Jon Malmberg takes flight
When Jon Malmberg picked up a paraglider for the first time six years ago, he didn’t know his life was about to change. A longtime skier, rock climber, windsurfer and white water kayaker, Jon was no stranger to action sports. Now, John just wants to fly. Canopy sports are his new passion. A skilled acrobatic pilot and paraglider, Malmberg recently spent a winter in the Alps learning to speedfly (the sport of flying a small wing close to steep slopes, usually wearing skis). He’s currently BASE jumping with the hope of someday piloting a wingsuit. He hopes to return to the Alps this summer to complete that goal.
What I find most intriguing about Jon is his passion for a sport that he knows is dangerous. His goal is to fly off the Eiger in a wingsuit. But once he reaches that goal, he plans on quitting the sport. When I asked him why, he told me about the BASE fatality list. This compilation of deaths from the sport of BASE jumping is indeed sobering.
I will be interviewing Jon this Wednesday on my new radio show The Edge. I will talk to action sports athletes, sport psychologists and neuroscientists among others as I delve into the behavior and motivations for living a life close to the edge.
Please join us while we talk about the rush of flying, the thrill of takeoff and the dreams of flying a wingsuit.