I've actually always wanted to be done with this influencer thing at some point and just do what I feel like doing—pure sport, just pursuing my own goals—and yeah, not be so bound by it anymore. That was always my big goal, and I've slowly managed to achieve that by now.
Podz-Glidz, the Lu-Glidz podcast. Stories from the cosmos of paragliding. Today with Elisa Deutschmann. And I am Lucian Haas. Kriegel Maurer is currently at just under 58,000. Aaron Dorogati is at 37,000. Ivan Takac has 33,000 and Paul Guschlbauer 26,000. I'm talking about followers on Instagram. For those who make a living as paragliding professionals, these kinds of numbers are worth cold hard cash. Because with many followers on social media, you can score points with sponsors. All those mentioned are big names in the scene. However, when it comes to success on Instagram, they are still outdone by one paraglider whose name you probably shouldn't just memorize for that reason alone.
Elisa Deutschmann. The 27-year-old has only been paragliding for four years, but with ambitious goals. As a multi-sport talent who shares her passion for trail racing, cycling, skiing, kiting, surfing, nature and mountains, and increasingly paragliding on social media, she quickly became a sought-after ambassador for the scene. What it means to be an influencer, what her daily life looks like between training and her laptop, hike-and-fly races and sponsor meetings, what experiences she had as a supporter of Kriegel Maurer at this year's Red Bull X-Alps, what her Girls Camps offer entails, and what non-sporting dreams she still wants to realize—Elisa Deutschmann tells all that and more in this video.
In this 118th episode of Podz-Glidz. If you enjoy the podcast, please support my work as a patron. You can find out how easy it is on my Gleitschirm-Blog Mooglides, specifically on the support page.
Elisa, if someone is meeting you for the first time and asks you, hey, what do you actually do for a living, what do you say then?
That's always a difficult question. Because then I always have to think about what I actually do for a living.
And I always start by saying what I actually learned. Which is that I'm actually a designer. I'm a fashion designer and also a seamstress. And then I always say, but I don't actually do that anymore, right now I do social media and a lot of sports. And that's basically how I describe what I do.
Social media means you're an influencer, or what do you call it?
That's a good question. Yes, well, obviously I'm an influencer. Everyone who shares people, influences, or things on social media is an influencer. But I also have to say that I didn't really get along with that name for a very long time, because I never really saw myself as an influencer. In the past, the word influencer was a bit tarnished for me, and I'd think, am I an influencer? Because for me, without wanting to say it in a bad way, but basically, women who did a lot with makeup or stuff, back when it first started, that was kind of my perception of it. Nowadays, it's something completely different. And now I think it's cool that I am one. But it took a long time for me to accept that for myself.
Now explain to me from your perspective, what actually is an influencer?
So, in my opinion, an influencer is actually a person who is in the public eye, who shares things with their community. And that can be anything. It can be, like for me, sports, the mountains, nature—it can be products, it can be travels. But actually, nowadays, anyone who gives something to the community, in my opinion, is an influencer.
Does being an influencer always mean you're making money from it, or are you already an influencer if you're just having fun?
I think you are one even if you're just having fun. I mean, whether you call it an influencer, an ambassador—you can call it whatever you want, really. I think it's actually a group. And it was like that for me too in the past. I just started and shared my stuff without thinking anything specific about it. And in that sense, I already influenced people, or whatever you call it. Exactly. And yeah, I mean, that's also something good. I think the name has somehow become a bit tarnished over time. So, in my opinion, "influencer" has actually gotten a bit of a bad reputation. And yeah, you have to learn how to deal with that somehow.
I mean, in German, if you imagine it, it would be "the influencer" or "the influencer woman." That already has a certain negative connotation somehow. It's someone who manipulates me in a certain way.
Yeah, exactly. And that's why I always had a problem with the name when people said, "You're an influencer." But I mean, that's also something positive, because just showing people things doesn't mean it's something bad in that sense; it's actually something good. You're somehow providing people with added value, and they can maybe take something away from what you do, experience positive things. But yeah, that's just how it is these days.
How did you go from being a fashion designer to the influencer Elisa Deutschmann? I mean, how did it happen that you eventually said, okay, this is actually sort of my main job now?
Yeah, that's actually funny. Because it's not actually my main activity at all. I mean, I've always been the kind of person who likes doing a lot of things at once, many different things. And during my apprenticeship, during my studies, I just started with social media and just showed myself doing sports—what I do—without any particular thoughts. And at some point, I suddenly started getting more followers. People thought it was cool and it just grew naturally. And yeah, and at some point the question came up: okay, I'm a fashion designer. I finished my studies and developed and designed sports gear for companies. And I tried to somehow combine the fashion world and sports. But at some point, the thermal of social media became more and more work.
And that's also a job that I'm able to do right now. I have no idea what will happen with this job in ten years, but I've just decided on this path for the time being.
What do you need to be able to do for that? Because you say you've chosen this job. So, what skills do you need to have to work as an influencer?
Phew, I'd say you have to be able to sell yourself well. And above all, it's not about what skills you have yourself, but you have to have a community—followers who think what you do is cool. Because that's what makes you interesting to companies and partners. And that's how you can eventually maybe make a living from it. Because before that, even if you do good work, if nobody cares, then it doesn't bring you anything. That's why the community is actually the most important thing.
Well, if you look at Instagram, you now have more than 60,000 followers. And if you look at that, at least in the paragliding sector, what do other famous people have? If you look at Kriegel Maurer, Paltakatz, Paul Guschlbauer, or Horacio Llorenz, the Spaniard, and stuff like that—they have significantly fewer than you. How did you manage it, even though you don't have those super athletic achievements to show off yet and all that? And also, if I see it correctly, you've only been paragliding for four years and stuff like that. How did you manage to build such a large following and even say that you're better than a Kriegel in that regard?
Well, I'd say for me, I've always done sports before this. Mountains were my passion, whether on skis or trail running. And then paragliding came along. And that was a step where I also noticed with my community that this is a new sport. And there's a new target audience, which wasn't that easy at the beginning. But then I just somehow pulled them along and gained many new people. And that's how it happened. So I didn't start from scratch four years ago; I've been doing social media for, I don't know, I'm not sure, for a few years. So it grew together with it. Paragliding just grew with me and with Instagram. And the community too.
You were active under the name Artificial at the beginning, if I saw that correctly. But then you gave it up at some point. Yeah. Why? Isn't it good to have a brand like that, where you say, hey, I'm just going to stick with it?
Yeah, I wanted that for a long time too. But I founded Artificial because I think I wanted to start my own fashion label at 13, and I was looking for names for it and called it Artificial. And I just felt really good about it back then. I even called myself Artificial on Instagram, which felt quite awkward. But over the last few years, I realized that sports is what actually connects me to Elisa Deutschmann. So everything I do is about flying. My name is always Elisa Deutschmann there, and not Artificial. And I decided, okay, now is the time for me to call my fashion Artificial and for me to be Elisa. But it was a weird step at the beginning, because as you said, a lot of people thought it was total crap. People actually know me as Artificial, and all my entries were always Artificial on everyone's websites.
But for me, it just felt like the right time after a while, and then I did it.
So the influencer can no longer be found under Artificial, but definitely under Elisa Deutschmann. Tell me a bit about what a typical day is like for an influencer? Mhm. So how do you plan your, in quotes, job?
That's funny, because I don't just do influencer stuff, I also do social media for different companies. I also did freelance design for companies for a long time. And since I have so many different components, I always plan my day with a to-do list, because I just have to do so many different things in one day. And my training is also added to that, so my to-do lists are extremely important. And then I work through what I have to do today. And every day is different. And that's also kind of the cool thing. So what you don't see, for example, with all the influencer stuff, is that I, I don't know, sit at the computer for three or four hours every day, answering emails, having meetings with clients, preparing things—so yeah, at least three or four hours.
The time that goes into it, which people just don't see from the outside. I always find that funny. My mom also always asks, "What are you doing at the computer all day?" She never understood it either. And now she's also seen how much work goes into it, what people just don't see on the outside. I'd say it's definitely more, even more than a normal 40-hour job. Especially because for me, there's no weekend or time off; it's just that whenever I do something, it gets shared. And yeah, if the weather is good, then it's good. And yeah.
You said you have meetings with clients and things like that. Are those clients you discuss what you can do for them on your channel? Or are they clients for whom you also produce something for their channels?
It's quite different. For me, it's like this: I don't really do one-off collaborations; I actually have long-term partners. I have contracts with them, but it's not just about influencers, it's also about my sport. And it just stretches over several years. For them, there's a set number of things I do—what I prepare, posts, projects. And that's what my meetings are actually about. And of course, there are also clients where something is done just once. And there are meetings for those too—getting to know each other, what's being done, projects, events. There's just a lot of time involved in all of that.
How many fixed, long-term partners do you have?
Phew. One, two, three.
I have five, exactly. They, exactly, usually stay with me for about three years.
Those would be, for example, I think Salewa you definitely have, I saw that. Exactly,
I also have Salewa, Skywalk, GoPro, Powerbar, Silver, and Schienmarke.
And then you have a contract, and in those influencer contracts, it says you have to post X pictures per month or whatever it's like? How do you imagine that? No, exactly.
So, I don't have any influencer contracts with companies anymore. That was back in the day. Nowadays, with most of them, I actually work as an athlete. And there, it's really more about what I do in terms of competitions and projects. But I also have ones like with Powerbar or something. There are just... they also want the companies, I mean the people, to see the products. And then there's a number I do for the companies per year and I share that with them. Sort of like my career path, a bit. And that was actually always my goal. I've always wanted to move away from being one of these influencers. At some point, just get away from it. And just do what I feel like doing. Pure sport, just pursuing my goals. And yeah, not be so tied down anymore. That was always my big goal. And now, I've slowly managed to do that.
You post on Instagram almost every day. How do those ideas come about? Or is it actually always spontaneous? Like, "Hey, I'm going for a bike ride today and the lighting is great." Then I turn on the camera, film for a bit, or take a photo, and then see what I actually end up posting later. Or is a lot of that actually planned?
No, for me, it's actually really all about the moment. I mean, I do plan things out—that's really a job. I'll go out with a filmmaker or photographer and produce the whole thing. But most of it actually happens in the moment. And I can see that now, too. I know what's worth filming, what I need to film, and what kind of resonates. And then I just point the camera at it or take photos.
And what's worth it?
Cool moments.
What
What defines a cool moment for you?
Sunrises and sunsets work best on social media, but unfortunately, I don't do those very often. No, but people want to see something exciting. They don't want to see what we've already seen a hundred times anymore; they want something new somehow. I get the impression that people actually want to take something away from social media, to learn something. And I think that's cool too. I love just filling it with positive moments as well. Because I'd say I'm a positive person. And showing them that energy, showing them everything you can do. That they should believe in their dreams and go out there. I capture that with my camera and then share it with the world. And I have the feeling that it's well-received, at least.
Is the Elisa Deutschmann you see in these Instagram posts the same Elisa Deutschmann I'd see if I were out with you right now? Or is there maybe something staged about it, or something extra smiley, or whatever?
I think I'm always laughing. That's just who I am. I'd say I'm the same on social media as I am in real life.
Out of those 60,000 or more than 60,000 followers you have now, how many would you estimate are interested in paragliding?
Unfortunately, there isn't a specific number. I don't know how many that actually is. But I think it's a large majority by now. I notice it in the questions people ask me, too. It's mostly about flying. Some people might not fly yet, but they just want to know how it works. Where can I learn it? How do I do it? I already have a large part of that. But of course, people are also just interested in the mountains and nature. So, everything that has to do with sport in that context. That's what it's about for me. But I think it's cool how it's growing. I really notice it. You always hear that paragliding has become a bit of a trend sport. And yes, people are just interested in it, in the flying. And that makes it even more fun for me, just having more to show.
From the things you're showing there now—you say, okay, I basically document things that come up in your daily training and other stuff like that. But how important is it to mention in between, "Ah, I have real projects that I can push forward in some way"? Like right now, you recently finished one; you had a project where you cycle from Lana near Meran in Italy to Chamonix, take your paraglider with you, then climb Mont Blanc and fly down.
Yeah. Is it the kind of project where you say, "Hey, I need to present something really special to my community"? Or how does an idea like that even come about in the first place?
No, it's not about presenting something at all. It's just always been a dream of mine to fly from Mont Blanc. And I've actually done something like that myself before—well, I did it now with a friend, with Magdalena. But I also did it alone two years ago with my bike and my paraglider through the Alps. And I just love it. I love somehow riding a bike to the mountain, having my paraglider with me, going up the mountain, and flying down. It's so mega cool. And I love doing it. This time, there was a film crew with me who accompanied me to Mont Blanc. But I just do it because it's in my heart somehow and I've always wanted to do it. And showing that to the community, of course, is just a plus for me and for my work. But that's not the reason why I do it.
You're very athletic. Apparently, if you can bike that much and then just hike up Mont Blanc and stuff. How much training do you actually do?
So, I've had a coach for about a year or a year and a half now, and I train five or six times a week with a fixed training plan. And yeah, I decided to do that. I've always been athletic, but I was in South America for a while and somehow after that I realized, like, now I want to approach this properly. I want to make progress. I want to get better. And the way I did it on my own, that was fine. But there was just nothing proper behind it. Yeah. And now, yeah, I've really been diligent about sticking to the training plan, even though it's not always easy. I can just really see the progress from what I've done. And that just feels good. I know my body so much better now. It's really crazy.
And yeah, I have so much fun with it. I've always been athletic. So for me, sports have always been my passion, my life. And being able to keep progressing now is even better.
But what is the goal of your training? Most people who train always say, okay, I have a competition I'm training for. Or I, whatever. But what is the goal for you when you say, yeah, I cycle, I go flying, I jog, I kite in between. So you're also a multi-sport athlete. What is actually, yeah, what is the goal of the training for you?
So, I do have big dreams. Dreams for the future. But I do a lot of Border Races—those 33-hour races. They fascinate me. I love just being out there for a long time and I want to do even more. Longer races in the future. So those are my goals. I have no idea where that leads, what it will be in a few years or in the coming years. But I'm a big dreamer, and I've always been that way. And yeah, let's see where the journey takes me.
Let's jump back a bit before we look into the future. How did you actually get into paragliding?
So trail running has always just been a thing for me. Hiking in the mountains and then running on the mountains, and basically running. And yeah, going down. I think, like 90% of people who start paragliding, it eventually stopped being fun for me. Just, or what does fun mean? But I live in the Alps and I've seen people flying down and at some point I thought, hey, why don't I do that? And then I just started. What wasn't so easy for me at the beginning, though, was because I also, I had a Husky, a Siberian Husky. And he was actually always with me in the mountains. And then taking the step of, okay, I'm starting to fly now. And at the beginning, you can't take a dog with you yet. You have to learn to fly yourself first and become safe. That was always, yeah, not that easy in the back of my mind.
Because anyone who has a dog knows how much time paragliding takes and how long you're up in the air. Especially when you're doing a cross-country flight or something. But the basic idea was just to fly down. However, it quickly developed differently. Because as soon as I could take off, I just flew off. I had no idea, but I just headed out on a cross-country route and ended up on the ground immediately. But yeah, I never minded flying away from the mountain. I've done that since the very first second. And that's also what I actually still like doing most. I don't really like staying on a mountain; I always get nervous and just want to fly away and get going. And yeah.
How often do you actually end up coming back?
Not that often.
Most of the time. I think I've actually never made it back from the long distances, I believe. But that's totally fine too. It's definitely my goal.
From what I've read about you, it always says, oh, I'm a multi-sport athlete, but what fascinates me most is actually paragliding. Why is that?
Because I love it. I'm already someone who likes being out in the mountains alone. So, in mountain sports, I really enjoy sharing that with people. But when I'm flying, I just do my own thing. It's quiet there. I have this beautiful view and I can go my own way. And I find that so damn cool, and it inspires me. And with flying, you never stop learning. And it's also like the first sport where ambition really took hold of me, where I just can't get enough. I'd love to be in the air every single day. And yeah, I never get bored there. Never. So no matter what, I think you never stop learning when you fly. And you learn something from every flight. And it's also an extreme learning process involved.
It's just incredible how high it goes and where. You never stop learning that. And I find that so beautiful about it. And also because you can combine things. I mean, it's not just a sport, you can do so many things. Whether it's cross-country flying, competition flying, hike & fly, agro, riding your bike to the mountains. The equipment is getting so light. My paraglider weighs one kilogram. That's just brilliant. I don't think there's anything better.
You just said you're also really ambitious about it. Such strong ambition can sometimes mean a certain danger, because you might demand too much of yourself or try something a bit too much where it might actually become dangerous. Have you had moments like that already?
So what I notice with cross-country flying is a really extreme ambition. It's actually crazy how I suddenly started only looking at the kilometers. What I'm trying to do now is somehow move away from that, because then you're always thinking, oh, just one more kilometer, then this and that. Which is actually total nonsense, because it's about enjoying it. I already had that moment where I was really only looking at the kilometers and then got really annoyed on the ground. Where I said, oh, why didn't I fly any further? And I still have that. But it was never really dangerous because of it. I think it's a learning process. And that's also totally important so that you learn how to deal with it. There are good and bad days, and a small mistake in paragliding—a mini-decision—can be great, but it can also be bad. And there
I'm constantly faced with that.
If you look at your flight path—relatively short, but your flight path—over the last four years, where you've experienced an enormous learning curve yourself. What would you say could others learn from that? Are there any specific things where you could say, hey, I was particularly good there or those were special advancements, where someone could say, hey, others could basically take a page out of my book?
So, what I can't recommend—maybe we can start with that.
I still remember my first year of flying, and at the beginning, you just have no clue. I still don't, but at the start, so much happens at the same time. And I was in an extreme push phase, I'd say. Then, apparently, I don't know, for a few months, I went biwak flying in Italy. And I took off and was actually with a friend who was already much better at flying than me and had much more experience. And I basically had no experience at all. And in the end, the whole thing turned out with me getting slammed into a landing with a tailwind and tearing my ligaments. And I just wanted way too much at the beginning. And at the start, I think, it's much more important to just grow through small steps in paragliding. And I think I can pass that on to people.
It's of course good to set goals. But the goals should be along a normal curve, somehow. Not that you want to go from 0 to 100. That's totally important, I think. And I still tell myself that today, when I'm like, "Yeah, why not there and there?" Then I look, okay, what small steps have I actually learned just now? Step by step. And at some point, you just move forward to a bigger goal. But these small goals, they are... they're so important when flying, I think. And I especially learned that with cross-country. In the beginning, I always had my whole triangle in my head and couldn't concentrate on where I was right now, but saw the whole thing. Whereas you have to see every thermal, every turn, every little valley jump as a step and be in the here and now when paragliding, and not somehow 15 mountains away.
Or worrying about what the wind will be like. It's about being in the here and now.
Do you also run or offer these girls' camps, where you only take women and don't necessarily teach them how to fly, but rather give them something for their flying careers and stuff like that? How do I imagine something like that? What's special about these girls' camps? Why do you do it?
I do this because I find it extremely great to somehow move people forward, and especially women. Because I believe that for some women, paragliding is already associated with a lot of fear. And through my camps, I try to take that away from them a bit or help them somehow deal with it. And I connect those things. I offer different camps. For example, in Sweden, I always do a yoga and ground handling camp. And there, it's really about the body, the mind, and connecting that with paragliding. Because I believe that it's all somehow one. And it's simply important that you know your body well. And simply learning to understand where you are right now, how you're feeling at the moment. So, whether I'm currently in a good or a bad phase.
And to be able to assess that properly and also put it into practice. And yeah, I noticed when I started flying, there were only men there. And that doesn't bother me because I've always been around only men in sports. But the more women I met, the more I thought, hey, it would actually be so cool to just bring all the women together. And then create a community and also a place where they dare to talk about things they might not necessarily say to the guys. And I see my role there as simply taking them by the hand. And going on their journey with them, so they can fly with joy and take small steps to move forward. And I don't just offer yoga, but also cross-country flying as an entry point. The whole cross-country flying topic is also for women at the beginning.
I don't know if you guys know this. I know it from my own experience. So many things happen at the same time. You don't even know where to look first. And doing it together, I find that's just easier and more relaxed. And that's why I do it.
Do women fly differently than men?
Yes and no, I'd say. I mean, I think we women are somehow, I don't know, we feel more. We might also be a bit more anxious about certain things. And you can see that positively here too. And use it positively for paragliding. Because we might perceive things quite differently, like where there might be thermals or where the wind is. But I think men have that too. I do believe that we women are fundamentally a bit more anxious. And that shows in flying, of course. That's why there are so few women. Much fewer in competitions, in cross-country flying, compared to men. Because it just isn't that big yet.
During your girl camps, when there are people who are afraid, how do you deal with that? I mean, how do you manage to take away their fear, or at least part of it? Or how do you help them deal with it differently?
I tell them that fear is completely normal and isn't a bad thing. There's actually something good about it too, having a little bit of fear. Respect. And I explain to them that I'm also afraid of flying. Sometimes, there are moments. And I also believe that the guys are afraid of flying. There are some moments where you just feel uncomfortable. And that they aren't alone with it. And I tell them a few techniques that I do through yoga. For example, breathing techniques. I believe you can do so much through your breath. Or telling yourself positive things. You tell yourself, hey, I can do this. And yeah, I do that too, for example. If I'm feeling uncomfortable in some way right now or something, I tell myself, hey Elisa, you can do this. And somehow, just saying that to yourself makes such a difference, as if you were saying, hey, everything sucks.
And yes. Just teaching them these positive vibes.
Now you just talked about breathing techniques. Is there an example where you could say, hey, this is something very simple that can help you out of a situation of fear—maybe not completely eliminate the fear, but where you can say, I'm getting back to myself more. I'm getting back to what's actually happening now and can see and, I can get back into taking action better. Because, of course, eventually the brain isn't as blocked as when it's basically freaking out inside.
Yeah, totally. And it's just really simple: exhale for a long time. The longer you exhale, the calmer you become. And if you breathe really hectically, your whole body gets hectic too. But if you try to breathe calmly—and especially that long exhale, longer than you inhale—it brings the whole body down. And you can refocus again. And that's actually extremely simple. Or another technique is deep belly breathing. That's something people often do, especially in yoga. Just breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale long into your belly. That helps a lot. At least for me.
So you do that regularly while flying too? Do you say, "Okay, for every crossing, I'm going to breathe"? No, you're shaking your head. Tell me.
No, I don't do that. But I do do it when I just don't feel comfortable. Like, if things get a bit rough while I'm working and then I've somehow managed it and I'm feeling kind of shaken or upset. Then it's about actually pulling yourself together so that you can continue flying well. And if I notice, hey, I'm actually still extremely nervous, then I just take a deep breath in and a long breath out. And that actually works quite well. But that's also something you have to practice. I mean, you can't just take one breath in and out and then think, okay, everything's back to normal. Instead, it helped me to just build it in every now and then and learn to feel your body like that.
What can male pilots do? What can male pilots learn from female pilots?
Male pilots from female pilots. I think we women have a pretty good feel for thermals. We can sense well where the thermals are and how to turn. Maybe that. Or maybe just not flying into things blindly, but thinking more. But I think, I find that men and women are already somewhat similar when it comes to flying. I don't think it's that extremely different. Rather, we women might just approach the whole thing with more... with more thinking and more feeling.
Are there areas where you've noticed that men have some kind of advantage?
Hm. Flying fast.
Just go for it. But I'm also the kind of person who just goes for it. I don't think I'm an anxious woman or anything like that. I'm just... I listen to my gut a lot when I fly, when I do sports, with everything. And then I just do it. Often it's not... yeah, not such a great idea. Because I'm always the only one flying around somewhere else. But basically, it's just about listening to your gut. And I think many men just go for it, full throttle. And off they go. And I notice sometimes, I'm actually a bit more anxious. And I'm like, "Oh, what's coming?" And they stay on it. But I'd say that has a lot to do with experience, how long you've been flying. And because women fly just as well as men.
And they can do it just as well.
Let's switch topics for a moment. This summer, you suddenly became a supporter for Kriegel Maurer at the X-Alps. And you mainly managed the social media channels for him. And maybe did other things too. You can tell us right away what else might have been involved. How did that actually happen?
Yeah, we both know each other from Salewa. We're both on the team there. And I actually didn't really know him at all until X-Alps. At some point, he called me the year before and was like, hey Lisa, I have an idea. Do you want to come along to the X-Alps? And X-Alps had always been a big topic for me. I'd wanted to be part of it, to actually see it live. And then I thought, yeah, if I have the chance to be there with Kriegel, then let's go. And yeah, that's how it happened. And yeah, it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had in my life. I was so sad when it was over. Because we had such a damn great team. I couldn't have imagined it any better. And also as a person, I never would have thought how damn relaxed, how perfect everything just was.
And yeah, we had a cool time. And that's how the basic thing came about. He called me and I said, yeah, I'm in.
Kriegel basically swapped out his team relatively shortly before. But if I understand you correctly, you weren't part of that swap; you had already been planned for longer. You were basically added on top of the other team.
Exactly. Yes, so from the beginning, my job was social media. So that was part of it. And that was also my main job. But of course, I also supported him normally with whatever came up. And yeah, that's how it was. Exactly. We then did a practice competition and realized that it wasn't working that perfectly. And he listened to his gut feeling a lot there. And then one day before the start, the team finally got together. The next morning, it started. I think by eight in the evening we were all in Kitzbühel and met each other there. And yeah, that was definitely an adventure, because first of all, it was about us functioning as a team. And yeah, but I have to be honest, he had such a good feeling about it and really took people he knew would somehow all fit together.
And we didn't have a single argument during the whole excerpt. We just worked. Everyone helped each other out. So if I noticed, hey, it's way more important right now, I don't know, that he gets his drinking in or that we get up there, then that was my job at that moment. And it was the same for the others. And I found that inspiring because it just harmonized so well, even though we all didn't really know each other.
Did you set any specific goals for yourself? Like, saying, hey, I'm in charge of social media for Kriegel now. What can I do that's new, different, or better than what's normally done with social media posts?
Yes, well, we also sat down and it was clear to both of us that we wanted to do something new. We don't want to just make photos and videos; we want to share his thoughts. Because that's what the viewers are wondering about. Like, why is he flying there now? Or those are always his decisions. Why he mostly won in the last few years. His special moves, or whatever people call them. The
They call them Magic Moves. Magic
Moves, yeah, exactly. And that was my task. And it was already a bit of a challenge for me, how to transport that, like, how to show it to the outside world. How to show your thoughts and, above all, we wanted to be as live as possible, to show it to the outside. And yeah, we actually solved that by me always being there. That was my job. And I always shared everything immediately. And he would just tell me via voice messages while flying how he was feeling, what he was doing right now, why he was flying there. And then I would convert the whole thing and share it with the outside.
That means, for example, you're sitting on the tour bus you guys took, the other person is driving, and you're sitting next to them on your laptop, still editing videos and putting stuff together.
Yeah, totally. So it was usually like this: we'd get up in the morning, then I'd keep the camera rolling. He'd briefly tell me what he thought today would be like, and then he'd head off. I usually walked with him for a few kilometers, and I'd interview him during that time. Then I'd hop into the car and edit it all together. Then we'd somehow head up the mountain. I went with him for part of it, the whole way. Or other people would take over the photos for me, because I wasn't just sharing thoughts, I was also taking the photos and the videos. And then, when we were driving in the car, I felt so sorry for Lisa. She was the one in the car with me. I was like a ghost next to her, just editing and not saying anything. But yeah, we really worked well together.
And yeah, in the evening too. I was often awake longer than the others because, of course, you have to film what's happening right now. And then you have to process it. It always had these phases. Around noon was always the lowest point for all of us. We were all tired then. But then it somehow started going uphill again and it was really cool. And for all of us, I mean especially for Kriegel, but also for us, it went by so fast. No one expected it to be over after six and a half days. We were all kind of happy, but also shocked that it was just over, because we'd all prepared for two weeks. And Kriegel had even said that before—I'd calculated for him how long I thought it would take and where we'd be on which day. Then he said we'd need twelve days for the whole thing.
Or we won't make it anyway. And then we were finished after six and a half days. That was already crazy.
Yeah, nobody could have known the weather would be so flyable. At least for the X-Alps people, who can still fly another 200 kilometers even in sometimes relatively heavy conditions. So, as an insider who was there, what did you actually learn about the Red Bull X-Alps that you didn't know before? That really surprised me.
So, as an insider, I mean, the whole thing is already... well, I'd been following it for years before. My boyfriend had also been a supporter twice, so I already had a pretty deep insight into what to expect. So it wasn't like I showed up completely unknown; I knew what it could be like in a team and how it could go down. But in the end, I was very positively surprised. I mean, I thought it would all be much worse. But what I saw was just how much more extreme it is for the athletes. The conditions they fly in—well, from the outside, you kind of just watch, I don't know, the live tracking and see, wow, now they're climbing, now they're descending. But when you're somehow more involved, you notice more of how crazy it all just is.
And being so fit after so many days, and I think by being there live, you see even more how extreme it is.
Are there things where it says, or where it said, "Elisa, that's... you did film it now, but please leave that out, that's not going on social media"?
No, no, we made a deal beforehand: everyone has to think about what they're saying, and I don't look at it afterwards to see if it's good or not. And of course, it was never the case that I said, "This is total nonsense, you can't do that." Yeah, okay. It's a bit like a bookstore. My favorite moment was when Gregor sent us a voice message and shouted "Juhu" like that, and we kept listening to it on a loop because it just flew out and he didn't think it would fly, and that was a funny moment that I shared too.
Okay, in one of those videos from back then, you can still find a "Juhu" somewhere, which you then took along as a voice loop.
Exactly, we did this constant loop, always like Juhu, Juhu.
If you say it was that extreme, is that also a deterrent for you, like you're saying, as an athlete, I would never do that? Or is it that when you participate in something like that, you think, wow, that's so fascinating, I want to take part in the X-Alps at some point too? I already do Border Races anyway, so it's just the Border Race times 20 or whatever.
Yes, I've always been fascinated by it—the race in principle, what you do with the paraglider, and also having a great team. It's simply a competition, a race that, in my opinion, you can only master well with a team. And I am fascinated by it, but I've also seen the conditions under which you have to fly and how you have to stay cool in those situations. And Kriegel fascinated me there, just how he did it. And there's still a long way to go, because you want to approach it with a clear conscience and you want to be... well, you can't be prepared for everything. But you should somehow be prepared for everything. Prepared for most things and know that you can do it, and I'm definitely not there yet.
When will you be ready?
Let's see.
But it's already a goal for you to say, okay, X-Alps, whether it's 2025 or 2027 or whenever, I want to go there.
It's a dream, yeah, it's always been. I still remember how I started flying; I uploaded a photo and I was wearing these Red Bull X-Alps caps. And Red Bull X-Alps immediately commented underneath, like, "So, are you ready for next year?" or something like that. I had no idea what you actually do there. Well, yeah, it's definitely a dream. We'll see.
If you were right there next to Kriegel and saw everything he does, like how he manages all that and stuff—what would you say you took away from him the most? Or where did you really learn something that you could maybe apply to your own flying in some way?
Mhm. So, what I learned is just how incredibly cool he stays. People are in front of him and I thought, or we discussed it as a team, okay, how is this going to be? What will his attitude be like? And he just stayed somehow relaxed. Even on the decision day, I'll never forget that moment. We're standing somehow up on the mountain and our mountain was in the shade, right where we were. And the other mountains were actually in the sun, and he actually had to start because Damian was in front of him. And that was the day they flew in that extreme north wind. And then we put on music, his favorite music, and we all danced up there. And then the sun came out. And then he took off and, yeah, and it worked.
And he's hyped up, and just how relaxed he stays. And in situations like, honestly, also the moment when we flew towards Fisch. Before that, he had this technical issue. And all of us in the car, oh my god, he was pushing for an hour there with zero lift the whole time. I was actually getting annoyed in the car. But in that moment, he somehow blocked everything out. And he said he's only focusing on the here and now. And he just looked at how to get away from here somehow. And he didn't care that everyone was pulling away. And I found that inspiring. And that's what I want to take away for myself when flying. That I don't think ten steps ahead. But instead, I just focus on the now. Where I am right now.
And if that works well, then I can think about what I'll do next.
Focusing on the now. How well do you manage to do that already?
Mostly better, mostly not so good. I have no idea. That
It's been mostly twice now. You can think about what outweighs what. But if you look at it... you still have quite a few plans for the future. And if you ask, how do you set your priorities? What do you want to focus on?
Yes, my focus for the next year in particular is actually 100% on flying. I've also started doing actual series, cross-country flights, mountain battles. I didn't do that before at all because for me, it's simply about flying a lot, learning a lot. And also learning to fly fast. And also just finding lines. Because I fly purely by feel. And sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. And I just want to take in even more. And yeah, I want to do a lot of cross-country flying just for myself. And I'm currently trying to work everything out, to clear some time so that I can really do that next year.
Do you also have something like that in the back of your mind regarding the plans? Like, okay, what can I actually implement as an influencer, visually?
No, not at all.
It's really just about following that. That's my goal. If I feel like doing it, and if I can convey that feeling, then everyone will be excited to watch.
Yeah, I hope it works out that way. No, it's always been like that for me. I just do what I feel like doing and I just share it. So I didn't really overthink it. Except it's, like I said, just a job where I know I have to do this now. But otherwise, it's just a matter of feeling.
What do you have planned for this winter then?
Well, first of all, I want to go on a lot of ski touring because skiing is also a huge passion of mine. Especially freeriding. That's what I grew up with. And then in January and February, Colombia. I've done that for the last two years as well. I want to fly some competitions there too, and above all, get a lot of airtime. That's the first plan for now. And then spring is already coming up with lots of things.
Do you also do multi-day hike and fly tours? Like, where you actually say, okay, I'm staying overnight somewhere and then flying on? Or is that not really your thing?
Well, that's definitely something I want to do more of. Yes, I'd love to next year too. I've planned to just head out in the spring with my sleeping bag. To see how far I can fly and see how far I get. And yeah, I've done a bit so far, but not as much as other people do. But that's also what has always fascinated me about paragliding. That you can just take your sleeping bag with you, just take off and see where you end up in the evening. And I mean, what's more like freedom than doing that, right? And then the next morning, if it works out, take off again. It's just brilliant.
Is there a dream flight or something like that, or a dream project, where you say, "I definitely want to make that happen at some point"?
Yes, I have a dream. I want to fly across the entire continent, the Alps. And then sail everything back again on a sailboat.
But then you'd have to sail all the way around Italy, if you say you want to sail everything back. Yes,
Exactly. Do you already have your sailing license? No, but I like to sail.
Then someone else would have to sail for you, or you'd have to have gotten your sailing license by then.
No, you don't actually need a sailing license to go sailing. You just have to have a motorboat for the engine on the boat. And then you're allowed to sail. And yeah, sailing just fascinates me. Let's see where it leads.
Alright, Elisa, I hope that comes true. Once along the Alps, then back around the Alps, so to speak, with the sailboat. And all your other projects too. Maybe we'll see you at the X-Alps 2025 not as a supporter, but maybe already as a co-pilot, or then in 2027. In any case, I wish you all the best for all the other projects that are still to come.
Thanks. Cool.
That was Podz-Glidz episode 118 with Elisa Deutschmann. In the show notes for this episode on the Gleitschirm-Blog Lu-Glidz, you'll find further links. If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to Podz-Glidz. You can do that anywhere podcasts are available. If you also leave a positive rating there, you'll be helping to make Podz-Glidz even better known. Or simply tell your flying friends about it. You might have noticed that Podz-Glidz and Lu-Glidz are free of advertising. I do this out of conviction and in the interest of independence. Nevertheless, there is a lot of professional work and also costs involved in these products. For funding, I rely on the concept of voluntary support. If you've listened this far, the podcast must be providing some added value for you.
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