FAI World Junior Paragliding Championships kicks off

The first FAI World Junior Paragliding Championships are taking place in Tolmin, Slovenia until 31 August.

Open to pilots born in 1998 or later with an IPPI 5 rating, 64 male and 11 female pilots from 20 countries are taking part in the 10 day competition. Teams of three or more have been fielded by Spain, France, UK, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Colombia, Czech Republic, USA, Austria, Turkey and Slovenia.

Organised by the aeronautical association of Slovenia and the Triglav flying club, the competition is taking place in the north west of the country at the southern end of the Julian Alps.

After the first 46.4km task Spain’s Marcelo Sanchez Vilchez was leading the overall competition with France’s Capucine Deliot leading the women. Spain lead the team rankings. Day 2 saw pilots head to Lijak where they “waited and waited” hoping for better weather, which unfortunately never arrived – the day was cancelled.

Kobala is being used for 90% of the flying days. It’s a popular launch for long cross-country flights and a well-known competition site. Covering W, SW, SE, and E wind directions, with an elevation of 1,080m it’s also easily accessed by road.

Slovenia is a well-known paragliding destination with the climate influenced by the Alps and the Adriatic Sea. The Soča Valley is known as an outdoor sports paradise. Steep mountain slopes and unforgettable panoramic views offer top flying opportunities and long cross-country flying above the Julian Alps. The Triglav National Park is one of the oldest European parks and the only national park in Slovenia, bordering Italy and Austria and home to Slovenia’s highest mountain, Triglav, (2,864m).

The FAI Juniors category is a new category in free flight and covers records and competitions and is designed to encourage younger pilots into the competitive side of the sport.

Sixteen-year-old local pilot Mark Janaway (SLO) is the youngest competitor at the 1st FAI World Junior Paragliding Championships. He told CIVL he has been flying for 15 months, since June 2023, and that the Junior Worlds is his fourth competition to date.

Additional event details and rankings can be found throughout the competition at civlcomps.org.

The championships can be followed via Flymaster Live Tracking here.