| Tomas
Brauner wins at Xceará 2004 |
Although the famous area at the northeast of Brazil did not
offer the epic conditions of previous years, with morning
clouds that forced the pilots to start later in the day, still
5 good tasks were flown by the cross country aces who participated.
Two Czech pilots took the first places, Tomas Brauner
(1st) and Martin Orlik (2nd), while Hungarian
Peter Tasi took the 3rd position and ended
1st in the serial class classification.
Brauner’s best flight was 240,9 km and the worst, 144,5
km, making a total of 1006,1 km in 5 days!
“Most of the pilots were happy with their flights
and broke their personal distance records” said
the organizers (GoUp Brazil).
The take-offs began only at 10:30 and even later due to the
cloudiness and weak wind conditions, but the afternoons offered
improved weather every day and many pilots managed to fly
more than 200 km.
New records will have to wait for a next Xceará challenge…
+Info: www.xceara.com.br
|
Photo:
www.goup.com.br
Posted:
December 27th, 2004 |
| New
Paraglider factory, Sun Gliders |
This Korean factory was founded early this year by a former
collaborator of Edel called Keun-Ha Choi,
who’s also involved in the gliders design together with
S.K. Lee. Choi started paragliding in 1988,
and is said to be “one of most famous competitors
and instructors in Korea”.
The Sun Gliders range includes a special
wing for paramotoring, the Cruiser; a tandem
called SSun; a competition glider, the Khan;
a beginners DHV1 called Smart; an intermediate
DHV1-2 called Forte, and an advanced-intermediate
model called Libero. They also have two models
of harnesses, Sunny and Kangaroo,
and various PG accessories.
Since June, Sun have already produced about 450 paragliders
of their 6 models and more than 200 harnesses, at their premises
located in South Korea very near Gin’s and Edel’s.
They are exporting their products to 19 countries and have
20 dealers in Korea.
Sun Glider’s motto is to make “the best gliders
for people who sincerely like paragliding”.
+Info: www.sungliders.com
|
Posted:
December 27th, 2004 |
|
PWC
season closed in Mexico: Oliver and Petra, the bests!
|
Three
valid tasks were flown in Tapalpa, Mexico, where the last stop
of the Paragliding World Cup took place and confirmed the victory
of the German pilot Oliver
Rössel (UP Targa II proto), who was leading the PWC ranking
since the event in Talloires, France, in June.
In Tapalpa, Rössel ended in the 29th place but was enough
points ahead to keep the lead. Tapalpa was a good event for Italian
Paolo Zamarchi (Gin Boomerang 3), who took the second position
and also climbed to the second place in the final PWC ranking.
Brazilian Frank Brown (Gin Boom3) ended a very good season with
the 3rd place overall. In women Petra Krausova (CZ - Mac Para
Magus) is again on top of the PWC podium, followed by Elisabeth
Rauchenberger (CH - Gin Boom3) and Caroline Brille (FR - Advance
Omega 6). The event winner was Stefan Wyss (CH - Gin Boom3), followed
by Zammarchi, and Torsten Siegel (D - UP Targa) in third place.
In women won Elisabeth Rauchenberger.
[READ
an interesting interview to PWC Champion 2004, Oliver Rössel
- click here!] |
|
The
conditions in Tapalpa were technical, with valley winds, strong
thermals and turbulences that forced to cancel the two first tasks
for safety reasons. On the third day, Tuesday, things look better
and a 66km race to goal is set. 24 pilots make
goal, while many others land on the Tapalpa plateau. Shoishiro
Tadano is the task winner, followed by Paolo
Zammarchi and Marco Littame. No women
reach goal; Elisabeth Rauchenberger lands after
48km, Petra Krausova lands at 45.9km and Carol
Licini reaches 42.8km.
On the next day, Wednesday, conditions seem perfect and there’s
a 67km race that 64 pilots complete after enjoying
very good flights over the area. Stefan Morgenthaler was
leading the task and thought about gliding to the goal with help
from the back wind, but there was no more wind in the goal area…
He was lucky to find a thermal before the lake that helped him
win the task. But some of the pilots who followed him were not
so lucky: Christian Maurer was going to be among
the firsts in goal and maybe climb up in the ranking to a leading
position, but he failed the goal by 50 meters and his chances
dropped dramatically. Second was Marco Arnold,
and third, Hans Bollinger. Elisabeth
Rauchenberger was the first woman in goal, followed by
Carol Licini.
On Thursday, overdeveloped clouds force to cancel the task but
Friday sees again a valid task. Due to the possibilities of overdevelopments
a short task of 49km is set. Lift is difficult
on the first turnpoint, but finally there are 54 pilots on goal.
The first is Shoichiro Tadano, followed by Christian
Maurer and Paolo Zammarchi. Keiko
Hiraki, who had a bad landing during the first task,
is the first woman in goal, Naomi Ventura second
and Caroline Brille third.
It’s raining on Sunday so the last task is cancelled and
Stefan Wyss is the competition winner. PWC Champion
is Oliver Rössel and female champion is
Petra Krausova.
The Paragliding World Cup will be back in
April 2005 in Bulgaria, where the first event
of the Tour 2005 will take place in Sopot (April 23-30). Then
it’ll be Bourg St Maurice in France (4-11 June); Nis in
Serbia (2-9 July); Monte Cornizzolo in Italy (16-23 July); and
Serra da Estrela in Portugal (6-13 August). |
|
ACRO
in the South! |
The 'Acro' scene has moved to the Southern
hemisphere - concretely to South America- as the summer season
of flight moves toward those latitudes and the thermals sleep
in the North. The amusing Acro events are conquering both Latin
American and European pilots, and at the same time call the attention
of the general public thanks to the spectacular nature of the
maneuvers and the possibility of watching them closely. |
Acrolatino
- Ecuador
For second consecutive year took place over the Yaguarcocha lagoon
in Ecuador (October) this Acro championship that attracted mainly
pilots of the South American cone. The winner was Peruvian pilot
Luis Munárriz, followed by Colombian Dúber
Muñetón, whom we met 3 years ago in the documentary
"Duber and the children of the sky" (awarded in the Festival
of El Yelmo 2001) as a boy from a very poor zone who was taught
to fly by the local pilots. The third position was for Colombian
Juan Diego Cano"X", who scared the public
with an spectacular and rough water landing, luckily without consequences.
An Ecuadorian school and a Peruvian one are taking advantage of
the good conditions of the area to organize SIV and acro courses.
|
|
Acroandes
- Argentina
The organizers of this first event of paragliding aerobatics
in Argentina, which scored for the Acro World Championship 2005,
describe the Cabra Corral dyke like "a paradisiacal
place". Located 65 km from the city of Salta (on the
northeast of the country), this festival with Acro competition
in two categories, courses and exhibitions, attracted about
half a hundred pilots from diverse countries and a lot of public,
by the end of October. In the "pro" competition there
was the usual raft on the water where the pilots had to land
accurately to avoid "splashing". Finally, the winner
was the French factory pilot of Aerodyne, Francois Bon,
also member of the team 'Acro-Base' known by their radical videos
of acro combined with base jumps. Second on the podium was the
Swiss pilot who lives in Argentina, Andy Hediger
(Advance) and the third, Brazilian Renato Papa Gonzales
(Sol). The organizer, Sergio Valdés, says: "François
Bon, landed
on the raft with total
precision and could not believe he was taking the first place,
he transmitted his joy to us. He did not know Salta but I believe
that now it is a hard-to-forget destination, as it can be considered
among the best sites in the world!”. +Info:
www.acroandes.com
|
Photo: Acroandes
posted:
November
24th, 2004
|
| Winter
Escapes
The
long weekend from the 4th to the 8th of December will be a good
opportunity to escape and fly to any place in the South, to places
where we can find warmer temperatures and good flying conditions.
Here is a couple of options in Spain. |
| Closing
of Spanish PG League in La Palma (5-8 Dec)
The best option if you want to enjoy some days of beach and sun,
and compete with the best Spanish pilots in this warm island of
the Canaries. Like last year, the competition will take place
in the flight zone of the "leeside" of the island, below
the Cumbre Vieja peak, in the municipality of Los Llanos de Aridane
and its coastal district Puerto Naos. The idea is to fly at least
4 tasks in 5 days, so in case that they fly every day and the
4 tasks are valid, Wednesday 8 would be a free day. Places are
limited to 90 pilots but if you are around and don’t want
to compete you will be flying with a big group of paragliders,
which is always fun. Last year was a big success with pilots coming
from all the regions of Spain, seduced by thermal flying in December!
The atmosphere is relaxed although the fight for the last points
among the Top Spanish pilots will surely make things get hotter
in this last event of the national League that will define the
winner of season 2004.
For more info you can contact the local club Campanarios, in charge
of the event organization: campanarios_lpa@canarias.org.
There’s info available for download in this website, but
it’s in Spanish: www.alasdeleyre.com/Archivos/otros/lapalma.htm |
PG
Meet of Castala (5-6 Dec).
In the region of Almeria, on the Southeast of Spain and very near
the town of Berja, is located the tiny village of Castala, the
landing zone of a mountain that rises 1100m above it. With that
altitude and thermals that pop up as soon as the sun rays get
warm, Castala also offers nice temperatures, great atmosphere
and good chances to have the best flights of the winter, beside
being one of the very few events where everything –except
the official dinner at 12 euros!- is for free. Last year more
than 100 pilots came to this beautiful area, where you can have
a stunning view of the Sierra Nevada and La Alpujarra mountains
not far away, and the Mediterranean Sea distant only 15 km. This
year the organizers have arranged a free camping zone near the
LZ with hot water in the showers, and they will also organize
some alternative activities for non-flyer companions.
If you stay during the whole weekend there is a number of other
flying sites around that the local pilots will surely show you
or tell you how to get there, and you can also hire a guide to
ease things for you.
More
info and guiding services at the club’s site: http://usuarios.lycos.es/paralmeria
Posted:
November 24th, 2004 |
| ONLINE
BOOK ABOUT PARAGLIDING |
The
well-known website about paragliding, Para2000, now offers a
new resource for pilots, “The Book”.
This virtual book is a training and informative manual for paragliding
and parachuting, that covers all the basics about these sports
in about 800 descriptive pages online. The topics are touched
mostly through images and graphics, very easy to understand,
and go from technique to meteorology, including related subjects
like a record of all the World Championships held until now,
with the place and the winners.
We have to thank Gerard Florit, founder and responsible of Para2000
–the biggest online database about paragliders and paragliding
websites– who is now giving more of his effort into our
sport. Well done!
Visit
Para2000 and 'The Book' in: www.para2000.org
Posted: November 18th, 2004
|
|
| Advance
Overall 2005 |
|
In
time for the cold season, the Swiss brand released their improved
flight suit with details specially introduced to satisfy all pilots.
The overall is made in a windproof/waterproof fabric of high resistance,
with polar fleece lining, knee reinforcement in Poly-Fleece, and
adjustable velcro/elastic on the wrists and legs, which make it
suitable for “all seasons”.
It has been designed to allow a fleece jacket to be worn under,
and it also has armpit ventilation, legs with waterproof lining
with adjustable Velcro, foot strap, side pockets and openings
for an easy access. It also includes fixation straps on the leg
for flight instruments, collar adjustable with a chord, and a
large number of pockets: on the front side, on each side, on the
arm.
Available in 6 sizes, from XS to XXL, and 2 combinations of colors.
+Info: www.advance.ch
Posted:
November 14th, 2004 |
| NEW
HARNESSES |
Sky
– Excite
The new harness from the Czech factory was introduced in St
Hilaire and has been specially designed for advanced, cross
country and competition pilots and has an aerodynamic shape with
low hangpoints for efficient weightshift control and active flying.
The Excite includes a 14cm protection and in-built
speed system with the leg support. It has a low weight: only 4,8
kg including carabiners and protection. Other features include ABS
system (easily adjustable by the chest strap); “easy to reach”
rescue handle -for left handed or right handed pilots; two level
speed system with automatic blocking system; back support padding
made of thermo active materials; big back pocket and side pockets
covered with elastic material. The Excite is built in Cordura and
it’s available in 2 colors and 3 sizes (M-XL).
In Sky’s website you can see a 3D animation
of this harness:
www.sky-cz.com
|
|
|
| Skyline
Vertigo
They call it “the freestyle-machine” and some of the
top acro pilots were involved in its design and are also using
it (Antoine Boisselier, François Bon, Richard Gallon).
The Vertigo offers “maximum freedom of
movement” thanks to free-sliding shoulder straps that allow
the pilot to move in a comfortable upright position and different
seat positions in flight, being always tight to the harness with
a special vest. The harness can be fitted with one or two rescue
systems under the seat for maximum security, and it has integrated
speedsystem. Other features include ergonomic stitched foam layers
on back (1,5 cm foam); 12 cm special airbag; and side chest-straps
adjustable with flat latches. The factory has introduced a particular
semi-sponsoring system for all the competition Acro pilots who
want to fly the Vertigo without paying for it! The system consist
of a combination between a special price for the harness and getting
money for reaching a good place at the main events like Red Bull
Vertigo, Acrolac, Acroaria, etc. Interested pilots must contact:
Bernhard@skyline-flightgear.de |
|
Skyline
Racer
The brand has introduced some changes to their competition harness
following the feedback got from pilots -that found it a bit
too active in flight. Skyline has changed the angle of the seatboard
to make it a little bit more stable “without losing
the very good handling for weightshifting” they say.
The Racer can now be flown without the leg
strap, which was not possible before, and there is also available
a leg cover for it. It has an aerodynamic shape with a big,
reinforced storage pocket on the back. The rescue system is
integrated under the seatboard with a "four-leaf-system".
According to Skyline, the rescue handle is easy to reach and
it is a very "flat" harness with low drag, “without
abandoning security” (12cm foam-protector).This harness
is intended for XC and competition pilots, and female world,
European and PWC champion Petra Krausova is already flying it.
+Info:
www.skyline-flightgear.de
|
Posted:
November 11th, 2004
|
News
in our previous Archive #12 / October 2004:
Patrice Quillet, European record 280km; Windy Europeans in Greece; Antoine
Montant, the new Acro star; Bruce Goldsmith, British pilot; Will Gadd
crosses Grand Canyon; DVD 'Flying Babouches'; XCEARA 2004; New Calendar.
Click to go!
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