Tilen Ceglar wins Paragliding World Cup Linzhou
'It was really great, I didn’t expect this kind of conditions here' – said the winner
19 June, 2025, by Cross CountrySlovenia’s Tilen Ceglar won the Paragliding World Cup in Linzhou, China, which ran from 7-14 June. He beat favourite Honorin Hamard (FRA) into second place over a week of at times difficult racing but which ultimately featured five “memorable” tasks. Galen Kirkpatrick (USA) won the women’s competition.
“The Paragliding World Cup delivered a dynamic mix of technical flying, challenging weather, and breathtaking scenery,” organisers reported afterwards. “Despite a few cancellations due to wind, the competition still featured five memorable tasks in the stunning setting of steep rock faces, deep canyons, and wide valleys.”
After a strong and consistent performance throughout the week, Tilen emerged as the overall winner. He said: “It was really great, I didn’t expect this kind of conditions here.”
Honorin Hamard also praised the flying: “It’s a really good place to fly, I didn’t expect that! It’s beautiful with the canyons behind, so I really enjoyed flying here.”
Mike Lester (USA) claimed third place, rounding out the top three. All three pilots were flying the Ozone Enzo 3 paired with the Ozone Submarine harness.
In the women’s category, Galen Kirkpatrick (USA, Ozone Enzo 3) led from start to finish, flying with both skill and composure to take the win. USA teammate Jenny O’Neil (Enzo 3) came in second, while Jinhee Baek (KOR, Ozone Zeno 2) secured third place after a solid performance throughout the week.
The team ranking was won by Team Ozone, whose pilots consistently placed near the top and worked together efficiently in task strategy and execution. Jack&Jones placed second, and Northwest Paragliding in third place.
Organisers said: “From powerful ridge runs and fast FAI triangles to nail-biting valley crossings, Linzhou has proven itself a worthy and exciting addition to the World Cup calendar. A big thank you to all the pilots, organisers, and volunteers who made this event one to remember.”
Day by day
Day 1 saw a 61.4 km optimised task set to open the competition. The task started with a push into a strong south wind, followed by a valley crossing, and finally offered pilots a choice: return via the flats or head back into the mountains slightly north of the takeoff and goal.
While the route back was relatively fast, the final glide after the last turnpoint proved challenging, as thermals became scarce and the headwind to goal was significant. Conditions throughout the day were rough and technical, with strong thermal bubbles that often vanished quickly, making it difficult to centre climbs and gain altitude consistently.
Ming I Wu (TPE) claimed the overall task win, and Galen Kirkpatrick took the top spot in the women’s category.
Day two was cancelled due to weather.
The competition resumed on Day 3 with the second task. Taking advantage of less windy conditions a 90+ km task was set, circling around the Linzhou area and showcasing the terrain from multiple angles.
The race began at 12.30pm, with Hippolyte Melo (FRA) launching just minutes before the start gate opened. The day turned out to be technically demanding, with weak and windy conditions in parts of the route, and stronger, punchier thermals developing later toward the end of the task. Hippolyte managed to navigate the challenges with skill and confidence, claiming his first World Cup task win – an impressive performance for the young French pilot.
He was closely followed by fellow countryman Honorin Hamard, who took the overall lead. In the women’s category, Galen Kirkpatrick continued to hold on to her lead with another solid flight.
Day four brought strong southerly winds for Task 3. The day’s route included a long into-wind leg along the ridge, followed by a zig-zag section guiding pilots back toward goal. But the challenge wasn’t just in the wind – overdevelopment was expected, adding a layer of time pressure to the task.
During launch clouds started building over the mountains in the back. All pilots were airborne about 30 minutes before the start, getting into position under increasingly active skies.
“The conditions were very smooth compared to the previous days! It was very enjoyable,” Tilen Ceglar said at goal. He won the task, moving up to second place overall, just behind Honorin Hamard.
At 1.55pm the task was stopped for safety reasons as the overdevelopment intensified. By then, around 45 pilots had already made goal.
Day five saw more strong wind and despite a task being set the day was cancelled beforethe take-off window opened.
Task 5 on Day 6 kicked off with promising skies. With strong climbs and relatively low winds forecast, the task committee set an 81.3km optimised FAI triangle, anticipating a fast race.
And fast it was. Despite the strong thermals, the air remained smooth and calm, making for an enjoyable and efficient flight. “We were on two-thirds bar almost the whole north leg,” said task winner Mike Lester at goal, highlighting the consistent and speedy conditions along the course.
In the women’s category, the day belonged to Jenny O’Neil, who secured the win with a strong and steady performance.
The next stop on the Paragliding World Cup circuit is Feltre in Italy, 28 June to 5 July.
