From 23 to 27 June 2026, Barruera and the Boí Valley hosted the Liga Nacional Boi 2026, a five-day national paragliding competition with 86 confirmed pilots, including 80 men and 6 women.
The competition brought together pilots from different countries and different levels of experience, all competing in the spectacular surroundings of the Boí Valley.
I was part of the staff during these five days, helping with the logistics of the competition, the preparation of the daily briefings and the retrieval of pilots after they had landed.
For me, this was another opportunity to experience a paragliding competition from the ground, working alongside the rest of the staff and being close to the pilots throughout the event.
A competition day starts before the pilots take off.
The staff needs to prepare everything necessary for the briefing and coordinate the logistics of the day.
At 12 o’clock, the pilots attend the briefing, where they receive information about the weather conditions and the task planned for the day.
Once the briefing is over, the pilots prepare their equipment and head towards the launch area.
The competition then takes place in the sky, but the work on the ground continues.
One of my main responsibilities during the competition was retrieving pilots after they had landed.
The Boí Valley is a spectacular place to fly, but its mountainous terrain can also make pilot retrievals complicated.
Pilots do not always land close to roads or in easily accessible places. Sometimes, reaching them requires a vehicle capable of getting further into the mountains.
As I had my 4×4 vehicle available, I was able to help with some of these more complicated retrievals.
A five-day paragliding competition involves much more than what happens in the air.
It requires preparation, logistics, communication and teamwork.
It also creates a special connection between the pilots and the people who help make the competition possible.
For me, being part of the staff is about helping wherever I can and continuing to be involved in the world of flying and the community around it.
After many years of Fly With Xirli, it feels good to return to some of the things that were there at the beginning.
A competition is not only about flying.
There are also the moments between flights, the conversations, the smiles and the time spent together.
These moments are an important part of the experience.
The photographs from these days show different sides of the competition: the preparation of the briefings, the pilots listening to the information, the flying, the work of the staff and the good vibes shared throughout the event.
Fly With Xirli was created around the world of flying.
In the beginning, one of the main parts of my work was helping pilots discover the flying areas around Catalonia and sharing my experience with people who came to fly here.
Over the years, Fly With Xirli developed into a broader project, including different aerial experiences.
But being close to pilots and helping them has always been part of its origins.
Spending these five days in the Boí Valley reminded me of that.
This time, I was not there as a commercial guide. I was part of the staff, helping with the organisation, taking care of pilots and enjoying being part of the competition.
Being involved in this kind of environment is something I hope to continue doing in the future.
Activities featured on this website are available until 5 August 2026, subject to availability and weather conditions. After this date they will no longer be available in their current format — we look forward to sharing what's next very soon.