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Fri, Nov 02, 2007

100-Year-Old Woman Becomes World's Oldest Paraglider

Go, Granny! Go!

Sometimes, a letter from the Queen of England just isn't enough. A British grandmother chose to celebrate her 100th birthday in high-flying style... by becoming the world's oldest paraglider.

The London Daily Mail reports Peggy McAlpine took the leap Tuesday... 20 years after she bungee jumped with the Royal Parachute Regiment to celebrate her 80th birthday (ah, to be young again -- Ed.)

"It was the most wonderful, pleasant experience and I'm ready to do it again anytime," said McAlpine of her tandem leap off a 2,500 foot peak in Cyprus. "I was sitting in a chair floating above the mountains. I'm not scared at all."

McAlpine, who is partially blind, flew with experienced pilot -- and young whippersnapper, at only 34 -- Ozgur Gokazan. She deemed the 15-minute flight "far superior" to her earlier bungee jump.

"I love heights, I love climbing, I love getting up in the air. I hope to do this again when I am 105, but this might be my final goodbye to all my flying escapades," McAlpine said.

Two volunteers monitored McAlpine's flight to verify it for the Guiness Book of Records. The jump broke the old record, previously held by a 95-year-old Dane. Previously, the oldest British citizen to paraglide was Reg Rose-Innes, 91, who flew for 20 minutes last December.

McAlpine's daughter watched her mother take the leap from the safety of the landing spot near the Cyprus coast.

"There is no way I could stop her," said Elizabeth Forsyth... who is afraid of heights.

FMI: www.paragliding.net

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