After two years of silver, South Africa’s JeanJacques “JJ” Wallis finally strikes gold in Target Strike at the World Wingsuit League.
China (28 September 2025) – South African wingsuit pilot JeanJacques “JJ” Wallis has soared to the top of the World Wingsuit League, clinching gold in the Target Strike event after two years of silver, competing against some of the world’s most elite Base wingsuiters.
“It’s an awesome feeling and super nice to go fly with these top-tier athletes from around the world. The last few years of training have probably been paying off because every year I’ve been going up in the rankings, so that’s pretty good.”
The winning jump was no small feat. He was up against unpredictable weather conditions. Meaning practice scores unexpectedly added pressure to every attempt.
“On the first round, I jumped off and about like 10 metres from the target, the wind actually broke the top of the target string, so it folded in half. I still managed to hit it, but the cameras couldn’t see the score, so I had to do a re-jump.”
Despite the hurdles, he remained focused, landing bullseyes in both official rounds for a combined score of 180 points, securing the top spot.
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Wingsuit flying is still relatively unknown in South Africa, but JJ hopes his achievements shine a light on the sport.
“It’s very accessible. You can go learn how to skydive. Anyone can learn how to skydive.”
Indoor skydiving facilities in Johannesburg now allow even young children to experience the thrill, while the advanced training facilities exist in countries like Sweden, Slovenia, and China.
“Hopefully Africa can get one of those in the future, and the level would go even higher.”
Flying at speeds of up to 230 km/h, JJ emphasises that mental focus is just as crucial as physical skill.
“You have to have a really good mindset to not let the excitement take away your focus. I’ve been jumping now for 20 years, so the adrenaline and the excitement is a little bit less, and I can just focus and get the job done.”
JJ’s journey began with basic skydiving before mastering advanced models. He describes each jump as a unique experience, offering perspectives few others can witness.
“Every time we go jumping, there’s normally another perspective that normal people get to see… some of the biggest mountains in the world, and some local ones here in Cape Town.”
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