XCeara 2001… paragliding and hang gliding’s big Brazilian adventure
We’re gearing up to smash more world hang gliding and paragliding records at the annual big distance event in Brazil, this November 2000. Organiser Chico Santos reports
Once again, Ceará will receive pilots from all over the world for the XC challenge through the Brazilian free flying paradise.
Already on its third year of existence, the “X-Ceará” competition is growing every year and is becoming wellknown by international HG and PG names as Chris Muller, Andrew Smith, Peter Brinkeby, Othar Lawrance, Stephan Stiegler, Manfred Ruhmer, Joel Rebbechi and many others, maintaining the incredible average of 100% of valid tasks out of all 4 years of “X-Ceará” event. This and other facts are turning Ceará in one of the best Cross Country sites in the world.
Another good statistics is that, every year, over 80% of the pilots has broken their own records during the competition and ,also every year, the south American record was broken becoming closer and closer to the world record for both Hang Gliding and Paragliding. And thers more: last year the FAI tandem WORLD RECORD was broken with the incredible flight of 224 kms.
All this records are promoting Quixadá quite fast. At “X-Ceará 99”, months before the competition all the places available were full.
For the “X-Ceará 2000” edition there will be some improvements such as monitoring the lead pilots by GPS/Radio/Computer systems and plane retrieve for the first pilots in the “longest Cross Country task ever made”.
The events success is supported by Cross Country Magazineand the Cearás government which in the last years, has already given over U$ 30.000,00 (thirty thousand US dollars) in prizes for the events.
THE RETRIEVE
One of the biggest challenge for the organization, is the retrieve. In Ceará (as in many other cross country sites), during some parts of the flight, the pilots cross over desert places with very few roads.
To solve this problem, the event will have 11 vehicles working on the retrieve: 3 Toyotas Hilux, 2 Land Rovers, 1 Mitsubishi L-200, 04 vans and 01 truck.
Before the take off, all the cars will already be spread along the route in about each 50 kms.
During the flight the cars will return whenever full or when theres nobody else in their area.
This way, the pilots who lands short wont need to go all the way for other pilots retrieve.
For the retrieve coordination, there will be two radio repetitor stations: one in the take off and another in a strategic high position, to guide the drivers and make the link between pilots and retrieve cars.
The radio frequencies will be divided in 3 channels: 02 for flying (one for hang gliding and one for paragliding) and 1 for ground (retrieve cars).
During the flight, the pilot reports their position for the bases, which repeats it to the retrieve cars.
After landed, the pilot changes his frequency for the retrieve freq, to contact the car directly without disturbing the flying frequency. When this connection is not possible, the link will be made by the radio bases on the ground or by the pilots from the organization which will also be flying in both frequencies. The objective of this “link-pilots” is to fly slow and safe, keeping their selves always high to guarantee good connection even if a pilot is landed in a bad reception area.
If none of this works, the next option is call the HQ and tell his position.
This year the organization will improve following the lead pilots by computers, through signals sent by special radios (given by the organization) connected to pilots GPS.
PRIZES
Last years the U$ 10.000 cash prizes were spread for daily results and overall scoring. For daily results it was offered U$ 400 for the best flights of the day, and for the overall scoring it was offered U$ 7.500. The daily prizes were given for the 2 best flight of the day for Paragliding (open and serial) and Hang Gliding.
If one Serial Class made one of the best days flight, he accumulated both prizes. This happened some times and Andrew Smith, Peter Brinkeby and Carlo Borsatino were very happy with it…
Considering that cross country flights are very fatiguing, for the overall scoring there will be 02 days discarded. This way the pilots could rest one day if they wanted to.
This worked really good with André Fleury last year. After a very long flying day he rested the next one and in the day after he broke the world tandem record.
We’re now dealing with the government about the total amount for the prizes of “X-Ceará 2000”. This will soon be advertised in our site. Check it out at www.goup.com.br
The competiton will be divided in 4 categories:
* Paragliding Open Class
* Paragliding Serial Class
* Hang Gliding
* Hang Gliding class II (Rigid wings)
General Info
1- DATE: Paragliding and Hang Gliding – From November 25th to December 02nd
2- SITE: Ceará State Quixadá (Site)
3- PRIZES: To Be confirmed. There will be daily prizes and prizes for the best flights overall.
4- MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 50 Pilots (Paragliding and Hang Gliding)
5- INFORMATIONS ABOUT THE FLIGHT:
LOCAL RECORDS:
o Paragliding 243 Kms (Chris Muller – X-Ceará 99)
o Hang Gliding 402 Kms (Betinho Schmitz – X-Ceará 98)
AVERAGE CLOUD BASES HEIGHT: Between 2.500 and 3.500 m AGL
AVERAGE THERMALS:From 04 up to 10 m/s!
TAKE-OFF AREA:Natural take off 03 pilots at same time
6- COMPETITION: Open distance for Paragliders all days and XC goals (between 190 to 450 kms) for hang gliders.
For Hang Gliders there will be “The Challenge Day” – The Biggest Cross Country Task Ever Made – At this day the lead 4 pilots will have plane retrieve.
Obs) During goal tasks, Hang gliding pilots are allowed to make the goal and continue flying.
7- WAYS TO REACH QUIXADÁ:
OPTION “A”:
Fly to Fortaleza, the Ceará’s capital, which is about 2 hours drive from Quixadá.
This transfer (Fortaleza-Quixadá and back) is already included in the entry-fee.
There are air companies making straight flights from Europe and USA to Fortaleza.
Check this out before getting your ticket.
OPTION “B”:
Fly to Rio or São Paulo and then to Fortaleza.
If flying to Rio, it is recomended to stay one or two days in Rio to fly in São conrado ramp and know the city, which is really nice.
Flight from Rio to Fortaleza: We’ll have a speccial offers from the air companies for the competition. Check the best rates on our site at www.goup.com.br
8- ENTRY-FEE: The entry-fee will be of U$500 (four hundred US dollars) and it already includes:
Hotel in the take off during all the competition period. Two persons room (included); Single bed room avaiable (with extra fee)
Well served breakfast during all competition period (fruits, juice, milk, chocolate, coffee, eggs, cheese, traditional cake, etc..)
Fresh fruits and mineral water on the take off and in the retrieve cars.
Transfers (in and out) between the contest site and Fortaleza airport.
Event’s T-Shirt
Free entry in all parties
Color maps from the flying area
“Xô roubada” kit. (dry bananas, cashews, local hat, and etc…)
Retrieve at all flying days, including the official training day (saturday 27th )
The retrieve will be done by 11 cars that will be spread along the route in each 50 kms. The retrive will be coordenated by:
o · Long alcance 2m radios in the cars
o · 02 radios bases: one in the take-off and another in the middle of the circuit at a strategic high alcance point.The bases will be working 24 hours during the event.
· 24hs english spoken telephone contact at the HQ and radio bases.
· GPS and mobile phones in the main cars.
· All the cars will have with frigs equipped with fresh fruits and water.
EXTRA SEVRVICES
Mobile phone rental
Car Rental
9- HOW TO MAKE YOUR REGISTRATION:
The registrations will open at August 1st. For international pilots it will be available both by GO UP BRAZIL (www.goup.com.br) and CROSS COUNTRY MAGAZINE (xcmag.com) web sites. Yes, we will accept credit cards!
In the sites you’ll also find updated news about this great fun event.
10- PROGRAM:
NOVEMBER 25th SATURDAY:
09:35 AM – Departure from Rio to Fortaleza.
08:35 AM Departure from São Paulo to Fortaleza
Afternoon Training flights in Quixada · Night – Registration / Opening Party (Quixada)
NOVEMBER 26th DECEMBER 01st – Competition days
09:00 take-off begins
DECEMBER 02th SATURDAY
10:00 AM Departure for Canoa Quebrada / Fortaleza (Beach) Promotional Beach
Flying Night ——- Big Beach Party – Closing cerimony / Prize giving
OBS) This program may have small alterations before the beginning of the competition.
12- OUR DIRECTIONS: If you need any further information about this and other GO UP BRAZIL event’s, contact us at the following directions:
INTERNET Site: www.goup.com.br
e-mail: goup@goup.com.br
FAX/PHONE: +51 21 322-3165
MOBILE: +51 21 9177-9234
Updated January 2011
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