Miserable weather plagued the women's and Class 2 hang gliding world championships at the Tegelberg. Photo: Stavel Velchev. picasaweb.google.com/SVelchev

Austrian Manfred Ruhmer is the new Class 2 hang gliding world champion. Steve Cox (CH) is vice-champion and Bob Baier (DE) third.

Two weeks of atrocious weather at the Women’s and Class 2 Hang Gliding World Championships at Tegelberg, meant the women left without a single task being flown to validate their event, and Corinna Schwiegershausen remains world champion for another year.

Dark skies, cloudbase near the ground, snow, storms, Foehn winds, thunderstorms and hail. This is what the Tegelberg was subjected to between 8 and 22 May.

The Swift pilots, who tow-launched, managed two tasks which validated their event. Manfred Ruhmer was first into goal on both days, but Archeopteryx pilot Philippe Bernard beat him on points in the first task.

However, the Archeaopteryx has never been certified for foot-landing and as such falls outside of the Class 2 definition. Although all the other Swift pilots were said to have been in favour of it, it was disallowed in the World Championships.

Despite the weather conditions, pilots praised the organisers, who went to great lengths to ensure a smooth event, even providing brooms to sweep snow from gliders on launch! They arranged plenty of evening entertainment, and pilots got to know the Schwangau’s tourist spots during the days, although some have vowed not to return to the site in mid-May again.

Brooms were on hand to brush the snow from gliders at the women's Hang Gliding World Championships 2010. Photo: Stavel Velchev. picasaweb.google.com/SVelchev

A detailed day-by-day account of the event can be read here.

California’s Susanville Municipal Airport is hosting a fly-in on 21 August 2010, featuring air displays, aircraft rides and military fly-overs.

The event begins with a pancake breakfast at 7 am, which is free to those taking part in the fly-in, and food and drink is available on-site throughout the morning.

Organisers are looking for participants, and there are ‘fuel incentives’ for pilots of unusual or experimental aircraft.

For more information, telephone the organisers on 530-257-2030.

Paragliding at Nishawa, Japan, at the Pre-Asian Championships in 2009. Photo: Asian Championships

Korea’s Chikyong Ha is currently in pole position onboard a Gin Boomerang, just ahead of team mate Suyong Pi.

Chikyong won the first day, while Gin Seok Song, the boss of Gin Gliders, won Task 2. Korea’s Junghun Park flying an Axis Mercury won Task 3.

Wednesday and Thursday were cancelled because of weather, but more flying is expected as the comp runs until Sunday 9 May.

Ninety-three pilots are taking part, drawn from all across Asia including Japan, Korea, India, indonesia, China and Thailand.

The championships are only the second FAI Asian Championships ever held.

Asian Paragliding Championships

Canadian extreme filmmaker of 25 years and paraglider pilot Peter Chrzanowski is running a mountain sport festival from Pemberton. Dates for the first event have been set, 21 – 29 May 2010, and it will be used to â€?explore the possibilities for growing a festival from the ground up”. Peter says, “This year just expect beautiful scenery and a myriad of endless mountain sports and activities”.

Peter adds, “I was also hoping to provide a training venue for the prestigious 2011 Red Bull X-Alps and XAndes, and participating athletes have been contacted”.

On the competitive side of things, so far confirmed for 2010 are: the ‘Pemby Monkey Races’, a series of XC triangle tasks for paragliders; a 50 km bike race is planned for saturday 29 May. Organisers are also looking into ways of getting kite-skiers and speedriders up the Pemberton Icecaps and there may be a boat to tow gliders above the lake, which means the possibility of some acro flying. Media tandem flights will be run, courtesy of McKenzie Basin Paragliding.

A three-day mountain film festival and speaker series will run from 25 – 27 May, organised by the Pemberton community centre, and Peter’s first ever theatrical feature documentary, ‘Paracinderella’, will be premiered on the Sunday night.

The list of activities and sports to be showcased is still growing, so keep an eye on their website.

Accommodation-wise, Peter says, “Camping season is on and the bugs are not here yet, so hopefully they will stay away till June”. There is a choice of three campsites, the Pemberton Valley Lodge and a myriad of B&Bs scattered through the valley.

www.pembertongames.com

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The 16th annual Azores Paragliding Festival takes place on the island of Sao Miguel from 26 – 29 August 2010.

There are places for up to 150 pilots, and entries can be made using the online form on their website. Cross Country editor Ed Ewing has already secured his place!

A discounted pilot entry fee of 30 Euros applies until 30 June 2010, after which the cost rises to 40 Euros. This includes transport between the competition headquarters at Portas do Mar, and the flying sites, and a goody bag.

Accommodation in the sports centre can be booked from as little as 10 Euros per night for a shared room, or 25 for a double room with shower (reserved for couples).

If you’re planning on going (or even if you weren’t, you may be tempted now), take a look at pilot and instructor Paulo Luis’s São Miguel island paragliding guide.

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