Posts Tagged ‘CrossCountry’

Blog: 'Enough about today’s boring paragliding drivel – let’s get stuck into some juicy gossip'

The 6th Ghana Paragliding festival is now an important part of the Easter tcelebrations in Nkawkaw, Ghana. Planning is iunderway for this year's event, which takes place from 22 - 25 April 2011.

Ecuadorian pilot Juan Carlos Morán Reinoso has broken Ecuador’s Open Distance paraglider record with a flight of 85.8 km from Bototillo on 24 November.

FINALLY I got to make a really nice flight in Turkey It wasn’t super far, it didn’t take forever, and it wasn’t even particularly scary – it was just a nice, quite difficult flight with a few low saves, and an efficient public transport retrieve thanks to the everpresent SUPER friendly locals that make Turkey special.

The launch here in Beysehir faces NNW or thereabouts, and really doesn’t start working until quite late, so we did some parawaiting again, only Olivier and I went birding in the woods and saw a Saker falcon, a Nightjar, a few Krüpers Nuthatches, so the day began well.

Then the wind came on the face, and we launched – only to land shortly thereafter again. Back on launch again the wind was stronger, and we could easily climb to around 2,000m, and I set off alone on a downwind glide, nearly landed a few times in the wide valley behind launch, met Dmitri from Russia who was doing the same (nearly landing), and flew on for around 70km to land in Bozkir, on the top of a hill.

I was in the shade of a range of big mountains all the way, so the climbs were never really any good, but it was still simply a very satisfying flight.

Dmitri landed at around 35km, and the others made around 20, so not a great day by any means, but at least I’m smiling.

Tomorrow seems to be the last day here in Beysehir before moving to Antalya, I have heard that we’ll be going to meet the mayor at his office although he was already at launch on the first day here, but as Andreas says; “He comes to our office, so we have to come to his office”

Late now, bedtime, more tomorrow,

Mads S

Tasks of 62.6 km and 107.6 km were set for Friday and Saturday in Denizli, with Sunday being a rest day. Seiko Fukuoka Naville continued her domination of the women, winning both of the tasks to make it four out of four so far. Joachim Oberhauser (IT) and Alex Hofer (CH) won overall in tasks three and four, both on Ozone R10.2s.

Task 3 was another fast 62.6 km task, which saw 100 people in goal, Joachim making it in 1h 26′ 25″. Seiko’s time was 1h 34′ 23″, only eight minutes after Joachim but in 80th place overall. The Valic brothers came in second and third, on their Niviuk Icepeaks.

With Saturday 25 September dawning bright and clear, a longer task of 107.6 km was set. Unfortunately difficult conditions were encountered on the third leg and most people landed about halfway along it. The furthest flight of the day was Alex Hofer’s, at 60.79 km. Seiko’s 58.33 km put her in 54th position overall and first woman.

Below is Philippe Broers’ video of task 4 (part 2). More on Paragliding World Cup TV.

RESULTS Superfinal Task 3

Open

1. Joachim Oberhauser IT – Ozone Mantra R10.2
2. Urban Valic SL – Niviuk Icepeak
3. Aljaz Valic SL – Niviuk Icepeak

Women

1. Seiko Fukuoka Naville FR – Ozone Mantra R10.2 (80th overall)
2. Marina Olexina RU – Gin Boomerang 7 (84th overall)
3. Petra Slivova CZ – Niviuk Icepeak (85th overall)

Top team were Spälti (Stefan Wyss, Michael Sigel, Alex Hofer, Regula Strasser)

Task 4
Open

1. Alex Hofer CH – Ozone Mantra R10.2
2. Craig Morgan GB – Ozone Mantra R10
3. Julien Wirtz FR – Ozone Mantra R10.2

Women

1. Seiko Fukuoka Naville FR – Ozone Mantra R10.2
2. Petra Slivova CZ – Niviuk Icepeak
3. Renata Kuhnova CZ – Axispara Mercury

Top team were Inglorious Bastards (Helmut Eicholzer, Torsten Siegel, Thomas Brandlehner)

www.paraglidingworldcup.org

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Swiss paragliding acro champion Yves Berlowitz and his Lucky Clowns acro partner Remo Niederer set a new world record for 121 synchro infinite tumbles on 11 September 2010.

The pair D-bagged from a helicopter at 2,700 m (9,000 ft) above Linthebene, Switzerland.

www.luckyclowns.ch

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Yesterday and a fair bit of today (until 6AM) was spent travelling, from Husby via Copenhagen to Istanbul and on to Antalya. The stopover in Istanbul was fun; I ran into some 10 old friends in the gate, all Superfinal pilots heading for Denizli, I wanted sooo hard to come with them…

The flights were great – the XCTurkey guys had booked me on Business all the way, so I was well fed and well looked after all through the trip. In Antalya the usual delays due to other pilots having lost their baggage etc. occurred, so we didn’t get out of there until midnight, and then we had a 6 hour drive to Karaman… Long trip.

So today we were thrown out of bed at 8:30AM, and after a very nice breakfast and a stressed and short briefing we went to the town square to listen to the speaches etc. There was local folkloric music and other entertainment, and we sat and felt very VIP.

The mountain is called Karadag (Black Mountain), just like the Crna Hora and many other hills around the world. It has a fine if a bit small launch, but we’re not so many so that isn’t a problem. Climbing out wasn’t so easy, but several pilots finally made it to around 3000m and set off on a crosswind XC. The crosswind is due to the unfortunate fact that the NATO has decided to have an air exercise close to here so we can’t fly NE from launch, fairly unfortunate as the winds today were up to around 30km/h from SW. Lets hope that gets cleared, as the SW seems to be the prevailing wind here.

Not much to say about the XC flight, haven’t scored it yet but a few pilots made around 15km… The cross wind was simply too strong.

Nice to be back in the air though! I can’t say Murat’s 5000EUR (for a 300km flight) seem to be in much danger, all told. We launched at 1PM and the conditions weren’t great yet, and the day is over now, at 6PM, so we’ll need to be able to go downwind at least.

I’m going to halt here as I need to go and do some shopping too, more tomorrow, Insh’Allah,

Independence’s Garuda, an EN B free-flight wing, is now certified for paramotor use up to 140 kg (M size) or 160 kg (L size).

The company say the wing’s excellent launch characteristics and flight behavior, with its direct handling and high speed range, make it an ideal paramotor wing.

They have created a special combination riser with two hangpoints to enable either free flight or paramotor use. Trimmers on the rear riser speed the wing up for powered flight, and also allow torque compensation.

If you have a Garuda and would like to order the paramotor risers, please contact an Independence dealer.

www.independence-world.com

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Well, it’s the run-up to St Hilaire and a busy time of year in the Cross Country office, but we are planning a post-St Hilaire treat: to climb the biggest mountain in Western Europe (4,810m), and fly off it.

A thing of beauty, the big white snow dome at the top of Mont Blanc is visible for miles around, technically not overly difficult to climb and somewhat alluring. Yes, I know there are many, many beautiful peaks to climb, that are less crowded, and litter-strewn than this; and yes, I’ve heard that the scene on leaving the refuge in the darkness of early morning (the middle of the night, most of us would call it) is a continuous train of head-torches; yes, it’s a long way from the peace and solitude of climbing a smaller, less known summit, but somehow it still beckons.

The team are unfortunately very much bound by full calendars, and have only a five-day window to make the attempt, which could be easily thwarted if the weather does not co-operate. It also only gives us time to do a minimal amount of acclimatisation, but if the weather is OK it could just be enough.

In the group will be editor in chief Bob Drury and his partner Sarah; editor Ed Ewing, myself and my neighbour and climbing partner Guy. To add another element to my preparations, Guy does not fly, so I am learning to pilot a tandem wing so that I can take him on the hour’s flight down. Bob will fly tandem with Sarah and Ed will fly solo.

The preparations for the trip are many-fold: We need to decide which route to take, book the appropriate refuge (bearing in mind that we are going out of season, and not all refuges will still be manned); there is kit to gather together and test-fly (can you fit that rope anywhere, and where on earth do you stash an ice axe in flight?). For me, the most difficult and nerve-wracking part of the preparation is learning to fly tandem. Guy is very tall (6’4” or 193 cm), and we will be launching on snow in thin air, just to add to the challenge. And time is getting short …

I started my tandem training with my friend Nicol, a willing volunteer who is a similar size to me, on a lovely docile XL Ozone Mojo. However, Guy is bigger so I needed to move to a tandem wing and a tall passenger. My husband, Marcus, fits the tall bill nicely, and was also willing to be strapped to the front of me. The kind people at Little Cloud came to our rescue with the loan of a lightweight tandem, their new Bidule. At 6.2 kg it’s lighter than some solo wings, and Guy and I will share the load on the climb – one of us carrying the wing whilst the other takes the harnesses and spare clothing.

Nicol and I got onto the Bidule the day after it arrived, with a lovely morning flight at St Andre-les-Alpes. Even in my very inexpert hands, it launches very easily, the wing rising slowly and surely, and easily sitting overhead whilst we get ready for the off. It is beautiful in the air, and thankfully less speedy on landing than I had feared, even in nil wind, and even with Marcus and I on it. I do still need to work on the timing of my landing flare, which needs to take into account someone else’s legs touching down before mine do.

Harness-wise we have a lightweight reversible Woody Valley with split legs, ideal for the purpose, and will raid the Cross Country stores for the smallest, briefest second harness we can find that will be comfortable enough for the hour’s descent flight. Guy is working overseas currently, and not due back until the week before the off, so whilst I will do as much tandem as I can with anyone who’ll let me take them in the meantime, it’ll be a last-minute intense course for him, to take him on his first ever flights and find him a comfortable harness.

For training purposes, I packed myself a separate ‘training kit’ with my Ozone Ultralite 19 in the Woody Valley rucksack to enable me to get used to carrying it up hills, and flying down with it (though solo this time). I included rope, axes and crampons for the exercise and to ensure they will fit in a harness to be flown down again, although they won’t actually have to be carried in a rucksack on the day as they will be in use. Likewise some of the clothing and the helmet will be in use, so the sack will be lighter than I have been training with.

In terms of physical training, I think it’s really endurance that is the key. The ideal is probably to go for regular long walks carrying weight, hence the training kit, though in reality it’s hard to fit too many of these sessions into an already busy life, so I more often go for runs and hope that the aerobic training will be of some help overall. I trained for and ran the Mont Blanc marathon at the end of June and am hoping that some of the stamina gained will still be there, even all this time later.

So then, the itinerary. Firstly, which route? There are two obvious choices if starting from Chamonix: the voie normale, via the Gouter refuge and Bosses ridge, or the Trois Monts route which starts at the Cosmiques refuge and goes over the shoulders of Mt Blanc de Tacul and Mt Maudit.

The former is graded PD (peu difficile) and is really a two-day affair, as it involves several hours’ approach to get to the Gouter refuge (3,817m), and is then a four-and-a-half hour climb on ‘summit day’. The latter is PD+ and is conveniently accessed from the Cosmiques refuge, a half-hour walk from the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car. It is then around a six or seven-hour walk on summit day.

On further investigation, I discovered the Gouter refuge is likely to be unmanned by mid-September, and the top part of the Mont Blanc Tramway to the Nid d’Aigle, the usual disembarkment point for people heading to the Gouter refuge, is closed for maintenance (you have to get off lower down). The Cosmiques refuge, however, is manned until mid-October and we could happily base ourselves there for a couple of days whilst acclimatising (so saving some uplift fees), so the Trois Monts route seems to be the most sensible choice for us.

In terms of acclimatisation, it is an inexact science and we only have a certain number of days available to us. Generally, it seems to be recommended to spend at least two days and one night at altitude before the night of the summit attempt, although I think the longer you can spend up high, the better.

Our original plan was to climb the Petit Aiguille Vert as one of our acclimatisation routes, with the possibility of flying down from the Grands Montets afterwards (assuming the snow is still in such a condition for this to be possible by the time we have finished the route). However, the Grands Montets cable car shuts on 12 September so this is not possible. So now it makes sense to base ourselves at the Cosmiques refuge for two nights, from where we can do a couple of acclimatisation days before attempting the big one on the third day. These routes will also give us the opportunity to brush up on alpine techniques, using ice axes and crampons and moving roped together.

Other things to think about

Rescue insurance – CAF (Club Alpin Francais) cover para-Alpinism for solo pilots or qualified tandem pilots with non-paying passengers. They also offer reductions on their own refuges’ fees, though the Cosmiques refuge that we will be using is not CAF-owned so this does not apply.

I live in France, so CAF and my French health care card cover all my insurance needs, but if coming from overseas you would need to consider having medical and repatriation insurance too.

Major costs, excluding transport to Chamonix

Aiguille du Midi cable car: €37

Cosmiques Refuge B&B & evening meal, two nights at €49 / night

Kit List

Packing for the mountains can be tricky: while you’ll be exercising and need to not overheat, it will definitely be cold at altitude. A temperature drop of 6 – 7 degrees Celsius every 1,000 m climbed is quoted, so at 5,000 m you can expect the temperature to be 30 – 35 degrees colder than at sea level. And that’s on a good-weather day and without taking wind chill into account. There’s always the possibility of the weather changing for the worse, tiredness or injury (pray not) that could mean you’ll easily get cold.

Conversely, you don’t want to carry more than you have to. I have climbed with people who take cut-off toothbrushes to save weight, so carrying around extra woollies for no reason is definitely not a good idea. So, after some consideration my clothing kit list is as follows:

Base layer – long sleeved wicking top & Ron Hill bottoms
Softshell jacket or fleece
Waterproof jacket and trousers (lots of people use gaiters too)
Loft jacket
Gloves and liners, spare gloves (I actually have dropped a glove over an abyss mid-route before)
Ski socks
Hat (to fit under helmet) or balaclava

Mountain boots suitable for cold weather and crampons
Ice axe
Crampons and anti-ball plates
Helmet, head-torch and batteries
Map, compass, whistle & guidebook
Rope (two between the party of five)
Harness with belay device, two slings, two prussiks, ice screw, spare karabiners
Water bottles (I decided to take actual bottles rather than a plastic drinks hose system in case the tube freezes up)
Tandem, two harnesses and spreaders
Camera
Phone (charged with battery and credit)
Suncream and lip salve

Useful Contacts

Office of Mountain Guides in Chamonix – info on routes, their condition, weather etc

Cable car timetables and prices

Gouter Refuge Tel +33 (0)4 50 54 40 93
Manned June – September.

Cosmiques Refuge Tel +33 (0)4 50 54 40 16
Manned from mid-February to mid-October.

Weather forecast in English  +33 (0)8 92 68 74 20

VOTE NOW! We’ve a had a great response to our Facebook short film competition – thanks to everyone who entered. The winner will be the one who gets the most votes in this poll. Vote once only for the film you like best. Voting closes noon on Wednesday 15 September 2010.

The winner wins a free harness from Sup’Air. All the films are on our Facebook page under ‘videos’. As per the rules, videos longer than three minutes have not been entered into the comp.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.