Getting to know… Armando Fattoruso

• Since our last interview in 2018, have you got any new inspirations that keep you competing and creating new goals?
  It’s always been the same: harder, better, faster, stronger 😛
• How important are your teammates and how do they make training fun?
  I can’t image myself training solo, my teammates are essential for my training. We always try to change point of view and give feedback to each other, like this I feel I trained the double.
• What is your favourite song to listen to prior to competing?
  I made a long playlist with old and new songs. There are many different type for many different scenarios: attacking, lyric, relax, chill-house, hold the focus, disco….etc.
• What do you do to calm your nerves during a competition?
  Thinking to my beloved and my family
• What is the one thing you always do after a good performance?
  Long deep breath out and at same time looking at the eyes of one of my teammates, their approbation is the best reward for my hard work.
• What mental tool do you use when under pressure?
  I repeat to myself that the path that I chose to live bring me in this scenario so, the stress that I feel is part of the moment and I love to live the moment.
• What is the best part about competing?
  Honestly? The end! It’s means that we can party and the more, I can go back home 😀
• How does being a competitive athlete make you a better person?
  As athlete I have to deal with a lot of things, this approach make me comfortable to deal with the many things that happen in a normal day of my life.
• Explain what it is like to be competing in the same sport and discipline, and on the same team, as your brother
  My brother is my oldest teammate. When we compete we might look like two different persons, in reality we are very linked and we always try to get the best from each other performance.
• Tell us about being a Flight-1 instructor.
  It’s really like to be part of a huge family and is incredible the professionalism and the knowledge of all the Flight-1 members.
• What have you found to be the most difficult aspect to teach during Flight-1 courses?
  Some times I find hard to explain some basic point to an experienced skydiver, that has never done a canopy course and approach it with his ultimate canopy.
• In three words describe how you feel when you are instructing?
  Proud, at service.
• Name the aspects of canopy piloting that all new skydivers should know and respect?
  The altitude is your friend, the terrain will ask you to pay the bill.
• “Is skydiving safe?” is a very common question asked by non-skydivers and potential new skydivers. How would you answer?
  Skydiving is a sport with a calculate low risk. With the modern technology and knowledge what make the difference between safe or not is the human mind.
• Any last comment for someone considering to start skydiving?
  Make as many questions to your instructors, there are no stupid questions.
• Can you give me a quick confirmation of achievements from 2019 for you personally and then the Italian team on the whole..??
  • In 2019:
    • 1st in the Italian National
    • 3rd at Italian Open 
    • 2nd French National
    • 5th Overall World Championship (4th distance, 4 accuracy, my brother Mario 4th in speed)
    • 3rd as Italian Team at the World Championship.
    • Italian Record Holder in Distance 163.10 mt
  • In 2020   
    • 1st FLCPA meet 1

Thank you Armando, see you very soon at the dropzone!