Article: The Ozone Caribbean XC 2007, a "stress-free" paragliding comp

The first thing that the Caribbean challenges the visitors is their ears. An incredible level of noise follows you all the time in every inhabited place of the Dominican Republic, a country settled in the island of La Hispaniola shared with Haiti. The Dominicans are cheerful and light-hearted people who travel mainly on (noisy) mopeds and love the local music –bachata, merengue or reggaeton- at high decibels, cold beer, dancing and playing domino.

The landscape varies from the deep green forests covering the mountains around the valley of Bonao –to the north of Santo Domingo , where the Caribbean XC took place this year–, to the turquoise water at the paradisiacal beaches on the northeast of the country, contrasting with the barren slopes of the south.

The 2nd Caribbean XC Challenge had its headquarters at a rural hotel near Jarabacoa, in the so-called "Dominican Alps". That's the place where many pilots who attended the first XC met with each other and with the instructor and meet director Jocky Sanderson, known by his educational paragliding videos (like 'Speed to Fly' or the recent 'Performance Flying'). With them, there were a number of pilots coming for the first time to the XC from countries as diverse as Jamaica, Puerto Rico or Belgium.

Casabito is a private launch: The place was bought by a group of local pilots who had to clear the slope from trees and plants to make a wide and comfortable take-off area.

The valley of Bonao lies before a low range of hills to the front and east of the take-off ridge. The most technical part of the begining of each flight here is to keep enough altitude so you don't sink between the Casabito mountain and the hills in front (or by the river). The good thing is that you usually find lift near the hills.

Pilot: Luis Ameglio (32nd)
Paraglider: Ozone Addict R (DHV2)
Country: Panama (resident of the US)
Experience: 280 hours approx. in free flight (+2 years flying paramotor)

"I live in Florida which is a very flat place, so I have really flown cross country for the first time here, and it's also my first competition. What attracted me from this event is that it is not so competitive and it's good for learning, there's a good ambience.... I think the site is excellent, it's not very complicated even for beginners. I would recommend it because only coming here means to learn things, then you push yourself and make an effort to learn and to do it better."

Pilot: Renato Botta (3rd)
Paraglider: Gin Boomerang Sport (DHV2-3)
Country: Italy
Experience: Pilot since 1986, competitor of the Italian PG League

"It's been a very good competition, with very good vibes among everybody. Here the cloudbases are low and it is very different from where we usually fly, but it's very beautiful. Our plan was to try and make FAI triangles for three days and then fly distances, but the conditions did not allow it. We worked the planning a lot with the pilots of my club (Scurbatt) and with Stefano Cavadini, who is the technical director of a team of new people. We came some days before to know the zone and we also studied the routes with Google Earth. I think we made a good use of our trip here".

Piloto: Walter Scott (67th - 1st in DHV1)
Paraglider: Gin Bolero Plus (DHV1)
Country: United States
Experience: 25 hours or 35 flights

“It has been great, I've flown over one hour a day during all the week and the people are amazing, some great pilots and all very friendly. I didn't know anybody when I arrived and I had never flown with more people. Where I live, in Louisiana, there aren't flying sites near, so Dominican Republic is the place where I have flown the most so far. Last year I came for holidays and I flew in the south, I did my first cross country flight, 8 or 10 km. Now I have flown more... Yes, in this type of event I would like to compete again, get together with a bunch of pilots. Here I tried to beat myself, to compete against myself. I like this place because the air is so smooth”.

Blue skies and lots of green in this flying zone, a friendly site for pilots of very different levels

Jocky Sanderson, meet director/coach:
“I love this sort of competition!”

Paraglider pilot for 20 years, Jocky is a respected XC instructor / guide, and video-maker known for titles like “Speed to Fly” or the recent “Performance Flying”. At the Caribbean XC, Jocky displayed his skills as educator in every briefing, by explaining the basic concepts of performance flying, but also by paying special attention to the more novice pilots and helping them through the radio when he believed it was necessary. That's how he managed to make most pilots feel confident to fly in this new country, in a new site and in new conditions, and adding a new perspective to a XC contest.

A competition pilot for 10 years (he stopped after the Worlds in 1997), Jocky believes that competing is the best way to learn to fly distance. “You train decision making, speed to fly, preparation… But competing is not for everyone. The Caribbean XC Challenge is both a big cross country course AND a competition. Everybody is learning from the top pilots in a safe, not elitist environment”, says Jocky. He got a good feedback from the pilots during the D-briefings after the flights, in which he compared the tracks and flights done by different pilots to arrive to different results. “There was a real team spirit!” he says.

“I love this sort of comp because there's usually a big gap between competition and normal flying like most pilots do. Here the safety is high but it is still a comp and the people push their grades, they are encouraged to fly better ”, explains Jocky, who is also involved in the organization of the Chabre Open, another “stress-free” competition organized by Ozone and quite successful in Europe - if we consider that registration was full in only one day!

“Ozone is investing in real pilots, those who buy the gliders – not 'top-guns'. They are willing to help event organizers with a comp like this, so if anybody is interested, call Ozone! ”, he says.

During the Caribbean XC we had the chance to see the latest production by Jocky and Ozone, the instructional video “Performance Flying”, which offers very interesting advice for flying faster and farther and incredible slow-motion sequences of acro manoeuvres, “clearing up how to do acro properly and showing SIV manoeuvres and XC tips”.

Jocky's site is: www.escapexc.com

'Local' pilots (right): Pedro Tirado (Portorrican living in DR), and looking at the camera, Ricardo Tejeda, the only Dominican in the XC

Searching for lift on the launch ridge. The mountain range runs from north to south offering good support at different heights, with thermals that usually go up to the base of small cumulus.

The perfectly oulined cloudbases are a great help on the flights over the valley.

Pierre, struggling to climb over the flatlands.

Julian takes a break from the organization work to try the Mantra M2, in total ignorance of the little incident suffered by his mate Georges (lower)...

The Dominican Thermals

The flights in Dominican Republic, and the valley of Bonao in particular, are very attractive. The thermals are fluid and powerful, at least my variometer registered a maximum average of +5m/s during the 5 flights I did in the Caribbean XC. The day I logged the lowest max it was +4.2 m/s. On the other hand, bases were relatively low; the first day we only had the base at 1040 m above sea level, which made it hard to cover many km. During the competition, the base raised day by day and reached 1800m asl on the last day.
Apart from powerful, the thermals are specially narrow forcing you to make tight turns to climb. The good thing is that the lift is well organized, consistent, and there is very little turbulence. It's perfect for playing in the thermals: if you like thermalling, you'll probably liked this site. Thermals work better if you catch them high; below 300m over the ground it can be very difficult to climb. The clouds are very active but the cycles here are short; the cumulus clouds have a quick life so you almost have to fly to them before they appear...
In the flights here you usually use the lift produced along the mountain range, although in order to have a successful XC you need to know how to fly in the valley and exercise patience while you slowly make your way, securing your transitions.
It's a beautiful and very interesting place where I would happily return to fly XC.
Daniel Crespo

Julian Molina, organizer:
"The atmosphere and the low stress level are the best. It's free flying!"

For second consecutive year leading an event that was born as heir of the Pre-World Cup (held in DR in 2004) also organized by him, Julian Molina (AR) explains that his motivation is to encourage cross country flying in Dominican Republic and attract foreign pilots to visit this beautiful island - his home place for more than a decade. At the end of this Caribbean XC, Julian was satisfied, particularly because everybody enjoyed the event.

"All the pilots had adventures and new experiences; the format lets them interact with the local people while they reach the retrieve points. Also, we had favourable conditions and we could prove the good potential of the site, Bonao, which is relatively new", said Julian. He added that many of the participants had also come to the first XC.

"Ozone's approach to the event is to offer an educative part with Jocky, as added value. This is very attractive especially for the less experienced pilots. There is an organization and good logistics to support them when they fly away", explains Julian. "It is an interesting event for a wide range of pilots, not only of different levels but also with very different interests. The more experts want to fly supported by an organization, while those of lower levels can relate with the advanced pilots - something than in a normal comp does not happen".

For Julian, the best thing is "the atmosphere and the low level of stress. People share more, and finally it's all about free flying!"

In 2008, the Caribbean XC Challenge will return in February but Julian announces some surprises: "We will try to innovate with new ingredients, but keeping the same format", he says. For those who come, his recommendation (and we totally agree!) is to stay in the country at least one more week after the event. "There is a great variety of flights; in spite of being an island this is big, with significant mountainous systems and different conditions. That is what allows flying all year round". Add to that the gorgeous Caribbean beaches and exotic Dominican landscapes, and you'll have more reasons to come.

Julian's site is: www.caribbeanfreeflying.com

Flying couples: There were many of them in this Caribbean XC. From left to right, Loulou (BR) and Cyril (FR); Julian and Sonia (hosts of the XC: she is not a pilot herself but supports Julian in the organization); Simon and Kathryn (UK); Anna and Jurgen (JM)

Motoconcho retrieves

Photo: Andrew Davies

Landing after a XC flight in Dominican Republic is probably the main source of adventures there. Right after your feet touch the ground hordes of children would come running to you, breathless by the effort but happy and anxious to give the colourful aircraft that glided over their heads a close look. Usually, one of them will open the gates of the field - not to help you get out but to help the rest of the people gathered outside go in and watch. At the same time the motoconchos arrive: these are motorbikes that work as taxis to drive you virtually anywhere. While the motoconcho drivers discuss who among them will take you, the children fight for being close to your glider and helping you fold it, asking all kind of questions at the same time. There's always the smart guy of the group who quickly organizes a "toll" at the gate and charges a fee for leaving the field to the rest of the pilots who land there!
In some country areas, farmers may even bring their daughters to you and ask if you would like to take any of them and marry her. If you are a woman you'll probably receive marriage proposals…

When you finally have all your gear in the rucksack and you're sweating heavily by the heat and the humidity, you climb on the back of a motoconcho that will give you a ride to one of the retrieve points along the Duarte highway, which crosses the valley (and the country) from north to south in the direction of Santo Domingo. We'll see this highway practically during every flight from Casabito; it's a good point of reference. The retrieve points are on some road bars or “colmados” where you can wait for the retrieve bus drinking an ice-cold beer (literally: if the bottle is covered in ice you should never put it on your lips but pour the beer carefully in a glass – otherwise it'll freeze!) The buses take everybody to the hotel after 3 pm. Before that, they carry the pilots from the official landing zone to the takeoff every half an hour. So, if it's early and you don't mind the traffic and the lack of helmet, the best thing to do is go by motoconcho to the LZ “Plaza del Chivo” where you'll be able to take a “guagua” (bus) to launch and try a new flight, or wait at the bar with the rest of the pilots. Comfortable, or what?

Final results (only the best 3 flights score)
Position	Cat 1 DHV 1 & EN A	Cat 2 DHV 1/2 & EN B	Cat 3 DHV 2 & EN C	Cat 4 DHV 2/3 & EN D	GENERAL
1st	Walter Scott, US	Mark Gibbins, UK	Martin Church, UK	Nick Roberts, UK	Nick Roberts, UK
2nd	Anna Von Dueszeln, JM	Sebastian Benz, CH	Stefano Montanelli, IT	Renato Botta, IT	Martin Church, UK
3rd	Kathryn Wakeman, UK	Adrian Leppard, UK	Andrew Davies, UK	Steve Parsons, UK	Renato Botta, IT

More flying and National Record: On the weekend after the Caribbean XC we flew at Azua, on the south of the country, a very interesting site with great cross country potential - although with more difficult retrieves. That day, Sebastian Meier on his Ozone Mantra M2 managed to beat the national record of distance with a flight of 70km in straight line. An excellent flight in this Caribbean island and a great achievement... Congratulations!

To say goodbye, nothing like a smooth soaring by the sea at La Playita (very close to Azua), perfect for the sunset time...

See pictures:
	Album Ojovolador.com
	Album Caribbean XC
	Hubert's Gallery
	Flying sites in DR, commented Gallery (2004).

+ Info

Caribbean Free Flying: Guided tours, sites and everything about paragliding in Dominican Republic. Contact them if you plan to go and fly there; they can advice you about flying in the country.

2007.caribbeanxc.com: Official site of the second edition of the Ozone Caribbean XC Challenge, with daily reports, results, tracks of all the flights done, graphics, etc.

*A special thank- you to the Organization of the Ozone Caribbean XC Challenge for their support to make this article, for their hospitality, and for a wonderful event in a gorgeous country. Congratulations!