Stefan Mast moves to Tegernsee valley in the early seventies, already during his apprenticeship as toolmaker he has a dream in his mind; he wants to become a windsurfer.
His apprentice salary is no way near enough to buy the surf equipment. That’s why he starts to work alongside his apprenticeship in a sailing school and bothers his mother until she gives in and becomes his the first Sponsor to fulfil his dream.
Stefan buys his first surf board and for the next weeks he is out on the water all day long.
He starts giving lessons after only a month. Two years later Stefan is world champion together with Nico Stickl in the tandem class (they used an extra long board with two sails).
After finishing his apprenticeship as a toolmaker, he cancelled his goal to become a mechanical engineer and instead choses adventure and travel. For the next 10 years, he is surf instructor and dive guide in various places in Brazil and the Philippines.
In 1985 the longing for his hometowns an the Bavarian alps takes over and he returns to the Tegernsee valley.
Back home he gets his hands on a flyer for a new kind of sports; paragliding.
Now faith takes over and Stefan joins the first paragliding course in Germany. After his first flight is clear, water sports is history. Stefan’s future is in the air.
The desire to fly is no longer a dream, it becomes his second passion.
After one year he is a member of the German Paragliding League, becomes a test pilot for a paraglider manufacturer and conducts certification processes for the German Hanggliding Association. He also is the team leader of the German Paragliding Team and wins the World Championship in the Nations Class.
He achieves a goal, only reached by very few athletes: Double World Champion in two totally different sports.
Stefan is the team leader, national coach and sports manager for the German national team from 1995 until 2007. They have an unbelievable series of success in international competitions due to Stefan´s incomparable training and management concepts.
He organizes the first trainings camps for paragliding pilots where the team pilots hand on their knowledge, know-how and experience to ordinary pilots under Stefan´s supervision.
Stefan was also a pioneer in public relations for the DHV (German Hanggliding Association) using internet and live reporting from events and competitions.
A new period for the paragliding sport started. Paragliding got known to the media in a much wider view. Competitors, fans, family members and friends all over the world could participate in this new trend sport and be “live” amongst the champions at every event.
In 2007 Stefan founded his own company, “Sportmanagement Mast” which offers pilot training courses and tandem flights for everybody.
Stefan keeps in shape and hones his skills continuously to keep up with the level of flying he is used to. Paragliding still rules his life. Even after 36 years of flying he enjoys every minute he is in the air.
He shares his passion and love for paragliding – the most natural way of flying – with everybody around him and especially with his passengers during their tandem flights.
Stefan´s secret of success: He is a perfectionist and loves what he does. Flying is and will be always a privilege for him.