Sofia Jurčová · My story
Hi, my name is Sofia,
but everyone calls me Sofi
I’m 13 and I live in Nitra, in beautiful Slovakia. I love dancing, I’m trying breakdance, and my favourite thing of all is flying in a wind tunnel. I just love the feeling of flying with my arms outstretched!
It started with one flight on holiday, and now I’m preparing for my first World Championships as a Slovak junior national-team athlete. It’s a big dream, and I’m happy you’re here to share the journey. Come along — I’ll show you how it all began…
Here’s how it started
24 July 2018 · My first flight
It all started
in a Barbie suit.
I was five years and eight months old when I first entered the wind tunnel at Hurricane Factory beside Tatralandia. Back then, there was no national-team preparation or World Championship target. It was my first experience of flying.
We still have a video of those beginnings. Little Sofi, a Barbie suit, and my first moments in the air.
5 years and 8 months old
Holidays · Hoki · Hurricane Kids
I came back to the tunnel
during our holidays.
At first, I mainly flew when we were on holiday near Tatralandia. There were breaks between visits. Gradually, flying became a more frequent part of our plans, and a holiday experience grew into a sport.
Ivan “Hoki” Majling, the head instructor at Hurricane Factory, was there in my early days. With him, I built my foundations and learned to understand what I was doing in the air. Flying also meant watching the footage, talking through a movement and trying again.
Hurricane Kids brought my first competition experience and two gold medals. I gradually flew more, and the next step was regular training with Aleš.
A holiday experience became regular training and joy.
Aleš HrebíkMy head coach
My head coach is Aleš Hrebík. He guides my regular preparation, advises me and explains what to improve and how. I am learning positions, transitions and head-down flying. We build new skills step by step so that I can control them.
Aleš lifts me up when things do not go well, too. He encourages me, helps me believe in myself again and try once more. I am fond of him and I trust him. He is both my coach and a source of support.
Today, we plan around 10 to 11 hours of flying a month. Behind every hour in the air are explanations, breaks, video analysis and more attempts. In September 2026, I was selected for the Slovak junior national team — giving our work a clear direction: Worlds 2027.
Training · School · Rest
What does my training
day look like?
Come with me to Tatralandia! This video follows one of my training days — from the morning to my time in the tunnel. Between flights, I rest and go over what went well and what needs work with my coach. Then I give it another try.
School is part of my training day, too. I have authorised absences for training and national-team preparation, but that doesn’t mean learning stops. On Fridays, I start with schoolwork and homework, and I also study during the day between training sessions.
Over the weekend, Dad and I go through everything I need to catch up on, making sure I really understand it. Recently, we worked on fractions between training sessions and percentages the next day. I love flying, but I don’t want to neglect school.
2027 → 2028 · Where this journey leads
First, discover the world stage.
Then, compete for the title.
At the beginning of 2027, I am also planning my first jumps from an aircraft. I want to discover flying beyond the tunnel and gradually make skydiving another part of my sporting life.
In March 2027, I want to compete at the Slovak Championships, and my goal is to win. I want to show what I have learned with my coaches and challenge for the national title.
In 2027, I will take part in my first World Championships. I want to find my feet on the world stage, get to know the competition and show what I have learned. My coaches and I are preparing a freestyle routine and aiming for around 90 total flying hours before Worlds.
But my story does not end there. The experience of 2027 will help me grow. My goal for 2028 is ambitious, and I mean it.
I want to compete for the
junior world title.
I know that the World Championships bring together the very best athletes. I respect their level and the years of training behind it. Through hard, dedicated work, I want to reach a level where I can challenge for the junior world title in 2028.
The next step · Worlds 2028 preparation
Leo Volkov
World champion.
Coach of a junior world champion.
Leo Volkov already contributes to my preparation. He knows the top of the sport as both an athlete and a coach: he is a world champion himself and also coached Mate, a junior world champion.
Aleš remains my head coach and leads my regular training. We have agreed that after Worlds 2027, Leo will lead the specialist freestyle part of my preparation for Worlds 2028.
During our sessions, we will refine advanced skills, transitions and my competition routine, working towards the level of the world’s best.
Behind my goal are real people, regular work and an agreed plan for the next stage. There is still plenty of flying ahead.
