PWC Bulgaria 2008 men's podium. L-R: Tomas Brauner (2), Helmut Eicholzer (1), Jean Marc Caron (3)

The fourth round of the Paragliding World Cup 2008 took place in Sopot, Bulgaria, from 2 – 9 August 2008.

Helmut Eicholzer, (AU, Advance) was victor, putting him in 5th place overall in the 2008 series. 2nd and 3rd in Bulgaria were Tomas Brauner (CZ, Mac para) and Jean-Marc Caron (FR, Niviuk). Klaudia Bulgakow (PO) finished 12 points and two rankings ahead of fellow Gin pilot, Anja Kroll (CH), as top female in the event and 43rd overall.

Andy Aebi still leads the overall tour rankings, and Anja is top woman. The final competition of the tour starts in Brazil on 27th September.

www.paraglidingworldcup.org

PWC Bulgaria 2008 women's podium. L-R: Anja Kroll (2), Klaudia Bulgakow (1), Ewa Wisnierska (3)

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The Skynomad Open, which followed the World Cup in Sopot, Bulgaria, is reported to have been a great success. 5 varied tasks were carried out in 5 days in classic Balkan summer weather conditions, with Orlin Dimov, BG, coming out the overall winner on his Advance Omega prototype. Zsuzsa A’Kos, HU, won the serial category on his Aspen 2, and marina Olexina, RU, was top woman (Gin Boomerang 5).

The organisers are very pleased to report that the concept of the competition (low entry fee, no extravagant parties and no official ceremonies; just efficient retrieve and GPS-ing, creative and safe task setting: flying, joy and learning!) worked well and will be repeated in the future.

www.skynomad.com

The dates for 2009’s Bogong Cup Hang Gliding Championship (Mt Beauty, Victoria, Australia) are 14 – 22 January 2009.

There will be Open, Sport, Floater and Women’s classes.

Competition fees are AU$ 220 by 10 December 2008, or AU$240 thereafter.

Book your place by entering online at www.xcflight.com

The Forbes Flatlands Hang Gliding Championship for 2009 takes place from Saturday 3 January – Sunday 11 january 2009, with a practise day on 2nd. There will be four classes: Open, A Class, Sport and Club, so there is a category suited to every pilot.

An Aerotow endorsement course or aerotow training will also be available every morning starting at 9am.

The event is organised by the Sydney Hang Gliding club. Competition Fees are AU$200 plus Aerotow Fees of AU$350. Online entry deadline is 8 December 2008, and competition fees must be paid by this date.

All registration and competition details at www.moyes.com.au/forbes2009,

There will be a good X-Scotia feature onScotland’s The Adventure Show on BBC2 at 6pm on Sunday 31 August.

It can also been seen on Sky channel 990.

The Killarney Classic 2009 is an FAI Cat 2 paragliding comp to be held in Queensland, Australia, from 28 February – 7 March 2009.

At a cost of AU$ 225, there are places for 90 pilots, registration opening on 7 November 2008.

www.fly-killarney.com.au

Following three tasks in the final round of the British Championships, held in St Andre, France, over 17 – 23 August, Former XC Future hero, Craig Morgan (Mac para), is Britain’s new paragliding champion. Mark Hayman (Ozone) and Adrian Thomas (Airwave) took second and third places respectively, and top female (17th overall) was Kirsty Cameron (Skywalk). Jon Chambers was first overall in the serial class on a Niviuk Peak.

www.pgcomps.org.uk

Icaro have a new rucksack, designed to be aesthetically appealing, lightweight and comfortable to carry yet tough enough to withstand airport manhandling. Its robust, tried and tested zips can be padlocked. Available in S (80 – 95l) or M (130 – 160l) sizes, it features an ergonomic carrying system, compression straps and pockets.

www.icaro-wings.de
www.fly-more.com

The Cercle de l’homme volant, set up in memory of Jean-Marc Moulingny, are collecting items at the Coupe Icare for pilots in Cuba and Madagascar, who love to fly but cannot afford the equipment.

If you have anything you would like to donate to the cause, you can leave it at the Kortel Design or Rip Air stands at the Coupe Icare, St Hilaire du Touvet (18 – 21 September). Rip Air and Wing Shop will check the equipment over, and then distribute it to Cuba and Madascar.

www.hommevolant.fr

For the second year in a row, the “cercle de l’homme volant” an association created in memory of the inventor, Jean Marc Mouligne, will award a prize of 1000 Euros for the most innovative and poetical flying invention to be displayed at the coupe Icare (18 – 21 September 2008).

So, if you have invented a machine, an object or anything which can fly and be pretty, regardless of its size or propulsion system, you have a chance to win the prize this year!

Last year the prize was awarded to Razeebuss who invented ” Airlab” an ultralight electric motor for paragliding.

More information on the site: www.hommevolant.fr