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| Four
days of flight out of 7 concluded with 10 valid tasks fiercely
fought until the end, to finally give the gold medal in
foot-launched paramotor (PF1) to the current world champion
Mathieu Rouanet (FR, Ozone Viper-PAP) and in trikes (PL1)
to Frantisek Salava (CZ). France won by nations in PF1 and
the Czech Republic, in PL1. Five world records were set
during this Europeans that incorporated new tasks and FAI
records for this discipline of flight.
A
long applause dedicated by all the participants, judges
and volunteers of the Europeans to organizer Jose
Luis Luque at the closing ceremony, was the recognition
to an outstanding direction for one of the best championships
of this young modality of flight. The FAI European Paramotor
Championship was going to be remembered as a well organized
event, with good and varied tasks and excellent flights
over the Spanish province of Leon. But the tragic death
of pilot Carlos Cotoruelo (SP) after the 10th and last task
covered all the memories with a veil of sadness and took
part of the brightness off this Europeans. The emotive prize-giving
ceremony was filled with a mix of sorrow for the absence
of a mate and satisfaction for a well done work that, nevertheless,
the competitors and members of the organization felt.
During
the week of competition we could observe the excellent level
of some of the teams, who could join their efforts coordinately
to harvest medals, and the effort that the manufacturers
are putting in the development of winner machines. We also
noticed the huge differences there are among them, from
the home-made solutions of the Czechs for some of their
motors to the incredible economy performance of the 4-strokes
units of the Brits. Paramotoring still is an experimental
discipline, of amateur construction, in which limitations
or regulations for the machines do not exist and thus virtually
any idea can be tried. And a European Championship is an
excellent testing field.
Fifty
pilots from 10 countries participated in this continental
championship, 35 in the foot-launched category and 15 in
trikes (PL1 and PL2), a very low numbers for a sport that
is clearly growing almost anywhere in the world.
Issues
like the security and type of tasks used in international
championships were debated on the last day by pilots and
FAI judges, in order to determine if the tasks –inherited
from the "classic classes", ULMs- are what discourage
new pilots from competing or if the championships are seen
as flown in “demanding” and even “unsafe”
conditions. For the FAI, the problem must be treated first
within each country, but proposals and opinions given during
this meeting –and those sent by the national federations
later- will be evaluated by the CIMA and possibly reflected
in changes to be seen in future championships.
See the proposals in www.flymicro.com/cima06 |
Opening ceremony
Long applauses for the members of the organization team,
leaded by Luque. |
Early mornings: Activity started very
early every day at the Europeans camp site at the Chozas
airfield |
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Europeans base camp
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Ready for launch
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Results
Paramotor
Europeans
Podium
PF1 (foot-launched)
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1
Mathieu Rouanet , Ozone Viper 24 –
PAP (FR)
2 Pavel Brezina, CZE
3 Ramon Morillas, Advance Epsilon -
PAP (ES)
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Podium
Nations PF1 (foot-launched)
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1
France
2 Czech Republic
3 United Kingdom |
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Podium
PL1 (Trike)
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1
Fantisek Salava, CZE
2 Michaela Machartova , CZE
3 Michal Krivanek , CZE |
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Podium
EQUIPOS PL1 (Trike)
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| 1
Czech Republic
2 Spain
3 Germany |
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INTERVIEW
Mathieu Rouanet, European PPG Champion 2006:
"If
I go to the Worlds,
it
is not to be second!"
How
do you feel with this new medal and after the Euros?
You're THE number 1!
For me, this is the 3rd gold medal in a very
short time, I’m very happy of this, but I already
have many things to ameliorate; gold medal is one
thing, but the most important is the battle against
yourself; and on this part, I made many mistakes I
want to stop in the future. Competition is one thing,
and everybody here is giving the best of himself.
But I think the first point is a lifestyle, we all
like to be together, with different cultures and nationalities
in a new country to share. Being number 1 is not eternal
if you don't keep the little advance you have with
the other good pilots. So I never forget this is just
a moment in the life and not an achievement.
How
did you like these Europeans?
I felt this competition like the best international
I have ever done; organization was perfect, clear
tasks, good variety of tasks, the results were very
fast, so the teams and individuals could apply a tactical
for the next tasks, in the comp, I’ve heard
about only one protest, which was justified... In
the past, we were totally confused with protests all
the time, and not a good ambiance at the end... This
year, I could feel a real respect and communication
between the different teams, what is quite new. I
think the division of the classes (ppg and classic
classes) seems to be a good thing because we are quieter,
and concentrate on our discipline and organization
too. The real bad thing in this competition, and already
for all the paramotor community, is the departure
of Carlos, Spanish good pilot, who deceased after
a crash; all the pilots and all the team have been
shocked by this, and we all want to remind paramotor
is not a chess game...
About
the day of the accident, did you find the conditions
unsafe for a task?
That day, conditions were excellent for a
consumption task; and we were very surprised to see
the wind coming very strong very quickly; we didn’t
see this on the forecast... By chance, all the pilots
were landed at this time, and the lasts ones just
landed at the beginning of the gusts. Carlos wanted
to come back to the competition site after the competition,
he was with his trike, and wanted to let the place
in the car for the other Spanish team pilots...
Some
teams believe that thermal flying should be avoided
in PPG comps, at least at the hottest time of the
day. What do you think?
I don't think thermal tasks should be avoided
in comp; this is a full part of a performance pilot,
and it can show the ability of the pilot to analyze
and anticipate the air. Pilots should go more on free
flight to be safer and better pilots. Of course, the
conditions of flight have to be good and not too strong;
that's why we need some good tasks directors, which
could ask advises to free flight pilots if they have
a doubt...
Will
you continue competing? Looking forward to China?
I don't know at the moment; competition is
a good pretext to share with friends and travel; but
there are so many things to do on this little earth...
One thing is sure; if I decide to go to China, it
is not to be second! |
New
Records
set during the European Champs
|
Speed
over Japanese Slalom
PF1 Ramon Morillas (ES): 57,81 secs.
PL1 Frantisek Salava (CZ): 61,97 secs.
PL2 Paco Díaz / Sonia Martin (ES): 86,30 secs.
Distance
with limited fuel (1,5 kg)
PF1 Dave Hairs (UK): 110,162 Km
PL1 Frantisek Salava (CZ): 42,218 km |
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COTO
On
August 23rd our mate of the Spanish PL1 team, Carlos Cotoruelo,
"Coto", died after a crash with his paramotor-trike
near the village of Villarroañera, 10km from the airfield
of Chozas de Abajo. He had already completed the ‘free
distance with limited fuel’ task. Coto was not in competition
anymore, he decided to refuel and fly back to the airfield
despite having headwind and thermal activity. Why did he do
it? The wind had increased and some strong and turbulent gusts
had appeared; perhaps his enthusiasm by flying did not let
him evaluate correctly, or perhaps he was just caught in the
air by the change in conditions and was unable to land on
time.
The certain thing is that none of his teammates could talk
to him before he launched for the last time, we could not
advise him not to fly, nor we could invite him a beer while
we waited, grounded and safely, for the retrieve. And it is
painful.
Coto was the youngest member of the group, 28. In just a short
time he had gained our affection and respect both as pilot
and person; he boasted enthusiasm and humility, but was a
prudent pilot. He was so happy to be learning so much in the
championship, he said, but he actually was the one that added
most points to the Spanish team and ended 6th overall.
Coto helped us win a silver medal for the team, but we could
not enjoy it without him.
Fly in peace, Coto. |
We
should be aware about the responsibility that each of us
has as pilot and also towards our flying mates: If we can
stop another pilot from launching in risky conditions, we
must do it. We must take care of each other, always.
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| 
On the left. the trike of former European champion Vincente
Cecarelli
|
The Germans had some special trikes, like this Flyke that
can be used both in the air and on the ground -with leg input... |
A bicilindric 4-stroke engine caught the attention. |
It powered this trike |
The
'Swift' trike by Aranda Paramotor (Spain) was flown by Cristobal
Aranda |
Miguel,
launch marshall,
at work |
Juanjo Garcia was the only local pilot competing |
The Bristish camp. Here, a medal was cooked... UK on a podium
for the first time! |
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|
Dani Martinez taking off fully equipped for a navigation task,
only there was a fast-slow previously, which was criticised
afterwards for the risks involved. |
Fast-slow with map on the lap |
Posibly the most impressive Trike, made by Paco Diaz (Airges).
He was the only competitor in PL2, completed some tasks and
set a new world record! |
The number 2 trike pilot
in Europe: Michaela Machartova, getting ready.
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Yours truly aboard an Ozone Viper, an Airges trike and Airfer
paramotor. |
A new comp prototype by Dudek |
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More
pictures, click here!
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*Special
thanks to the organizers of the Paramotor European Championship
for their help in making this article: www.rfae.org/~emc2006/
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Article
by Ojovolador.com
Published:
September 20th, 2006
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