Craig Morgan: 2010 British Paragliding Champion – exclusive interview

INTERVIEW: Craig Morgan talks to Bob Drury about winning his second national title and flying the Ozone R10.2 in the big air of St Andre, France.

Craig Morgan tops the podium at the 2010 British Paragliding Championship in St Andre, France. Photo: Bob Drury

Craig Morgan has become British Paragliding Champion for the second time after the second round of the British Championships, held last week in St Andre les Alpes, France. He first won the championship title in 2008.

Neil Roberts had to content himself with second place once again, while Jamie Messenger came third. Kirsty Cameron is women’s champion for the third year in a row.

Russell Ogden won the Open event, ahead of France’s Martin Bonis and Britain’s Mark Watts.

All three top Brits were flying Ozone R10s – in fact, 13 of the top 15 wings ranked at Saint Andre were R10s.

Ozone R10s dominated the event. Photo: Bob Drury

The format of the British events changed this year as the committee decided to run just two overseas rounds.

The choices of dates and locations turned out to be good, with six good tasks being run at both the Kobarid round (Slovenia) and in St Andre.

Conditions however, were described by one blogger as “fruity” at St Andre, with five reserve deployments on one day, and gliders also in power lines and trees.

Fruity they may have been, but they still delivered classic St Andre flying with only one day being lost to too much wind. Ozone’s Russell Ogden showed his true metal winning three of the six tasks aboard a carbon rod reinforced prototype.

The final task was stopped in the air leading to a final shuffle round of places leaving second placed Neil Roberts missing only seven points to take the championship away from Craig. Frustratingly, Neil finished second in 2009 too.

The competition, which Meet Director Calvo Burns called the most successful of the year, ended in a huge party with XC Mag’s exec editor Bob Drury on the decks for a monster seven-hour set.

XCMag's Bob Drury rocking the end of competition party at the 2010 British Paragliding Open in St Andre, France. Photo: Ben Jordan

RESULTS

Overall British Championships (cumulation of 3 rounds)

1. Craig Morgan (Ozone Mantra R10)
2. Neil Roberts (Ozone Mantra R10)
3. Jamie Mesenger (Ozone Mantra R10)

WOMEN – Kirsty Cameron (Advance Omega 8 )

British Open St Andre event overall results

1. Russell Ogden (GB, Ozone Mantra R10)
2. Martin Bonis (FR, Ozone Mantra R09)
3. Mark Watts (GB, Gin Boomerang 7)

WOMEN
1. Christine Metais (FR, Gin Boomerang 6)
2. Isabella Reibling (DE, Ozone mantra M3)
3. Eva Humeau (FR, Sky Ares 2)

www.pgcomps.org.uk