After having studied, worked and lived in Berlin, Germany, for over 16 years, Anja decided to move to the Swiss border of Lake of Constance in December 1999. Knowing the area from her childhood, she was yearning for its ample opportunities to enjoy ice skatin, skiing and snow boarding in winter, as well as wind surfing, swimming and sailing in summer. Instead she discovered paragliding.
It was love at first sight, even before her first flight! She could feel it in her heart and soul: from now on her life was going to be dedicated to the passion of cross country paragliding. Her first XC-flight became reality in 2001: from the Olymp, home of Greek gods, to a smooth landing at a beach 27 km away.
Caroll Licini, another Gin-Team-Pilot, encouraged Anja to compete, in order to progress more quickly. Already in her early forties, in 2003, she won the Swiss Ladies' Challenge on her first Gin wing, an Oasis, and in the same year qualified for the 2004 World Cup Tour by ending up 5th in the Pre-World Cup in Bir/Billing in the Indian Himalayas. Co-competitor Jim Mallinson wrote for Cross Country magazine:
"First woman and fifth overall was Anja Kroll, a name to remember. In only her third year of flying she beat many seasoned competitors on her DHV1/2 wing. During the run-up to the competition she had trained hard, flying with great determination and guts – one day she completed the daunting 50 km flight to Manali, crossing a 4000 m+ pass along the way. At the end of every day of the competition pilots could be heard complaining that despite flying faster wings they could not shake her. It was a very impressive performance."
Ever since, she is pushing her limits. Passion, freedom, flow, moments of perfect joy and peace – all that is for Anja encompassed in paragliding. She certainly is a child of the air.
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Results:
2008
1st lady World Cup Tour 2008
1st lady World Pilot Ranking System
1st lady World Cup Grindelwald (Switzerland) - Boomerang 5/08
1st lady Monarca Paragliding Open (Mexico) - Boomerang 5
2nd lady European Championship Niš (Serbia) - Boomerang 5/08
2007
1st lady World Cup Tour 2007
1st lady World Pilot Ranking System (since August 2007)
1st lady World Cup Kayseri (Turkey) - Boomerang 5
1st lady World Cup Monte Cornizzolo (Italy) - Boomerang 5
1st lady Swiss Open Championship Anzère - Boomerang 5
2006
1st team European Championship Morzine (France) - Boomerang 4
2nd lady Swiss Open Monte Lema - Boomerang III
2nd lady World Cup La Reunion Island (France) - Boomerang 4
2nd lady / 8th overall Swiss League Cup - Boomerang 4
3rd lady World Cup Tour 2006 - Boomerang 4
4th lady World Pilot Ranking System (June, July 2006)
5th lady World Cup Castelo (Brazil) – Boomerang III
2005
1st lady / 15th overall in British Open Championship – Zoom Race & Boomerang III
1st lady British Open Piedrahita (Spain) – Boomerang III
1st overall task #2 Dutch Open Piedrahita (Spain) – Zoom Race
1st lady Nordic Open Talloires (France) – Zoom Race
1st lady British Open Mayrhofen (Austria) – Zoom Race
2nd lady Dutch Open Piedrahita (Spain) – Zoom Race
2nd lady Pre Europeans Morzine (France) – Zoom Race
3rd lady World Cup Serra da Estrela (Portugal) – Boomerang III
2004
1st lady Swiss Cross Country Cup fun&safety – Oasis
5th lady World Cup Tapalpa (Mexico) – Zoom
2003
1st Swiss Ladies' Challenge – Oasis
1st lady / 5th overall Pre-World Cup Bir/Billing (India) – Oasis
1st lady Swiss Cross Country Cup fun&safety – Oasis
1st newcomer Swiss Cross Country Cup – Oasis
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