Crushing it in Krushevo: Flying the Niviuk Fly Wide Open

“Task still running. Task still running.” For the past hour ominous dark clouds have been building over the mountains to the west. Apparently, that’s where they usually stay. Zlatko Spirkoski, the meet director, reassures us over the radio that the task is still on. I look over my shoulder at the brooding sky, push out on bar a little bit further and will some speed into my EN-B Arriba. I don’t want to land just yet. 

I’ve come to Kruševo in North Macedonia to take part in the Niviuk Fly Wide Open, the relaunched and rebranded Cat 2 contest where competing is almost frowned upon. “We tend to call this an educational event rather than focusing on the fact it’s a competition,” its new organiser James Allcock tells me. “It’s a learning tool so pilots can get all the benefits from competition, but...