Paragliding star Seiko Fukuoka: from reluctant beginner to FAI world champion

May 8, 2019

With four World Championship titles, and two European titles, under her belt, Seiko Fukuoka has set multiple FAI world records and is something of a legend in the paragliding world. But when her father encouraged her to take up the sport in Japan in 2001, she wasn’t all that keen. “I was into golf and scuba diving, but I didn’t really want to try paragliding because I didn’t like the idea of having to walk up a mountain with a big backpack,” she said.