again in Quebec). Won the title of National Female Champion for 2016!
September 2015: Jet Set Paragliding listed as one of the Top 3 Summer Adventures Outside of Vancouver in this article!
August 2015: Featured on UrbanBlissLife website
May 2015: Invited to be one of the first paraglider pilots to legally fly in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada
April 2015: Worked on commercial for Canon Camera L-Series lenses, one of 2 tandem pilots picked to fly camera operators
February 2015: Interviewed for Outdoor/Lifestyle supplement in the Chilliwack Progress Newspaper
November 2014: Attended the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival in support of our flying buddies and donated a tandem flight.
2013-2016: Regional Director (Fraser Valley) and Treasurer for the BCHPA, which allocates grants for site development
August 2013: Competed at the Canadian Nationals in Quebec. Became Female National Paragliding Champion!
March 2013: Participated in Women of Aviation Week with a Jet Set Paragliding booth
February 2013: Second place in a local spot landing competition
September 2012: Took local radio personality on a tandem flight. Video
October 2011: Interview with Launchettes, a website devoted to female pilots. Story here
October 2011: Featured in Oregon Public Broadcasting's TV show "Oregon Field Guide". Link here or scroll down to view now!
June 2011: Competed at the Rat Race/Sprint (Oregon, USA): 4th place Woman, 18th in my wing class. Results here and here
June 2011: Competed at the Ozone Chabre (Laragne, France): My best result that week was 2nd place Female in Task 2!
April 2011: Paragliding cameo in a music video from Rose Reiter's international relief song to aid Red Cross.
2009-2011: Membership Director for our local flying club
Martina's Paragliding Story
Becoming the female Canadian National Paragliding Champion in August 2013 has definitely been a highlight in my paragliding journey, but my favourite thing continues to be that exhilarating moment when my feet first leave the ground as I launch my wing.
My passion for air time started early. Visiting either set of my grandparents meant a trip to the airport, and nothing was more exciting than going on an "airplane ride". I loved going up front to watch the pilots fly the plane (ah, the good old days!) and for some reason thought turbulence was really fun.
Hiking near Grouse Mountain once in Vancouver BC, some paragliders flew over and I instantly thought, "I have to do that!" My friend happened to know a tandem pilot, and so my flying education began.
After years of people asking if I could take them up flying and other pilots wanting me to teach their friends, I finally got my tandem and instructor ratings in the summer of 2010. Sharing this sport through tandems is completely thrilling & I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner!
I believe it's important to give back whether through site maintenance, mentoring others or helping at events. So I've volunteered in the past as Membership Director for our local club (please sign up if you fly here!), and served for three years on the BCHPA board of directors as Fraser Valley Rep and Secretary/Treasurer.
Since I got my first taste of competing at the Rat Race a few years ago, I've tried to attend at least one competition each year (more challenging for Canadians than Europeans, that's for sure!). I've competed at 3 or 4 Rat Race events, the Ozone Chabre in France as well as 2 of our National competitions, where in 2013 I was fortunate enough to walk away with the top female spot!
My current goals include continuing to compete as much as possible, and to keep traveling and attending small events too (see pictures and my growing list of sites flown here).
My passion for air time started early. Visiting either set of my grandparents meant a trip to the airport, and nothing was more exciting than going on an "airplane ride". I loved going up front to watch the pilots fly the plane (ah, the good old days!) and for some reason thought turbulence was really fun.
Hiking near Grouse Mountain once in Vancouver BC, some paragliders flew over and I instantly thought, "I have to do that!" My friend happened to know a tandem pilot, and so my flying education began.
After years of people asking if I could take them up flying and other pilots wanting me to teach their friends, I finally got my tandem and instructor ratings in the summer of 2010. Sharing this sport through tandems is completely thrilling & I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner!
I believe it's important to give back whether through site maintenance, mentoring others or helping at events. So I've volunteered in the past as Membership Director for our local club (please sign up if you fly here!), and served for three years on the BCHPA board of directors as Fraser Valley Rep and Secretary/Treasurer.
Since I got my first taste of competing at the Rat Race a few years ago, I've tried to attend at least one competition each year (more challenging for Canadians than Europeans, that's for sure!). I've competed at 3 or 4 Rat Race events, the Ozone Chabre in France as well as 2 of our National competitions, where in 2013 I was fortunate enough to walk away with the top female spot!
My current goals include continuing to compete as much as possible, and to keep traveling and attending small events too (see pictures and my growing list of sites flown here).