Dear pilots,
A new year begins, full of hope and new projects made almost possible. This allows us to start thinking about group travel and activities again, as soon as the authorities give permission. After a very long winter in the competition scene, organizations are setting up and calendars are filling up with potential meeting dates. It is time for us to make some appeals and encouragement, keeping in mind that strict sanitary measures are still in force in many parts of the world.
Competition is an excellent school which invites you to surpass yourself and to exchange experiences with skilled pilots. It is also the way to fly to new places, in a safe environment with transport taken care of by the organizers
Canadian Championships and other events:
We invite those who are considering hosting a sports event, whether local or national, to contact the committee to discuss it. We can help you build your project for submission to HPAC, and echo it to the pilot community. You will already find a lot of information on the Association’s website: https://www.hpac.ca/pub/?pid=116
World Championships:
The World Championships are FAI Category 1 competitions, with National Championships sanctioned in Category 2. This year the FAI has decided to allow the organization of world competitions for different disciplines. The hang-gliding and paragliding World Championships are scheduled in Europe from spring. Here is the calendar of all disciplines: https://www.fai.org/Events?upcoming=1&f%5B0%5D=fai_event_year%3A2021&display=list
We invite pilots likely to participate to contact us. In addition, some national teams will be looking for team leaders. If you are planning to travel to the region of one of these competitions, this can be a great opportunity for you to rub shoulders with renowned pilots and experience these incredible adventures from the front row, while learning a lot about different subjects.
Rest of the world:
CAT 2 competitions are still scarce and places for participants even more. Regularly follow new events on Airtribune (https://airtribune.com/events/next) or on the FAI calendar and register as soon as possible if you are interested. Usually, you will still be able to change your mind later, as long as you haven’t paid.
J.P. Robert Vandenbegine
Chair, Competition Committee HPAC/ACVL