Experience, grit and women’s 6th place in a high-level race
The Feltre Para and Delta Club is proud to report the international experience of our member
Martina Centa, who recently participated in a very high
level competition in Colombia, competing against pilots with very high international rankings.
The race: FAI 2 – American Championship and Niviuk Cup
The competition took place in an area of Colombia that, for about ten years, has been considered ideal
for free flight. It consisted of two FAI competitions (Championship of America and Niviuk Cup).
The level was very high, with participants of great experience and international ranking. In both
competitions Martina took an excellent 6th place in the women’s ranking, a result that
confirms her solidity and competitiveness even in international contexts.
The first race included 4 tasks, the second 5 tasks, with routes between 70 and 100 km.
Twenty-two years with a head in the clouds
Martina has been flying since 2003-an impressive 22 years of experience. She started at just 16 years old with a first two-seater,
driven by a strong curiosity about the air and flying. 2003, a particularly mild year, helped
bring her closer to this world for good.
Today, competitions for her are mostly stimulation and fun: she feels little
of competition as pressure, much more as an opportunity for growth.
Equipment and preparation: safety starts the day before
In the race Martina used an Ozone Zeno 2 with a Gin Genie Race 5 harness, a
performance configuration designed for high-level flying.
For competitions of this kind, the group is crucial, but equally crucial is
personal preparation. It all starts the day before:
- Meticulous control and organization of equipment
- preparation of all instruments
- Adequate breakfast and excellent hydration (essential in Colombia to avoid
dehydration and drops in concentration)
On takeoff Martina follows precise rituals: she carefully opens equipment and harness, often in silence or
with music. This allows her to reduce insecurity and arrive lucidly at the briefing and then the
takeoff.
In Colombia, the takeoff took place without a strong wind – a condition that calms her down. Once in
flight, stress decreases significantly and drops even more after the start.
Technical tasks, complex weather, and Pacific wind
The weather conditions have not been optimal:
- a lot of rain
- high humidity
- Very low cumulus bases, an unusual situation for the area
Often departures were late, resulting in increased Pacific wind from the west,
which fell back on the east-facing takeoff causing a critical downwind situation.
Tasks rarely ran along the ridge: only the start was sometimes in that area, while
buoys were placed in the middle of the valley or on the opposite side. To avoid dangerous areas, routes
were often zig-zagged from one side of the valley to the other.
A key element: in such vast plains, moving alone or in too small groups is
not advantageous. In this race, strategy had limited margins: there were not many tactical alternatives
and it was mainly speed that made the difference.
A thousand eyes in the air and few landing alternatives
With so many pilots flying at once, “a thousand eyes” are needed to avoid accidents. In addition, the
area required great care in line selection: many seemingly landable fields
were actually sugarcane crops.
Martina found many differences from flying in Italy, where we are used to ridge flying
in an alpine environment. It is also different from Spain: there the thermals start from the ground but are often
very sketchy; in Colombia, on the other hand, they tend to have more vertical development. However, with
the high humidity present during the race, it was difficult to pinpoint precisely the trigger points
thermals.
The area is definitely more favorable for those who have flown there before the
competition.
Pressure, emotions and personal growth
Martina handles pressure naturally: for her, the competition is a stimulus, not a burden.
Also crucial is the support of the group – Team Italy has been a point of reference inside
and outside the competition.
From a personal point of view, this experience leaves you with a lot:
- the satisfaction of having left alone for Colombia, facing doubts, fears and the
distance from her children and husband - confrontation with very strong and motivated Austrian and French athletes
- a welcoming and positive environment
Colombians, he says, are extremely kind people: they can lift you up even after a
task gone wrong. With little, they convey a contagious happiness.
The memory he will take with him? Just this combination of high-level confrontation,
group spirit and human warmth.
Goals 2026: national and big dates
For this year, Martina has clear goals:
- the national
- Doing well at the home race, the Alpen Cup
- get a good result in Greece in the World Cup, an area it calls diverse and very
interesting for flying
With her determination and experience in Colombia, we are confident that
will continue to bring us great satisfaction.
Congratulations Martina, the Feltre Para and Delta Club is flying with you!