U-Turn have created a lightweight reversible paragliding harness, the IQ3, that they say does not compromise on safety or comfort, even for long XC flights.

The USHPA-sanctioned Texas Single Surface Shootout hang gliding competition takes place from 24 – 29 May 2010 near Luling, Texas.

Australian hang glider manufacturer Moyes have updated the Malibu skyfloater for 2010, and have made it in two sizes: the original 188 and a new 166 for lighter pilots.

Axis Para have been working on a new cross country paraglider. Now the Vega III is almost ready, and is expected to achieve EN C certification.

Indian paragliding school and club, Nirvana Adventures, have won a contract to teach over 100 airmen from various bases in the Indian Air Force, to fly paragliders.

xTc Paragliding are offering beginner / improver cross country courses from the Tolmin-Kobarid valley, Slovenia. The week of 16 – 23 June British Club Pilots with 25 hours + airtime can work on their BHPA Pilot rating.

Wings of Change’s Braveheart high-performance EN D ‘race machine’ is certified EN D, and was designed “for absolute top performance, whilst still being manageable”.

Skywalk’s high-end LTF 1-2 paraglider, the Chili 2, is now certified in sizes XS and L as well as S and M. An XL will follow shortly.

Gin’s Boomerang 7 competition paraglider features a new leading edge valve system for stability at speed. It will be in production soon in 6 sizes.

The Monte Grappa Trophy was held in Bassano del Grappa on the edge of the Dolomites, over the Easter weekend. Manfred Ruhmer and Luc Armant won the hang gliding and paragliding categories respectively.

Polish female paragliding star Klaudia Bulgakow is to be the first president of the new Women’s Paragliding Association, which was officially formed on 18 March 2010.

South Africa’s biggest paragliding competition, the Barberton Open, takes place from 12 – 19 June 2010.

The winners of Advance’s ‘Win your Wing’ promotion have been selected by paragliding world champion Andy Aebi and Red Bull X-Alps 2009 winner Chrigel Maurer. Czech pilot Michal Masek took the top prize.

The Polish Paragliding Open competition 2010 takes place at Levico Terme, Italy, on 2 – 8 May. The event is proving very popular, but check their website for availability of places.

Organisers warmly invite pilots and friends to a paragliding competition, the Occidental de Parapente, on Cuba’s ‘island of youth’ from 22 – 26 April 2010.

The Sprint X-Alps is a lightweight version of Gin’s EN B Sprint, designed for trekking and normal cross country flying with Gin’s ultimate compromise of lightness and durability.

The Paragliding Accuracy World Cup series for 2010 kicks off with a round in Batu, Indonesia, from 3 – 6 June 2010. The three following rounds take place in Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Austria.

Thomas de Dorlodot is one of paragliding and paramotoring’s brightest stars. Interviewed in February 2010 for Issue 18 of Cross Country Magazine’s sister publication Paramotor Magazine he reveals what it takes to do the Red Bull X-Alps, his newfound passion for paramotor acro, and talks extensively about his altitude-busting paramotor expedition to the Karakoram with [...]