On glide at the Ozone Chabre Open
Cross Country is supporting two big paragliding events this year: The Ozone Chabre Open and the brand new Wide Open.
Both events are fun competitions aimed at flying lots in a beautiful place in a relaxed, low-stress way. It doesn’t matter if you’re a relatively new pilot, have 10 years experience or what level of glider you fly – if you can stay up in a thermal you can take part.
The uniting theme is one of improving your flying in a controlled, structured, mentoring way. The tasks in each will be set to get the best out of the day, pilots receive a full briefing before each task to help them plan their flight, everyone is on radio for security, and a full retrieve service operates so you never get stuck.
Plus, once back at base each task is given the full debrief treatment: pilots’ track logs are analysed and the emphasis is on learning from the day.
It doesn’t stop there: each competition also features a full programme of talks and social events meaning you even learn while you have a beer in your hand. It’s great opportunity to meet pilots from across the world and make new friends.
Registration opens this month for both events. Some more about both:
Ozone Chabre Open, 28 June to 5 July 2013
Registration opens: 19 January 2013
Website: Fly Laragne
Backed by one of the biggest brands in the sport and with the legendary Jocky Sanderson as meet director, this well-established fun competition takes place in the beautiful southern French Alps.
The mountain of Chabre is the take off, with any number of wide open valleys the landing. A typical task will take advantage of a 2,500m cloud base and take you on a circuit of 40-50km.
Jocky sets the task and then explains how you can fly it. A seasoned professional who has been flying for 20 years, taking part in the Chabre Open is like a Jocky Sanderson course rolled into an easy-going competition.
Plus, with the Ozone office just down the road, it’s not unusual for one or more of their top pilots drop in to fly for a day or two. In past years Russell Ogden has been on hand to help pilots get the most out of their wings, plus the Meet the Designer talks with Ozone designers have always been revealing.
Every day is different at the Chabre Open, but the fun, relaxed atmosphere makes for a good holiday in a very nice part of France.
Past speakers, in no particular order, have included Xavier Murillo, Mark Hayman, Ulric Jessop (X-Alps), Bob Drury, Alain Zoller (+ reserve repack demos), Judy Leden, Nicky Moss, Mark Graham, Jocky Sanderson, Craig Collings, Cross Country, Russ Ogden, Dav Dagault and the rest of the Ozone team.
The Wide Open, Meduno, Italy, 18-25 May 2013
Registration opens: 23 January 2013
Website: www.flywideopen.org
This is a new competition and is all about having fun. Like the Ozone Chabre Open the Wide Open is aimed at regular recreational and weekend pilots who want to fly a fun competition in a beautiful location. Brett Janaway is the competition director, with Toby Colombe as event director.
Meduno is on the edge of the Julian Alps, close to the border with Slovenia and offers an interesting mix of both mountain and flatland flying which lends itself to easy task setting. A large grassy launch is matched with many large and open landing options.
The competition is cleverly positioned in the calendar the week after the International Women’s Open and the week before the Italian Open, which means some pilots will use the comp as a warm-up and some will spill over from the competition the week before.
A series of lectures, briefings and social events will make this a social competition in a fun, supportive environment.
Cross Country is also a media partner of the Paragliding World Cup Association, the XC Open World Series and XC Contest.
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