7 years ago (2017-06-23 15:04:25) :
     If the winner takes less than this, then the task will be devalued. %D%AThe winner's time today was 1 hour and 20 minutes - oh so close!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 15:04:19) :
     The nominal time which was set at the beginning of the competition is 1 hour 15 minutes. This is the minimum length of time that a task must take for it to score 1000 points.%D%A

7 years ago (2017-06-23 14:51:49) :
     Matt Senior has just come into HQ, trying to claim lead out points for getting back to HQ first!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 14:14:09) :
     Matt Senior has just come into HQ, trying to claim lead out points for getting back to HQ first!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:57:17) :
     Alexey Tarasov has now finally crossed the goal line, well done to our last pilot in the air and last one into goal, now let's see how the lead out points affect the scores and how today's fast and furious task will affect the overalls.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:54:54) :
     Alexey Tarasov hasn't crossed the goal line but is spiralling off all his height, he's at 522m, drifting away from goal, I do hope he realised the goal of the day is to get to goal

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:50:24) :
     Alexey Tarasov is just coming into goal, great to see him there today having landed just short in the last task.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:48:56) :
     Unfortunately I don't see either of our record holders in the goal field this afternoon.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:48:10) :
     There is also a great article explaining the concept of the solar window in big-distance XC flying by Rafael, in the June 2017 edition of our partner XC Magazine.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:46:58) :
     There is an excellent article about Rafael's record breaking flight in the March 2017 edition of Parapente Mag.%D%A

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:46:17) :
     Talking of records - Paragliding World Cup pilot Rafael Saladini, taking part in this competition, took off last October from Tacima, north east of Brazil and landed, 564 km later, at the town of Novilho, a flight of 11 hours!%D%AIf he does that distance in Serbia we

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:40:33) :
     Matt then organised the US nationals in 2016 and set a 226km task, 65 pilots got to goal, unfortunately Matt was driving retrieve but still got to share the gallons of margaritas which were being served up in goal!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:39:56) :
     The Kiwi Open in Manila then proceeded to beat this record with a 213 km task.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:39:37) :
     In 2014, Paragliding World Cup pilot Matt Senior (flying in this Paragliding World Cup) won the longest ever successful task set in a paragliding event (at the time), a 200.5km race to goal where 36 pilots made goal at the US Paragliding Nationals, Chelan WA. He was 5th overall in the competition.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:38:15) :
     As a point of interest, there is a very interesting article about Martin

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:37:40) :
     The current French Record of 411 km was set by Martin Morlet in May 2016, from Rouen to just past Limoges. However the longest task at the recent Paragliding World Cup in Coeur de Savoie with excellent flying conditions was only 116.76 km.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:36:44) :
     Well done to our meet director Zeljko Ovuka, who holds the current distance record in Serbia of 198 km, 3 times the distance the pilots flew today!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:35:15) :
     Distance records tend not to be broken in a Paragliding World Cup as there is usually an into wind component each day. %D%A%D%A

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:34:48) :
     Some of you may be wondering why longer tasks haven't been set in this Paragliding World Cup. Flying the longest distance isn

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:32:49) :
     The top 76 pilots are now enjoying beers in the goal field.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:29:48) :
     Once again Father and son 'Team Lambert' are in goal, Baptiste and Dad Cyril

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:26:30) :
     It was great to see local pilot Alexandre Malcher who flew so well in the last task, but just missed goal, well and truly getting there today - 21st across end of speed - well done.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:20:19) :
     From an overall scores point of view, today will have done no harm at all to Stephane Drouin 's score - he was 9th in the first task, 8th in the third task and third across end of speed today. He definitely merits his place as somebody who can still teach the youngsters a thing or two.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:17:20) :
     M

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:15:08) :
     Another pilot who is doing very well in the overall scores, lying 5th this morning, is Primoz Susa. He was 3rd in the last task, and 2nd across end of speed today. He's also the highest placed Super Final pilot here.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:11:32) :
     Getting the last part to end of speed and then into goal is proving difficult for quite a lot of pilots. Just a reminder, those who have a line through their time have passed end of speed but not yet made goal. They need to cross the goal line to get their time points, otherwise they will just get their distance points around the course.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:05:36) :
     Wooyoung Jang is definitely one to watch - 1st lady in the Bright Open and Pre Paragliding World Cup in January 2017.%D%A%D

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:04:12) :
     The first lady today Wooyoung Jang has just crossed end of speed, she was 3rd in the last task and was 4th lady at the start of today.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:02:04) :
     First 35 pilots have all crossed end of speed, 20 of whom have already landed in goal.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 13:01:05) :
     Today will have radically changed the top 10 overall rankings. Yassen was lying third at the start of today, the two pilots ahead of him landed early today.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:56:56) :
     Andreas Malecki and Mathias Ioualalen have also just arrived in goal.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:56:27) :
     Yassen Savov powered by magic sandwiches has just touched down in goal 1hour 20 minutes to fly 62.4 km - well done!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:55:19) :
     Marco Littame, Alessio Voltan, Cody Mittanck, Marko Novak, Franz Erlacher , Michele Boschi, Baptiste Lambert and Du

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:53:30) :
     next Yoshiki Kuremoto, St

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:52:35) :
     The top 3 have just got end of speed Yassen Savov, Primoz Susa and Stephane Drouin

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:51:15) :
     Stephane Drouin, Yassen Savov, Yoshiki Kuremoto and Alexander Schalber are about to take end of speed

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:49:38) :
     The top 3 are all pretty much the same height

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:48:58) :
     The top 3 are 2.5 from end of speed Yassen Savov, Yoshiki Kuremoto and Stephane Drouin

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:48:10) :
     The top 30 have all got the last turn point - wow this is so fast - what a day that nobody thought would even be launchable.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:47:03) :
     Yassen Savov has taken the lead and is once again doing 'a Yassen' - there was definitely something in those sandwiches today - he's storming along.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:45:48) :
     The top 17 have all got the last turn point and are on final glide to End of Speed and goal.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:44:18) :
     Yassen Savov, Stephane Drouin and Andreas Malecki have all got the last turn point together

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:41:44) :
     They are on final glide now with Stephane Drouin in the lead

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:37:55) :
     Andreas Malecki is also at the front - he told me before they set off that he thought it would be a great task - not that being on the task committee he's biased!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:36:19) :
     Mathias Ioualalen from Reunion Island is leading out with Marco Littame. As a matter of interest, there is a great article about Reunion Island and the Paragliding World Cup there last October (2016) in the January 2017 edition of Parapente Mag. %D%A%D%A

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:29:32) :
     Stefan Bernhard 4th position in this task said the wind will be interesting, how strong will it be and which direction? I think they are about to find out.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:26:28) :
     Andreas Malecki told me this would be the most difficult bit of the task they need to have lots of height for this section.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:25:26) :
     Now they are crossing the valley flying east to the big mountains on the other side of the valley

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:24:40) :
     A lead group seems to be braking away Clement Latour , Cody Mittanck, Mathias Ioualalen, Yoshiki Kuremoto and Jo

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:24:26) :
     Mike Steed and Mathias Ioualalen are just behind them

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:23:55) :
     Michele Boschi and Marco Littame have taken over the lead.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:23:31) :
     The pilots who took the more westerly route have over taken the leaders now

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:22:54) :
     Virtually everyone has taken the turn point now.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:22:28) :
     Andreas Malecki and Marco Littame have taken turn point 2 before the leaders who are taking a more optimum route to goal

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:16:44) :
     Richard Gallon is leading the westerly group, there was a lot of debate about which would be best at briefing - let's see who is right.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:13:16) :
     They are dividing into two groups, those going more to the west along the big mountains and those continuing along the launch ridge to the east.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:11:28) :
     Along the course line it is blue skies and cumulous

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:09:26) :
     Felipe Rezende has stopped to take a climb and has been caught by the rest of the pack. Jose Rebelo has taken the lead and Rafael Saladini is just behind him.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:07:26) :
     If they continue into the middle of turn point 2 they will be in bigger mountains to get higher for the crossing to turn point 3

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:06:47) :
     They will then have to make a big crossing onto the next range of mountains

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:06:43) :
     Rafael Saladini has taken the lead and is much higher than Felipe Rezende

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:06:38) :
     The rest of the pack are another 1 km behind

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:01:09) :
     Jose Rebelo and Peter Slade are another 1km behind

7 years ago (2017-06-23 12:00:25) :
     Rafael Saladini is 1 km behind Felipe Rezende

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:59:56) :
     Felipe Rezende has taken the lead and is on his own

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:55:23) :
     Touch keyboards and bumpy roads so don't go - apologies for the randomness of the commentary for the next 20 minutes.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:51:41) :
     I think we may have 120 first equal pilots in goal today!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:49:49) :
     They have all taken the first turn point together!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:49:05) :
     They are flying along mountains with cliffs on the south side and trees and meadows on the north side.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:46:23) :
     They have moved over to the start and as one they are off.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:46:16) :
     They are now going south east along the mountain range to get the first turn point.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:46:00) :
     There are no different options for the start, all 118 pilots are in the same thermal for the start, its going to be a fast and furious race again!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:29:56) :
     2 minutes until the start and nobody is going for it yet!

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:28:29) :
     There is no climb behind launch so they need to stay here right until the last minute.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:27:05) :
     They are all climbing directly above launch as that is the best thermal

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:23:32) :
     A big thank you to the Serbian Mountain rescue who have been on launch with us every day, without whom we couldn't run Paragliding World Cup competitons.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:21:44) :
     Everyone is off and a big gaggle of virtually all the pilots is in pole position to take the start in 10 minutes.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:19:46) :
     Marko Novak another pilot who has been around since paragliding time began has just taken off.,

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:13:19) :
     Dragan Martinovic has just take off on a 777 King and Evgeniya Belova on a BGD Cure

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:11:16) :
     Although this competiton has been mainly Enzo3s, Zenos and Boom11s there are a few other wings.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:08:21) :
     There are just 10 pilots left to take off, given the wind this morning, that is really impressive - well done to all these world class pilots.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 11:02:27) :
     The Russians are being interviewed by the TV about their flying, ah well actually it's more about rakija and vodka - maybe that's russian for thermal

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:59:10) :
     American pilot Mike Steed is about to step onto launch, I asked him how he felt 'I'm all ready' he said smiling.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:57:13) :
     The pilots in the air are having no problems getting up and are in a great position to get the start just behind launch at 13.30

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:52:33) :
     Armin Eder who has been competing since Paragliding World Cups were invented in the early 1990s has just taken off.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:49:56) :
     The Meet Director has just asked pilots in the air to give level calls - they've all come back with level 1 - which means they are happy.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:48:01) :
     Andreas Malecki told me that the difficult bit would be getting up at the start, but they are all currently skying out in the contrail from flight 666 so no problems

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:46:36) :
     Benedicte Saury is about to launch, she does a lot to promote women in flying and is really pleased to see 4 of the new comers in this Paragliding World Cup are women. ERROR

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:41:08) :
     Peter Slade is the highest placed new comer out of about 20 new Paragliding World Cup pilots in this comp

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:34:21) :
     Peter Slade is about to take off in this Paragliding World Cup in which he has definitely been one of our new (and very modest) rising stars.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:28:01) :
     Yassen Savov former European champion and winner of the lst task has just taken off

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:26:43) :
     Baptiste Lambert and Cyril Lambert are about to take off, I bet Paragliding World Cup pilot Mum Sandy will be in front of the live tracking in their home in Reunion Island today.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:22:18) :
     Louis Tapper is about to take off, wind is definitely going to be a factor today he told me .

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:17:56) :
     The 1st to launch initially got up on the hill to the east of launch but have just flown across the front of launch and are climbing above us

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:16:46) :
     It's still pretty windy and after the initial launch frenzy of 14 pilots there isn't much of a rush.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:05:34) :
     The wind is about 7 m/sec

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:05:07) :
     The firt pilots are off.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 10:00:57) :
     Just an interesting observation - Bartosz Moszczynski is the highest scoring name in a game of scrabble that we have in this Paragliding World Cup.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 09:58:10) :
     I've just asked Bartosz Moszczynski what he thinks of today's task. 'No comment', he replied grinning.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 09:54:56) :
     Today's task is 62 km south east into the mountains - pretty much the same route as yesterday. Window open 12.10. Start 13.30. Goal near Pirot.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 09:49:51) :
     Vladimir Bacanin has just dropped back down from his thermal to tell us 'everything is ok'.

7 years ago (2017-06-23 09:48:59) :
     The live trackers are being given out - some people so don't know how to queue - it's worse than waiting for a French ski tow during the school holidays.