6 years ago (2017-06-20 17:54:26) :
     Vidimo Se Sutra - which apparently means 'see you tomorrow', but I do always worry about things which end in 'Sutra'.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 17:54:21) :
     Vidimo Se Sutra - which apparently means 'see you tomorrow', but I do always worry about things which end in 'Sutra'.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 17:54:16) :
     Vidimo Se Sutra - which apparently means 'see you tomorrow', but I do always worry about things which end in 'Sutra'.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 17:25:46) :
     All the pilots have now landed and sadly, once again, nobody made goal.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 17:10:16) :
     Just to clarify a previous post, the nominal distance of 50 km is set per event/venue. At a Paragliding World Cup elsewhere it could be more or less than 50 km.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 17:02:30) :
     Yuki Sato Colomb

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:58:51) :
     As no one was in goal today the minimum amout of 33 time points which has to be awarded means that the day will be scored out of a maximum of 967.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:56:53) :
     Yury has a neary 18 km lead over the second pilot.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:56:32) :
     This is what we can tell you about the distances the top 10 pilots have flown round today's 90 km task: Yury Mishanin 63.9 : Manuel Brechignac 46.1: Du

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:41:43) :
     Yury Mishanin has landed in the foothills of Midzor and Babin Zub. It remains to be seen where the other 8 pilots who are currently still in the air land.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:31:36) :
     'M

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:27:38) :
     No list of outstanding achievement would be complete without mentioning yesterday's leading lady, M

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:25:07) :
     The lead out point baggers from recent Paragliding World Cups to watch here are Julien Brung, Stephane Drouin, Richard Gallon, Clement Latour, Andreas Malecki, Rafael Saladini, and of course Yassen Savov - these are the pilots who have led out in the Coeur de Savoie Paragliding World Cup, the Super Final and the St Andre Paragliding World Cup - big, big respect - we take our helmets off to you.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:16:26) :
     Lead out points can be a maximum of 167 of the 1000 points. Those who are in front at the beginning, after the start, get more lead out points and the amount degrades as the course goes on. Those who get the most lead out points are a rare species known as 'lead out point baggers'.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 16:13:42) :
     If Yury is as far ahead as we think today, he will also get a lot of 'lead out points'. Tasks are out of a maximum of 1000 points which is a combination of time points(reflecting their speed round the course if they get to goal), and distance points (the distance they flew if they didn't get to goal) and lead out points.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:53:31) :
     Just to say that whilst we are waiting for the trackers to come back on line and for Yury to get to goal, you may want to tune into World Cup TV and watch Philippe's film of yesterday's task.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:42:05) :
     Cameraman Philippe has just come in, to give us a weather report, not in the middle of a thermal amid beeping varios. The flying was smooth, then it went a bit dark and shady which made it difficult and expains why so many pilots landed not making it much past turn point three.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:37:44) :
     It's very likely that Yury is flying on his own. If he gets to goal it will not necessarily be a 1000 point day, a lot depends on how far behind him the other pilots were. The task is 90 km. The nominal distance is 50 km which means that for the day to be fully valid the average of all the pilots has to be more than half that, i.e 25 km.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:27:47) :
     It has really clouded in a lot along the course line now.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:24:55) :
     The sun and shade along the course has made today's task really difficult along with the threat of rain around turn point two.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:17:47) :
     There are only 18 other pilots in the air with Yury.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:16:40) :
     I can almost hear 007 Yury singing his own theme tune 'Live and Let Fly'

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:12:26) :
     Meantime 007 Yury Mishanin is definitely flying With A View To A Win, From Russia With Love on his Golden Wing - well a turquoise and white Enzo 3.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:04:29) :
     New countries TD Ulric would like to see the Paragliding World Cup visit include Nepal, Chile, Russia - so watch this space for some exciting new venues.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:03:11) :
     I asked Paragliding World Cup Technical Delegate Ulric Jessop which other countries he would like to see the Paragliding World Cup visiting (such is the level of our pillow talk).

6 years ago (2017-06-20 15:01:31) :
     GSM problems is all part of trying the trackers in a new environment.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:57:33) :
     So, once again a big thank you to Flymaster for their trackers, back up and support to the Paragliding World Cup.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:56:43) :
     Chris Trow our Paragliding World Cup retrieve and tracking guru has just added 'Having worked with a lot of live tracking systems we are convinced that the Flymaster Live is absolutely the best tracking system in the world at the moment - in fact, its closest competition is the new 'Tracker' - also from Flymaster.'

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:53:10) :
     It's worth bearing in mind that whether the trackers work or not is frequently out of our partner Flymaster's hands and depends on the GSM network of the area we are in.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:49:02) :
     Yury Mishanin is probably flying on his own because he went through the turn point in the middle with Manuel Brechignac but then Yury took a climb and Manuel carried on flying directly along the course line whilst Yury drifted in a climb 3km east into the mountains.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:45:22) :
     There are 33 pilots still flying but most of the trackers are off line.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:44:05) :
     Yury Mishanin so deserves to win this taking totally his own line in the mountains.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:33:47) :
     007 Yury Mishanin is storming ahead, taking his own line. This is exactly what he did in the Paragliding World Cup in Italy in 2016 and won the task.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:30:32) :
     Yury Mishanin is taking a line very wide of the course line sticking to the mountains to the east.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:29:00) :
     A lot of people have landed because it shaded over.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:27:52) :
     The top 45 have all now got turn point 3.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:26:13) :
     It looks as if so far about half the field are still flying (and those of you good at maths can therefore work out that half the field have landed).

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:21:19) :
     Manuel Brechignac looks to be leading out in front but his tracker is off line.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:20:01) :
     It looks like the next big gaggle have all got turn point three.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:17:20) :
     Srdjan Ristanovic is about to get the third turn point

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:12:26) :
     Paragliding World Cup Camerman Philippe has just phoned down from the clouds to say it's ok where he is, but it is raining over launch, well we think that is what he said, there was the sound of a lot of beeping varios and then over and out.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:10:31) :
     Yury Mishanin, Russia's equivalent to Britain's 007 has also just taken the 3rd turn point.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:06:09) :
     Stephane told me on launch - I'm not here to win, I'm here to have fun. Safety is my priority and I don't want to do something stupid. Leading points are not my priority. Hum, well you could have fooled me!

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:04:06) :
     Stephane started flying in 2000 but didn't do his first Paragliding World Cup until 2015. He loves flat land flying as he lives in the north of France and flies a lot in the French and Belgian Ardennes.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:01:57) :
     St

6 years ago (2017-06-20 14:00:01) :
     Vladimir Bacanin is one of the top ranked Serbian pilots in the international rankings. He is on the task committee for this competition and his local knowledge is obviously proving very useful

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:57:49) :
     The only ones so far to have taken the third turn point are Vladimir Bacanin, St

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:55:28) :
     The third turn point is causing a lot of problems.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:51:58) :
     Next with a bit more height St

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:49:40) :
     Clement Latour is leading

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:48:26) :
     So they have now taken the third turn point and are on their way south east to the end of speed and goal.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:34:04) :
     A second large group are about to take turnpoint 2 - Julien Brung is out front for now but it can all change

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:30:39) :
     The leaders are about 2/3 of the way down the third leg of the course and headed for turnpoint 3

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:20:24) :
     Sorry due to rather a large speed bump we reported that Yassen had landed he is in fact leading.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:14:00) :
     As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by Yassen Savov landing, they just need to cross the cylinder line.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:12:32) :
     News flash from the front line, unfortunately colourful Yassen Savov has landed by turn point 2

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:10:49) :
     They use their GPS to confirm that they have crossed the cylinder - they don't need to go to the turn point in the middle.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:08:22) :
     The start and the turn points have cylinders around them to spread pilots out.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:06:07) :
     The task comprises a start line and time after which the pilots can cross the start, followed by turn points.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 13:04:11) :
     The task should ideally take the fastest pilot 2.5-3hrs. A briefing takes place to explain the task to the other pilots.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:57:52) :
     Thank goodness for sports bras is all I can say!

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:56:21) :
     Meantime my assistant Marie-Jo Coupez and I are bumping our way down an extremely bumpy track in an over crowded mini bus with no springs.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:54:02) :
     They now need to fly south to the second turn point in front of launch

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:52:04) :
     The next gaggle are close behind them

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:51:24) :
     The 1st turn point has been taken by Baptiste Lambert, Yoshiaki Hirokawa and Bojan Gabersek

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:43:27) :
     A task committee of 2 pilots is chosen at registration. Everyday the task committee and Meet Director set a task.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:42:04) :
     So how does a paragliding competition work?

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:33:25) :
     Now the pilots need to fly north or east depending on their position around the cylinder to the first turn point.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:31:17) :
     The start is now open.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:30:59) :
     The position of the pilots around the start is crucial those further west round the cylinder will have the west wind more behind them to get to tp 1

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:29:12) :
     The ast pilot is off to loud applause

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:21:48) :
     Zelimo vam ugodan let - have a good flight everyone!

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:18:47) :
     Bartosz Moszczynski, Brett Hazlett and Pavel Gussev are just taking off, 120 pilots off 1 by 1 in an hour and a quarter, that has to be a world record.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:13:03) :
     French wine pro Franck Perring has just taken off, he was pretty positive about the Serbian wine at the opening night 'it gets better with every glass' he told me.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:07:37) :
     Those who have taken off are skying out. Those who haven't, are looking skywards anxiously as the wind picks up.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:05:44) :
     Aleksei Korobkov has just wrapped the take-off marshals in his glider which isn't going to speed things up.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:04:14) :
     They so need to get off as soon as possible to get to the start by 14h30.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 12:01:02) :
     I make it that there are still 20 left to go - can they average more than a launch per minute?

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:59:03) :
     In a very distinctive Jack&Jones t-shirt, Mr President Goran Dimiskovski is doing a fine job of getting 120 pilots off 1 by 1 in an hour and 15 mins - big respect!

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:55:32) :
     Great to see the ladies showing the men how to do it, that was a great launch, well done.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:54:58) :
     Evgeniya Belova is about to take off on her very colourful BGD Cure

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:53:31) :
     The spectators are loving this, it is the best entertainment they have had in a long time. There are impressive whistles and woops with every launch.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:49:19) :
     There is still quite a line of penguins, sorry pilots, waiting to launch.Will they all make it before the start opens at 14.15h 2 km away?

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:47:42) :
     Yassen Savov, former European Champion is always one to watch on the live tracking, well known for his innovative routes, he keeps us on the edge of our seats.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:45:07) :
     Yassen Savov is taking off, as colourfully dressed as his flying usually is.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:43:22) :
     Baptiste Lambert is off and made launching look almost as easy as Dad Cyril Lambert did.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:38:57) :
     Will father Cyril Lambert or son Baptiste Lambert get to goal first today?

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:35:12) :
     Tim Rochas has just launched, like so many of the young French pilots here he made it look so easy

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:33:58) :
     There are also a lot of military here who brought the gliders to launch in their trucks and seem to run on Red Bull.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:32:52) :
     There are a lot of media on launch - I suspect they are filming a paragliding version of 'Fast and Furious' for Serbian TV.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:30:29) :
     As for Cameraman Philippe, he seems to be getting a lot of foot footage from under veteran Russian pilot Yury Mishanin 's glider which has just failed to launch.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:28:17) :
     Paragliding World Cup President Goran Dimiskovski is organising take off priority in military fashion - he would make a great headmaster.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:26:27) :
     The launch has gone into shade so there is a bit of a launch frenzy pause.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:24:45) :
     Those who have taken off seem to be climbing nicely, no problems at all.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:23:53) :
     Rising French star T

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:22:20) :
     Top ladies Merve Arslan and Yuki Sato Colomb

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:20:37) :
     There is a long line of pilots at the gate waiting to take off - they look strangely like penguins but I don't think I am allowed to write that.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:19:17) :
     Despite the small launch everyoene is taking off fast and efficiently. A big thank you to all the organisation helpers making this possible.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:17:08) :
     Paragliding World Cup cameraman Philippe is floating about above our heads filming the launch mayhem, making it look easy as always.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:15:27) :
     Leading lady from yesterday M

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:15:17) :
     Paragliding World Cup cameraman Philippe has just taken off and a wind dummy and staying up.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:15:13) :
     The first pilots are laying out on launch Julien Brung and Alexandre Jofresa reaady to go.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:15:08) :
     Clement Latour is beside them

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:15:04) :
     The first pilots are off

6 years ago (2017-06-20 11:14:59) :
     Older and wiser Etienne Coupez, On verra - we'll see!

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:55:54) :
     T

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:54:10) :
     The window will open at 1.15 and the start at 14.30. The launch is small so this should give everyone time to get to the start which is near - 2km away.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:51:50) :
     Benedicte Saury getting into a good tactical position at the start will be really important, right height, right position. It looks an interesting task.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:43:06) :
     Ronny Helgesen the end might be difficult with the possibilty of getting stuck as they come out of the mountains and into the flats and past the town of Pirot.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:40:58) :
     Bartosz Moszczynski has flown here a lot - it should be fairly straightforward.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:39:06) :
     So what do the pilots think about today's task?

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:28:22) :
     The wind is north west and pretty much on to launch.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:25:48) :
     As soon as flight number 666 to Nish airport passes, the pilots will be able to take off. They are all literally on 'stand by'.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:21:31) :
     The local people are unbelievable friendly and I would like to say a big thank you for their welcome to us in their community and country.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:19:52) :
     The Mayor of Nish is on launch today. It is very clear to that there is a lot of support from the local community for paragliding here.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:13:55) :
     A maximum of 6 pilots will be allowed on launch at once. The top 15 from yesterday and all women will have priority.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:12:43) :
     Paragliding World Cup President Goran Dimiskovski has just explained today's launch priority.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:11:52) :
     Yesterday's winner was St

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:10:43) :
     The briefing is taking place.The winners from yesterday are being congratulated.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:05:37) :
     The start is just in front of launch, with a short north then south leg, then a longer leg north east, then a long leg south east to end of speed goal.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 10:01:20) :
     The last few trackers are being given out, the motto here is 'no tracker no ice cream'!

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:59:50) :
     The sun is shining, the clouds look nice but there could be a bit of local rain later.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:51:31) :
     Briefing will take place as soon as the task board has been cellotaped back together.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:50:50) :
     The pilots are all noting down the 90 km task and the trackers are being given out.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:49:15) :
     Today should show what the area really has to offer by way of top class flying.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:48:34) :
     Louis Tapper Yesterday was a warm up day, today is the real thing, lighter winds, the cumulous is already starting, this should be a fast day.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:46:27) :
     Yesterday's runner up Peter Slade told me it looks really nice so we should get a good task.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:45:20) :
     The weather looks a lot more appealing too.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:43:30) :
     Today's launch looks a lot more appealing than yesterday's cozy launch with power lines and passager planes.

6 years ago (2017-06-20 09:41:09) :
     Today we are in the Svrljiske Mountains which is the highest point east of Nish.