Team podiums at both Class 1 and Class 5 Hang Gliding European Championships 2016. Photo: Eduardo Jacintho W Oliveira / Facebook
Christian Ciech won the FAI European Hang Gliding Championships in Krushevo, Macedonia, which finished on Saturday after two weeks of competition.
Ciech was only a whisker ahead of his Italian teammate Alex Ploner, winning by a mere 30 points out of an 8,000 point competition. The competition saw eight tasks of between 85.1km and 145.7km.
Peter Neuenschwander won the bronze medal. In the Nations, it was Italy, Hungary, Czech republic in 1, 2, 3.
The competition was a dual championships, with Class 1 and Class 5 (rigids) happening at the same time. There were 88 pilots in Class 1 and 31 in Class 5.
In Class 5, Tim Grabowski (DE) continued his dominance of the rigid circuit with a decisive win over Austrians Chris Friedl and Wolfgang Kothasser. The Class 5 competition saw nine tasks, from 83km-193km.
Austria won gold in the Class 5 Teams, with Germany and Japan in silver and bronze position.
The competition took place in Krushevo from 19-30 July 2016.
CLASS 1
1. Christian Ciech (IT), Icaro 2000 Laminar, 7,567
2. Alex Ploner (IT), Icaro Laminar Z9, 7,537
3. Peter Neuenschwander (CH), Aeros Combat C, 7,420
TEAMS
1. Italy, 22,486
2. Hungary, 20,565
3. Czech Republic, 20,300
TASKS
85.1km
120km
101.6km
132.7km
145.7km
93.2km
116.2km
100.2km
>>
CLASS 5 (RIGIDS)
1. Tim Grabowski (DE), AIR Atos, 7,564
2. Christopher Friedl (AT), AIR Atos, 6,867
3. Wolfgang Kothasser (AT), AIR Atos, 6,724
CLASS 5 TEAMS
1. Austria
2. Germany
3. Japan
TASKS
84.9km
114.5km
143.4km
127.6km
149.9km
193.3km
117.7km
126.9km
117.5km
FULL RESULTS
www.airtribune.com/hgeu2016/results
