Posts Tagged ‘paragliding’

The Asian Paragliding Championships in Nishawa, Japan, kicked off on 2 May and has seen some good flying so far. Three tasks have been flown including 49 km, 76 km and 62 km races to goal.

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

Gin’s ultra lightweight Yeti harness is now available as either a reversible rucksack-harness (1.1 kg), or now without the rucksack part (650 g). You could choose to team it instead with Gin’s highly technical 50-litre alpine rucksack, which comes complete with ski and ice axe holders and a long front zip for easy packing. The technical sack is 1.3 kg.

The Yeti harness, with its split legs geometry, has rings for a speed bar and attachment points for the optional Yeti airbag. There are connection points on the shoulder straps for a front-mounted reserve, and a side tunnel to cover the bridle. Gin say your wing will feel much more precise to handle than with any other mountain harness.

www.gingliders.com

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Paragliding acro star and ground-handling afficionado Mike Kung’s ‘paraclimbing’ in wadi Rum, Jordan is being screened on the German television channel n.tv this week.

The show is part of the Take-Off TV programme, and will be broadcast on 3 May at 2:35, 4 May at 16.30 and 5 May at 1:00. From Saturday 7 May it will be available as a video on www.takeoff-tv.net

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British paraglider pilot Tom Payne stormed to the top of the British international XC league with an FAI triangle flight of 169.55 km, flown around the Chamonix – Annecy area of the French Alps on Wednesday 28 April 2010. The flight may also have earned him two UK records: UK National Distance around a triangular course – 169.55 km andUK National Speed over a triangular course of 150km – 7hrs 29mins 20.3 km/h.

Starting from les Grands Montets in Chamonix, his turnpoints were Les Dents D’Arclusaz and a point North of Parmelan (Annecy). Another British pilot, Jon Chambers, flew most of the triangle with Tom, but his left brake line snapped near the second turnpoint, forcing him to land early.

Tom describes his flight in detail on Paragliding Forum.

On the same day, there were seven 200+ km flights flown on paragliders in the Alps, the longest of which was French pilot Guy Parat’s 245.72 km triangle in the Grenoble area of France.

Swiss hang glider pilot Heinz Betschart topped the hang glider distances that day, with a 230.27 km FAI triangle flown in Switzerland on an Atos.

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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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Swiss company Paratech have a new beginners’ paraglider in the offing: the P12.

Constructed using four levels of lines, the team say they have nevertheless managed to shave off more than 80 m total line length compared to its predecessor, due to a new ‘asymptotic’ line concept.

Initial tests have been carried out in the SM and ML sizes, and the P12 is expected to achieve EN A certification. XS and L sizes are also in progress.

www.paratech.ch
email info@paratech.ch

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xTc Paragliding are offering beginner / improver cross country courses from the Tolmin-Kobarid valley, Slovenia. The week of 16 – 23 June British Club Pilots with 25 hours + airtime can work on their BHPA Pilot rating, and hopefully be signed off at the end of the week.

The xTc team work will fix individual pilots’ target skills for the week, courses being run in the format of a morning briefing, afternoon flying and an evening debrief and analysis.

Skills and topics covered include XC planning, instruments, glider and harness setup, thermalling observation, decision making, gaggles, final glide and XC leagues.

Full retrieve, transport, accommodation and course fees are offered as a package. See the price list on xTc’s website.

Self-catering accommodation is available, with reduced prices for non-flyers and children will be “as close to free as possible”.

www.xtc-paragliding.com

The Lowveld Slope Soaring Club (LSSC) are hosting the Barberton Open paragliding competition, amidst the FIFA World Cup final excitement that will be buzzing South Africa this June. The FAI Cat. 2 competition is the biggest (numbers-wise) on the South African calendar.

The dates for the competition are 12 – 19 June 2010.

Aimed at pilots of all abilities, organisers say the South African winter conditions expected in the Lowveld area of Mpumalanga in June offer a relatively unintimidating but reliable environment for the development of XC racing skills to the aspiring XC pilot.

Very little rain, night-time temperatures of 10-15 C and daytime up to 28 means climbs should be not too strong, but steady 3 – 5 m/s is not uncommon. The typical task set will be technically challenging and around 30 – 70 km distance.

Visist the LSSC’s website for more information or to register.

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The winners of Advance’s ‘Win your Wing’ promotion have been selected by paragliding world champion Andy Aebi and Red Bull X-Alps 2009 winner Chrigel Maurer.

Several hundreds of pilots took part  in the promotion, which was started at the 2009 Coupe Icare to enable pilots to share in and celebrate Advance’s 2009 competition successes.

Every pilot who bought a new advance wing between the Coupe Icare and 28 February 2010 were eligible to take part in the draw. The winners were as follows:

1. Full reimbursement of the wing : Michal Masek – Tanvald – Czech Republic
2. 2 day seminary with Chrigel Maurer : Joachim Kanthak – Freundendtadt – Germany
3. Thermore Jacket : Georg Hausherr – Rouffiac – France
4. Thermore Jacket : Markus Gwerder – Muotathal – Switzerland
5. Thermore Jacket : Mathieu Blanc – Begnins – Switzerland
6. Thermore Jacket : Jasmin Sonnenberg – Plainfeld – Austria
7. Thermore Jacket : Damian Hurschler – Engelberg – Switzerland
8. Walking Bag : Robert Heinimann – Bennwil – Switzerland
9. Walking Bag : Bernhard Martignoni – Münsingen – Switzerland
10. Walking Bag : Ovidio Zuluaga – Medellin – Colombia
11. Walking Bag : Anthony Parfitt – Freshwater East – Great Britain
12. Walking Bag : Jacky Lawarree – Remouchamps – Belgium

www.advance.ch

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The Paragliding Accuracy World Cup series for 2010 kicks off with a round in Batu, Indonesia, from 3 – 6 June 2010. You can register on their website from now until 15 May.

The registration fee of 200 Euros covers the competition and accomodation, as well as airport pick-ups, lifts to take off and meals. The top prize is 1,000 Euros, 750 Euros for second place and 500 for third in each category – male and female.

The three additional rounds that make up the PGAWC Tour 2010 are as follows:

• 6 – 8 August : Trakoscan, Croatia
• 20 – 22 August : Bjelasnica, Bosnia & Herzegovina
• 1 – 3 Oct : Stubaital, Austria

www.pgawcindonesia.com