Red Bull gives Valencia wings, by returning to the capital of El Túria for its third edition of El Día de las Alas. Newcomer Colin Duncan headed down to the Marina to witness “those magnificent men in their flying machines” firsthand…
Red Bull gives Valencia wings… On Saturday, June 1, 2024 Red Bull made its return to the Marina of Valencia for the third edition of El Día de las Alas. A full 12 years ago marked the first edition of this event and since then there have been 179 editions in 99 cities with some 10,000 participants in total. And they have had more than ten million spectators around the world so far.
In this competition, teams design and build their own version of a “human-powered flying
machine”. Some 35 teams of four to five people compete with their homemade flying devices with the
challenge being to see who can fly the farthest distance after taking the plunge from a 9-meter
platform. However, the goal is not just about the distance. The judges also consider the creativity
of the design, as well as the team’s performance before the jump. Teams must stay within the
weight (200 kilos, including the pilot) and size restrictions (9 meters high by 10 meters wide).
There is a rigorous selection process where many teams present their flying machine and
routine for a chance to qualify for the competition.
These teams were competing for prizes including: a trip to Austria to visit Red Bull’s
Hangar 7 and a flight experience for first place). A trip to Girona to paraglide with the Spanish
paragliding pilot Horacio Llorens for second place). Or a trip to Madrid for an experience in the wind
tunnel for third place.
Each of these flying machines are wholly homemade with teams having complete
creative freedom. Many teams take inspiration from movies, sports teams, and brands to create
the theme of their flying device. This year there were many creative and innovative ideas such
as Toothless the Dragon from How to Train Your Dragon and Perry the Platypus from Phineas and
Ferb. There was also a remake of a Formula 1 racecar, and a grill with bacon and kebabs. Even a Taco Bell taco with wings, and – of course – a Red Bull can with wings.
The atmosphere of this event is unlike any other, with more than 40,000 spectators there
to experience a day filled with action sports, music, and overall entertainment. There was a
separate area packed with food and beverage vendors. They also had a techno DJ to ensure that
morale stayed high throughout the entire day. Red Bull made sure to include an area for
children to enjoy themselves. This included mini golf, a jungle gym and other activities
to keep the little people entertained.
After around six hours of constant entertainment through flight, there was only one team
who could be crowned the winner of El Día de las Alas. The team named “Chapter” flew 26.7
meters, the farthest out of all participating teams. They received a creativity score of 28.3, which was
actually somewhat low compared with other teams. The practicality of their flying machine outweighed their artistic creativity, but this worked in their favour because the main goal of the competition is to fly
further than all the other teams. The team named “La Barbacoa Voladora” (The Flying
Barbeque) came in 2nd and “Snowparty” placed 3rd.
El Día de las Alas continues to soar as an entertaining and inspiring celebration of human
ingenuity by pushing the boundaries of possibility and creativity. From flying barbecues to
gliding platypuses, this competition brings people of all backgrounds together. They come to celebrate the challenge of flight in one of the most unique ways possible. With the ever-growing global fan base, El Día de las Alas will continue showcasing outlandish flying machines while creating everlasting
memories for years to come. There is no official date for the return of El Día de las Alas to
Valencia. But with the success of this event it is almost guaranteed to return in the next few
years.