China: Wingsuit racers tear through Tianmen Mountain skies in 'Airborne F1' thriller.

Eight wingsuit skydivers leapt from a glass platform more than 1,400 meters above sea level on Friday, hurtling along a breathtaking cliffside course in the final of the 2026 Wingsuit Flying World Championship at central China's Tianmen Mountain. Often described as the "F1 of the skies," the championship gathered 16 elite flyers from 11 countries, who battled it out in the speed race and the precision target race from Sept. 6 to 12. In Friday's curve-racing event, finalists who had advanced through the preliminary rounds launched one by one from the glass jump point on Yuhu Peak. They dove, accelerated and screamed past rock walls and ravines in a stunning display of precision and nerve. With a 990-meter vertical drop over a straight-line distance of roughly 1.3 kilometers, the course demanded near-perfect control, requiring pilots to hug the mountainside along the canyon's path. The finish line was a cableway rope stretched across the gorge, and the fastest time would decide the champion. After two rounds of fierce competition, Australia's Tahi Paul Munroe successfully defended his title in 24.051 seconds. Norway's Joakim Lerhaugen took second in 24.292 seconds, and China's Zhang Shupeng claimed third in 24.663 seconds. The thrilling spectacle left the crowds of tourists and spectators awestruck. Tianmen Mountain, in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, is one of China's most breathtaking natural landmarks. Since 2012, the World Wingsuit League has staged its Wingsuit Flying World Championship here, drawing skilled pilots from home and abroad to test themselves against its distinctive terrain and challenging flight paths. Shotlist: Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, central China - Sept 11, 2024: 1. Aerial shot of starting platform of 12th World Wingsuit League (WWL) Wingsuit Flying World Championship final; 2. Wingsuit flyers holding flags, posing for photos; 3. Aerial shot of Tianmen Mountain, spectators on skywalk; 4. Various of wingsuit flyers jumping from starting platform, flying in air, landing; spectators; 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Tahi Paul Munroe, Australian athlete; champion of 12th WWL Wingsuit Flying World Championship curve-racing event (ending with shot 6): "I've dreamed of flying here for more than 10 years, and then to come and compete here and not only win for my first time was such a great feeling. It was a big accomplishment for me, almost like a life goal."; 6. Various of wingsuit flying competition in progress, spectators; 7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Chen, spectator (full name not given) (/ending with shot 8): "It's so spectacular. Even watching with my own eyes, it's already so terrifying. But for them to do this from such a height, I think they're absolutely amazing, truly incredible."; 8. Various of wingsuit flying competition in progress. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]