PWCA - 2019 World Cup France ::: Coeur de Savoie

2019-06-01 19:36

The final day has been epic - 113 pilots made goal today.

As a clue as to why it went so well here is the view from the launch at Montlambert when the window opened (photo credit - Ruth Jessop)

The final results are now online and prizegiving will be starting at 20:00.

2019-06-01 19:29

All that remains to be said at the end of a fantastic competition is a very big congratulations to all those who have qualified for the Super Final from this competition, the top 15 overall, top 3 ladies and task winners. The scores will be online very shortly.

2019-06-01 19:27

So for today's winning tactic from Luc ARMANT, winner of the 2017 Coeur de Savoie Paragliding World Cup. Luc told me, 'I just had one tactic today. To win.' That may seem obvious, but for once Luke was deadly serious! He was in 58th place overall when he took off this morning so had no chance of a top 15 place for automatic selection to the Super Final so his only other option was to win a task - which he did. 'The others who had the same idea attacked too early. The rest were watching the others to keep their position overall. For me today, it was winning or nothing,' Luc told me.

2019-06-01 19:25

Owen has got End of Speed but unfortunately he landed 2 km from goal after nearly 7 hours in the air. If points were awarded for hanging in there and having the most fun, I think Owen would have won the day!

2019-06-01 19:22

His fellow Americans are glued to the live tracking.

2019-06-01 19:18

This is nail biting watching Owen Shoemaker making a very brave attempt to get end of speed with 40 minutes to go to land by time.

2019-06-01 18:55

It looks as if Satsuki has landed frustratingly 1.9 km short of ESS. When I asked her what she likes the most about flying in the French Alps, without hesitation she replied, 'the baguettes.'

2019-06-01 18:47

Owen seems to be thermalling for America by the last turn point and is determined not to go down.

2019-06-01 18:37

Owen is low just before the last turn point, meanwhile, Satsuki is in orbit just before ESS and won't come down!

2019-06-01 18:30

We have just two pilots left in the air at the end of this epic task, Satsuki Hoshida and Owen Shoemaker. Satsuki is climbing on the hair pins and should get ESS and goal.

2019-06-01 18:00

Just a reminder about the scores. The discards will once again play a big part. If they have a bad day to discard and can replace it with a good score they will move up the rankings more than a pilot who doesn't have such a bad day to discard.

2019-06-01 17:50

You can also see a full list of the next Pre-World Cups, which are also a great way to qualify for your first Paragliding World Cup, on the 'World Cup Tour' page of our website (pwca.org).

2019-06-01 17:49

It's less about winning and more about fun flying in a stress-free and supportive environment.

2019-06-01 17:49

The GIN Wide Open (18 – 25 August 2019, in Krusevo Macedonia) is always an excellent event which is first and foremost a fun week paragliding. It's less about flying the latest hot-ships and more about achievable tasks for cross country pilots flying EN-B and EN-C wings. They advertise it as having 'the best parties, the most prizes, and the easiest tasks' – what's not to like about that!

2019-06-01 17:49

Following in the footsteps of the Ozone Chabre Open, is the new(ish) Ozone Krushevo Open (13 to 20 July 2019), where the emphasis is once again on safe and achievable tasks.

2019-06-01 17:48

The Ozone Chabre Open (29th June to 5th July, 2019) is not just a paragliding competition - it is an XC Coaching week, a how-to-fly-competition-week, a week of parties and gatherings amongst pilots from all over the world, and generally an event at which the focus is entirely on fun and learning.

2019-06-01 17:48

If you have just learnt to fly and are wondering how you progress up towards a Paragliding World Cup it's worth going to the competitions organised by our partners Ozone and Gin:

2019-06-01 17:44

We can't give the leadout points as the number of lead out points per task depends on how many pilots arrive in goal. There is a maximum of 67.5 lead out points if nobody gets to goal, 70 if only 1 person gets to goal. 160 if 70 % or more get to goal, rising to 162 if 90% or more are in goal, as will be pretty much the case today.

2019-06-01 17:43

So for those of you wondering why we give the lead out points as a % until the scores come out, let me explain.

2019-06-01 17:38

A hundred pilots have just landed in the goal field to the sound of not very musical ouiiiis, wooooops and bravos ringing out across the snow covered peaks of the Alps here in stunningly beautiful Coeur de Savoie.

2019-06-01 17:29

As far as the ladies are concerned first across ESS: Seiko Fukuoka Naville (89%), Méryl Delferriere, (89%), followed by Keiko Hiraki (76%), Yael Margelisch (82%) and Nancy Berge (59%)

2019-06-01 17:22

So from the heat and the chaos of the goal field, the top ten across ESS today with their lead out points was Luc Armant (99%), Chigwon Won (97%), Charles Cazaux (99%), Emil Cervenan (93%), Tilen Ceglar (93%), Stephane Drouin (97%), Russell Ogden (95%), Ferdinand Vogel (94%), Alexandre Jofresa (96%) and Ulrich Prinz (99%).

2019-06-01 17:11

Well the good news from the goal field is that a paramotor with a hole in its exhaust has just drowned out the compere! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa!

2019-06-01 17:09

To more 'yeeeeehhhhhaaaaaaaaas,' first lady World, European and Super Final champion Seiko Fukuoka Naville has just landed in goal 2 minutes and 16 seconds ahead of Méryl Delferriere.

2019-06-01 17:07

Tilen Ceglar who was lyng 3rd this morning has also now crossed ESS and now landed in the lush green goal field to loud applause and 'oooooooouis' and 'woooooooops' and 'ahhhhhoops' from the compere. Tilen crossed Ess before Stephan Morgenthaler but has less lead out points. We're going to have to wait until the scores are published to discover the winner.

2019-06-01 17:03

Stephan Morgenthaler has now crossed Ess in a time of 3h 11mins 38 but his nearest rival, lying in second place this morning, Charles Cazaux, was faster 3h 10 mins 50 seconds and has more lead out points. Will this be enough to make up the 9 points which separate them?

2019-06-01 17:00

Once again there is a carnival atmosphere at the venue which is one of the World Cup's favourites, Coeur de Savoie.

2019-06-01 16:59

Luc Armant has just swooped down into the goal field to massive cheers from the crowd.

2019-06-01 16:57

Last Coeur de Savoie winner Luc Armant has just taken ESS first.

2019-06-01 16:57

To complicate things, overall 3rd this morning Tilen Ceglar is between them .

2019-06-01 16:56

Who is going to win overall, Charles Cazaux or Stephan Morgenthaler, they are going to cross ESS very close but is it enough for ex World and Super final champion Charles Cazaux to take the lead in the comp overall?

2019-06-01 16:55

Trying to catch them: Emil Cervenan, Alexandre Jofresa, Stephane Drouin, Tilen Ceglar.

2019-06-01 16:54

Charles Cazaux, Chigwon Won, Luc Armant are in the lead.

2019-06-01 16:54

3 km to go.

2019-06-01 16:54

They are now surfing along the front ridge, on this totally blue day.

2019-06-01 16:53

Chigwon Won is on 8:1 to goal. He's flying very well at the moment. He was 8th in the Panchgani PrePWC in India this year and 2nd in the 2018 PrePWC Gochang KOREA

2019-06-01 16:47

The leaders are just getting the last turn point: Chigwon Won, Ferdinand Vogel, Stephane Drouin,Luc Armant, Honorin Hamard, Charles Cazaux, Emil Cervenan Tilen Ceglar, Russell Ogden and Christian Biasi.

2019-06-01 16:42

This competition really has brought together the creme de la creme of the Paragliding World, I don't know how many World Cup task wins they have between them... lots. Those who have had the most task wins in the history of the Paragliding World Cup and are taking part in this competition are as follows: Stefan Wyss (21), Yassen Savov (12), Honorin Hamard (9), Stephan Morgenthaler (8) and Andreas Pepe MALECKI (8).

2019-06-01 16:38

This last part of the race is proving really difficult, it is really stable low down. Current World and Super Final champion Pierre Remy has just landed.

2019-06-01 16:37

Our leading ladies Méryl Delferriere and Seiko Fukuoka Naville are neck and neck 4 km to the last turn point.

2019-06-01 16:36

With less than 4 km to the last turn point, up with the leaders from the top 12 this morning any of whom could win we have: Stephan Morgenthaler, Charles Cazaux, Tilen Ceglar, Russell Ogden, Honorin Hamard, Jurij Vidic, Alexandre Jofresa, Stefan Wyss, Ulrich Prinz and Ferdinand Vogel.

2019-06-01 16:32

To explain what a top level competition this is, those with the letters CD were the last to be selected, equivalent to a place in the top 30 in the recent Super Final!

2019-06-01 16:31

Twenty-five pilots (4 ladies and 21 men), have got AA letters. This does not mean that they take part in weekly meetings about their consumption of alcohol, but instead means that they have been in the top five in a top level paragliding competition.

2019-06-01 16:31

Six World/European champions are taking part: Honorin HAMARD, Charles CAZAUX, Torsten SIEGEL, Theo Warden, Pierre REMY and Yassen SAVOV.

2019-06-01 16:30

As we've kept saying this week the pilot quality is absolutely amazing.

2019-06-01 16:28

The object of the exercise is to shave the cylinder as closely as possible, but not too closely. If you don't cross the cylinder you will be scored to your furthest point along the course line towards the goal before the turn point you missed.

2019-06-01 16:27

As they race towards this last turn point they are going to be trying to shave the cylinder as closely as possible.

2019-06-01 16:25

Paragliding isn't just a physical sport it is all about making the right decisions. Concentration is key and particulary difficult in a competition as long as this, with 6 tasks, two of which have been over 100 km.

2019-06-01 16:24

Ex World and European Champion Honorin Hamard is racing neck and neck with the 2014 World Cup champion here in Coeur de Savoie, Felix Rodriguez Fernandez.

2019-06-01 16:22

Like so many of the gifted young French pilots, Honorin started paragliding very young. He did his first tandem flight at age three with his Dad. He got into his first solo paragliding harness when he was 14 years old and started competing when he was 17 years old. Who would have known back then that 21 years later, that three year old would be the first pilot ever to fly a tandem paraglider more that 400 km!

2019-06-01 16:22

This morning on launch there was a lot of discussion about which ridge the pilots would take.

2019-06-01 16:21

Honorin Hamard and Felix Rodriguez Fernandez have pulled ahead and are heading for the higher ridge behind.

2019-06-01 16:19

They have just crossed the big blue hole in the valley and got the third turn point and have now got a nice cloud street ahead of them to take them south to the turn point around Allevard.

2019-06-01 16:17

Coeur de Savoie is Johannes first PWC and he told me, 'I am looking forward to being at my first PWC in France and I am a little intimidated by the list of participants to be honest…,' me too I assured him and I am only doing the Commentary!

2019-06-01 16:15

The leaders have just made the valley crossing. With them is one of this years newbys Johannes Baumgarten.

2019-06-01 16:13

So, who were those skygods back then on Reunion Island in 2003 trying to climb out above the sugar cane fields who are here once again today trying to climb out above the marmots here in the Alps: Tosten Siegel, Ulric Jessop, Andreas 'Pepe' Malecki, Stephan Morgenthaler, Stefan Wyss, Stephane Drouin, Helmut Eichholzer and Charles Cazaux. Paragliding, the sport with a wingspan across the generations and right around the planet.

2019-06-01 16:12

Remi grew up on Reunion Island. One of his first memories of seeing paragliders was as an 11 year old watching the Paragliding World Cup take off there in 2003. Remi recounted: For me it was stunning, it was like going to the Football World Cup, I didn't know any of the pilots but to see the clouds of gliders in the sky was staggering, unimaginable, unbelievable. I just kept asking myself how do they manage to not fly into each other? I never ever imagined that one day I would be here, on the other side of the World, flying with those same pilots.

2019-06-01 16:11

Remi is about to make the valley crossing just behind the leaders which should really help his overall position in this competition.

2019-06-01 16:10

Coeur de Savoie 2017, with possibly the highest pilot quality we've ever seen was Remy's first ever PWC, he set himself the modest goal of coming in the top 60 – which he very nearly achieved.

2019-06-01 16:09

We've got a lot of new young pilots in this competition but one who stands out from the newbys who took part for the first time in the PWC here in Coeur de Savoie two years ago in 2017 was Rémi Bourdelle.

2019-06-01 16:07

Here goes for the valley crossing.

2019-06-01 16:04

Cow bells jangle below, varios beep above as we go into the last hour of the 2019 Coeur de Savoie Paragliding World Cup, 33km to go.

2019-06-01 16:02

They are now hoping from ridge to ridge over forests and meadows full of wild flowers. It's Saturday so the picnickers are out in force.

2019-06-01 16:00

Apart from the flying which has been great this week, it has also been a great learning experience for the newer pilots, which brings me to today's Thought for the Thermal a piece of advice from an experienced World Cup pilot for those who are just starting out in competitions comes from Arnaud SECHER: Discuss with the more experienced pilots as much as you can, the 'big stars,' unless they have had a really bad day, are always ready to help. Get a good start, take off early, don't wait until the end, be in a good position to watch the others. A good start is the start of a good task and reduces the stress levels.

2019-06-01 15:46

The leaders have got the second turn point Tilen Ceglar, Honorin Hamard, Stephane Drouin, Ulrich Prinz, Arnaud Secher, Russell Ogden, Jurij Vidic.

2019-06-01 15:44

However it's not such a bad idea to be slightly behind the leaders, then you can see which ones ahead of you are getting the liftiest lines and follow them to stay up. It's all about following the best lift so that you don't have to keep stopping and searching for a thermal and wasting time rather than being onwards and upwards to goal.

2019-06-01 15:43

Why is pushing on ahead on your own a risky idea? It is a race after all. Staying with a group of pilots or 'gaggle' generally works better as you all work together to find the invisible rising currents of air called thermals, which carry the pilots round the course. If ten of you fly forwards spread out, you will find thermals much more efficiently rather than trying to randomly zig zag about to find them on your own.

2019-06-01 15:43

The others have now caught up and they are all going for the turn point together, high at more than 2300 m.

2019-06-01 15:41

Current leader Stephan Morgenthaler and the winner of the 2017 Coeur de Savoie World Cup Luc Armant are out in front.

2019-06-01 15:40

They have now got high at the end of the ridge and are going to do a quick out and return to Aix-Les-Bains to get the turn point.

2019-06-01 15:39

As far as which route to take in a paragliding competition is concerned, the vast majority follow the optimum route, the shortest line which joins the turn point cylinders/circles. The further you are from the optimum line, the further ahead you have to be along your chosen route to get the same lead out points as those following the line on the live tracking and task board.

2019-06-01 15:37

So they have all just done a lovely ridge run which has taken them right off the optimum line. Now what?

2019-06-01 15:37

Nicola is making an acro harness with Woody Valley which they will be launching at Coupe Icare this autumn and hope to market from November 2019 onwards.

2019-06-01 15:36

Nicola Donini is also up at the front as they all try and decide how to get to the second turn point.

2019-06-01 15:29

Stephan MORGENTHALER told me this morning that this part of the race around Chambery worried him the most. He also told me his strategy today was going to be to follow the others, he seems to have binned that idea as he is currently right at the front!

2019-06-01 15:27

Stephan Morgenthaler, the overall race leader after 5 tasks is right at the front today.

2019-06-01 15:26

The big problem is that they are under some nice puffy clouds at the moment but out towards Aix-Les-Bains it's blue, blue, blue.

2019-06-01 15:22

At some point they are going to have to cut across the valleys and go west towards Aix-Les-Bains.

2019-06-01 15:21

The leaders have got to the end of the Roc de Boeuf Ridge and seem to be going in all directions.

2019-06-01 15:16

So out of those who were in a position to win the competition overall this morning, the following are at the front at the moment: Stephan Morgenthaler, Charles Cazaux, Tilen Ceglar, Russell Ogden, Honorin Hamard,Jurij Vidic, Alexandre Jofresa, Stefan Wyss and Ulrich Prinz.

2019-06-01 15:11

Stephan Morgenthaler is back with the leaders again and just behind Uli on the Roc de Boeuf.

2019-06-01 15:09

Stephan Morgenthaler is back with the leaders again, just behind Uli on the Roc de Boeuf.

2019-06-01 15:07

Taking a different route, heading to Semnoz hill. Julien Wirtz and Stéphane Poulain.

2019-06-01 15:07

There is a long procession of paragliders spread out behind him.

2019-06-01 15:06

Ulrich Prinz has taken the lead.

2019-06-01 15:06

They have now crossed the lake and connected onto Roc de Beouf again.

2019-06-01 15:05

If there is anyone in the Annecy area who thinks that there is an invasion of multi coloured lady birds taking over the skies, don't worry, it's just the World Cup flying fast and furiously over head.

2019-06-01 15:02

Julien Wirtz is right at the front, flying very well at the moment having come second in the Super Final and 4th in task 2 and 1st in task 4 here.

2019-06-01 14:59

Emma Casanova is also just approaching the turn point in an area she knows very well, as she is currently flying over her own house with Gin her little Jack Russell sending up barks of encouragment to Mum! Go Emma, Go. Only 73 km to go!

2019-06-01 14:54

They now have a 30 km leg back across the lake towards Aix-Les-Bains and Chambery.

2019-06-01 14:53

It's quite stable low down but better higher up.

2019-06-01 14:52

It's quite stable low down but better higher up.

2019-06-01 14:50

Leading ladies Méryl Delferriere, Seiko Fukuoka Naville and Yael Margelisch are just getting the turn point together.

2019-06-01 14:48

Those who were in the top 10 overall when they took off this morning who are at the front at the moment are: Stefan Wyss, Charles Cazaux, Honorin Hamard.

2019-06-01 14:46

They are all at pretty much at the same height at the moment 1500m as they arrive at the turn point at Parmelan.

2019-06-01 14:45

However they are so close together it is difficult to see who the leader is.

2019-06-01 14:44

The leaders are now very close to the first turn point: Charles Cazaux, Stefan Wyss, Helmut Eichholzer, Stephane Drouin, Clement Latour, Honorin Hamard, Ronny Geijsen..

2019-06-01 14:41

When Felix was asked on the Ozone website Do you have any goals, dreams or plans for the next 1-2 years? He replied, 'I want to do the X-Alps and the X-Pyr. I want to be on the podium in the European championship and World championships and the Superfinal too. I want to do speed flying from the top of Mont Blanc…' Not one to stay at home and get the DIY done then me thinks!

2019-06-01 14:41

Felix started flying when he was 12 years old after 2 years of ground handling! Unfortunately, from an academic point of view, the Spanish Baccalaureate clashed with the Spanish paragliding championships, no prizes for guessing which one Felix took part in!

2019-06-01 14:40

Just a reminder that Felix was 1st in task 5 and 1st overall in the Coeur de Savoie World Cup in 2014.

2019-06-01 14:39

Those who came round the BBQ route like Felix Rodriguez Fernandez, and Stephan Morgenthaler have now rejoined the others but much higher, Felix is at 2300m.

2019-06-01 14:35

Those who have taken the longer 'BBQ Route' via Doussard have now connected on to the Lanfonnet and should get a climb Felix Rodriguez Fernandez, Tilen Ceglar, Dusan Durkovi?, Tabanez Fonseca, Jesus Costa Sanchez, Stephan Morgenthaler, Zoran Labovic, Marco Littame.

2019-06-01 14:30

They are heading to the hillside behind Talloires to try and get a climb but Yassen Savov and Michael Sommerauer look like they are going to land.

2019-06-01 14:29

The leaders are low and really need a climb: Michael Sommerauer, Yassen Savov, Clement Latour, Tim Rochas

2019-06-01 14:28

The leaders have made the lake crossing and are now above Talloires.

2019-06-01 14:27

Michael Sommerauerm, first across ESS yesterday, is in the lead as they cross the lake high above the castle standing out into the lake at Duingt

2019-06-01 14:25

Interestingly enough current race leader Stephan Morgenthaler is following the BBQ route. That's a big, big risk getting separated from the others.

2019-06-01 14:22

There is a break away gaggle heading for Doussard. I was going to give you a technical paragliding reason for why they are doing that but I think the more plausible reason is that quite a few of the pilots live there so they've probably decided to give in early and stop for a Saturday afternoon BBQ.

2019-06-01 14:19

They are still in two distinct gaggles. Remember, following the course line is the most efficient from a lead out point of view, as the lead out points are measured by the further you are round the course line/optimum route.

2019-06-01 14:17

They are currently flying through some of the most stunning scenery ever, with big rocky mountains, snowfields, quite simply breath taking.

2019-06-01 14:13

The task winners from this competition who have therefore qualified for the Super Final are: Jose REBELO, Tilen CEGLAR, Theo WARDEN, Julien WIRTZ and Jurij VIDIC.

2019-06-01 14:12

Those with a pilot number of 15 or less already have a place in the Super Final having qualified from this year's Super Final.

2019-06-01 14:12

Not only is today about winning this competition but it is also very much about getting a place in the Super Final. Automatic selection for the Super Final is a top 15 place overall, top 3 lady, task winners, pre-PWC winners and legends (winner of the World Championships or Super Final).

2019-06-01 14:10

There seems to be a lot of indecision about which ridge to follow at the moment!

2019-06-01 14:09

Clement is an amazing athlete. Not only has he done the X-Alps but he has cycled round the World (2005-2007), climbing Mont-Blanc, Kilimandjaro, Aconcagua, Ojos del Salado, Huascaran and Chopicalqui en route and got to 8600 m on Everest. The high point (literally) was failing to take off tandem from Mt Everest at 8600 m in 2007, with nil wind at such an altitude, it was impossible to take off, ouch! .

2019-06-01 14:08

Clement Latour has taken the lead in the group to the east. He's another who has blown his overall classification so will be pushing out to do well today.

2019-06-01 14:06

We continue to have two distinct gaggles as they head along the famous Roc de Boeuf towards Lake Annecy.

2019-06-01 14:05

Stephan MORGENTHALER the current overall leader will be flying conservatively today, he just needs to stay with the leaders to win. He won't be pushing out or taking any risks. Those who have got too many poor scores to do well overall will be pushing out today to get a good score in this individual task.

2019-06-01 14:04

Julien Wirtz, Pierre Remy and Flavio Funiati are all up with the leaders. They blew their changes yesterday of getting a good overall score so they are happy to push out and see what happens.

2019-06-01 14:02

They have now got a valley crossing, this is where quite a few landed yesterday.They are all in sink at the moment, let's hope we don't have a repeat of yesterday.

2019-06-01 14:00

We've got two distinct gaggles at the moment, flying parallel to each other, both following ridges but I think today is also a day for cloud hopping wherever possible.

2019-06-01 13:59

Looking into the Bauges at the moment, which is where the pilots are currently flying it is pretty blue but there are also quite a lot of clouds.

2019-06-01 13:55

No matter where pilots are flying in the World they always look for 'Convergence zones.' This is where two air flows or air masses meet and results in rising air which often leads to the formation of clouds.

2019-06-01 13:54

They now have a long leg north up to lake Annecy and beyond!

2019-06-01 13:53

They use the weather (sun and thermals) and topography (especially ridges) and changes in the terrain to keep them airborne around the course. They use the clouds to show where the air is rising. Birds are also good thermal markers.

2019-06-01 13:53

Just a reminder that the Start and turn points have cylinders around them to spread pilots out. They use their GPS to confirm that they have crossed the cylinder- they don't need to go to the point in the middle, just cross the cylinder around it.

2019-06-01 13:50

The lead out points will be starting soon. They are most heavily weighted just after the start of the race, in fact normally from about the second thermal onwards.

2019-06-01 13:48

You can see the route the task follows on the live tracking. The line is the 'optimum route', they don't have to follow this but they do have to go to the circles (cylinders) in the correct order.

2019-06-01 13:47

The sky is so blue that the colours of the gliders stand out very vividly against the deep blue, with the dark green of the trees below them.

2019-06-01 13:45

The Start is open.

2019-06-01 13:45

Apologies for an earlier erronious post by my secretary Matilda the Marmot that the Start opened at 13.30, in fact it will open in 1 minute at 13h45.

2019-06-01 13:30

The start is now open and the pilots are away on the first leg towards Annecy

2019-06-01 12:54

Virtually all the pilots are now off for this last task.

2019-06-01 12:50

Ivan Haas, one of the newbies in this comp is about to take off. He has all his family with him today cheering him on.

2019-06-01 12:45

There is a strong wind up the launch which is helping some and hindering others.

2019-06-01 12:44

Winner of the recent pre World Cup in Reunion Island, Baptiste Lambert, is just setting up to go.

2019-06-01 12:40

Miguel Diaz Ruiz has just launched and joined the procession going south in search of a thermal.

2019-06-01 12:38

World and Super Final champion Pierre Remy has just taken off.

2019-06-01 12:33

We now have timings for today. The pilots can take off when they want to and the start will open at 13.45 in 70 minutes time in the air.

2019-06-01 12:25

The task is set - todays race is a 122.72 km Race to Goal The window will open at 12:30 Local Time and the Start is at 13:45

2019-06-01 11:54

As task committee member Heli Eichholzer told me, the weather is even better than yesterday. Everyone is still very motivated to do a long task. There are lots of options in today's task.

2019-06-01 11:50

Then more work to do flying across the Bauges, across the big valley where HQ is based, down towards Allevard and then back up to ESS and goal at HQ.

2019-06-01 11:47

Then they head south west towards Chambery.

2019-06-01 11:47

The task takes the pilots north across lake Annecy to Dingy Saint Clair, which with blue skies and sunshine today, is looking anything but Dingy.

2019-06-01 11:45

A 123 km task has been set.

2019-06-01 11:36

A provisional task has been set - todays race is a 122.72 km Race to Goal The window open and start times have not yet been decided - more news will follow

2019-06-01 11:21

In the ladies' competition it is also very close. Any of the top 8 ladies could win or be on the podium.

2019-06-01 11:19

The final day is here and the weather is stunning - clear blue skies and light winds. We are back to the Montlambert takeoff today and should have task details very soon.

Meanwhile Ruth has been busy with her camera - here is the view from the launch at Montlambert (photos credit - Ruth Jessop)

More news soon

2019-06-01 11:16

At the start of the last task there are 35 points between the top 2 ladies. The top 3 ladies are: Seiko Fukuoka Naville (3144), Méryl DELFERRIERE (3109) and Keiko HIRAKI (3017).

2019-06-01 11:15

As far as who could win the competition, it's wide open. Any one in the top 12 could win. Anyone in the top 20 could be on the podium.

2019-06-01 11:15

As we go into the last day a mere 60 points separate the top 10 overall, who are: Stephan MORGENTHALER (3573), Charles CAZAUX (3564), Tilen CEGLAR (3557), Theo WARDEN (3549), Russell OGDEN (3537), Joachim OBERHAUSER (3528), Honorin HAMARD (3527), Jurij VIDIC (3519), Alexandre JOFRESA (3519) and Stefan WYSS (3513).

2019-06-01 11:15

The top leadout point baggers in task 5 were: Yongtae Ahn , Charles CAZAUX and Jurij VIDIC.

2019-06-01 11:13

The top 3 teams in task 5 were: 1st Flying Tree Environmental Agency: 2nd Ozone and 3rd= Woody Valley and Flymaster.

2019-06-01 11:13

And the top 3 ladies: 1st Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE: 2nd Constance METTETAL and 3rd Yael MARGELISCH.

2019-06-01 11:12

Well done to task 5 winners: 1st Jurij Vidic : 2nd Tilen CEGLAR and 3rd Yongtae AHN.

2019-06-01 11:11

It's another day of blue skies and sunshine here in paragliding paradise.

2019-06-01 11:09

The Coeur de Savoie venue brings together some of best and most well known flying venues in all of France. Nearby Annecy and St Hilaire are legendary in the free flying world. The mountains of the Bauges, the Belledonne and the Chartreuse are full of rocky ridges and thermal churning spines, perfect for paragliding.

2019-06-01 11:08

Here we are on the Montlambert launch at Coeur de Savoie, in the heart of the French Alps, ready for task 6.

2019-05-31 21:22

Saturday 1st June : Schedule
-------------------------- ---
08:00 Breakfast in HQ
09:30 Departure to chosen Take Off

2019-05-31 21:07

It is a long way when you plan the route like that...in the end we got 77 making the goal with a further 30 not quite managing and dropping in the dreaded Chamoux sur Gelon.

The results are now online - final day tomorrow so there's a lot at stake...

2019-05-31 19:56

So with everyone landed here is today's winning tactic from first across ESS Jurij VIDIC. After the Allevard turn point he got high on the big mountains and pushed and pushed. He got to 2600m then went for ESS much higher than the others, on a day when height was your friend, this was definitely the winning tactic.

2019-05-31 19:54

Heli took off at 13.45 today so he's been in the air for more than 6 hours! He must be asking who on earth set a task as long as that - um you did Heli! Well done to the task committee for an excellent day! Arnaud BAUMY, Jacques FOURNIER and Helmut EICHHOLZER, with the help of Didier Maturin, and of course, our very experienced meet director, Philippe Roea.

2019-05-31 19:50

Talking of golden oldies, here comes Heli into goal. Heli won the World Cup held at Sopot, Bulgaria way back in 2008.

2019-05-31 19:47

Ivan is the youngest competitor in this World Cup. Everyone at le Pôle Espoir de Font-Romeu will be cheering him on and very proud to have sent another of their extremely talented students to show the golden oldies here at the Paragliding World Cup how to fly.

2019-05-31 19:43

The last two pilots today, Ivan Haas and Helmut Eichholzer have just got the last turn point and should come into goal any minute.

2019-05-31 19:04

With an hour to land by time at 20h we still have seven pilots in the air.

2019-05-31 18:56

Just a reminder that the distance points go from 361 (lots in goal) to 900 points (nobody in goal)).

2019-05-31 18:55

So when fewer pilots get to goal because the lead gaggle landed short, this will reduce everyone's time points and increase the number of distance points available.

2019-05-31 18:51

How do the time points work? The more pilots there are in goal the more time points there will be (max time points = 477) as the distance points become irrelevant as everyone flew the same distance. 1000 points needs to be shared out to give a fairly even distribution of points from the front of the field to the back of the field. When 90 % of the field are in goal and they arrive within an hour of each other lots of time points are needed to reflect the small time differences between each pilot.

2019-05-31 18:43

Just a reminder that if they land before goal they only get distance points. If they get to goal they get distance points plus speed points reflecting how long it took them to get round the course to ESS. In both cases they get their lead out points.

2019-05-31 18:39

So all those who didn't make goal are now reporting back and wondering how the problems they all faced after End of Speed will affect their scores.

2019-05-31 18:13

What a great ambience in the goal field, the sun is shining, the crowds are cheering, the pilots who are coming into goal have all got a much better score than they thought they would get.

2019-05-31 18:08

What a great day for Slovenia we've just told Jurij Vidic and Tilen Ceglar that they were first across end of speed. They had no idea, so there is currently lots of Slovenian hugging going on in the goal field.

2019-05-31 18:03

Feet keep skimming the top of the beer tent and the compere, giving a very annimated recital of what is happening, alternates between yeha, and oooouuuuuuuuuiiii for them all coming in. It is only a matter of time before some feet take out the compere!

2019-05-31 18:00

It is difficult to work out who has actually won the day but we think it is Jurij Vidic

2019-05-31 17:57

The sky above the beer tents in the goal field is full of gliders, there are loud cheers as the pilots land in the goal field.

2019-05-31 17:57

It looks as if Rafael Saladini Brazil's top masterchef has won the task.

2019-05-31 17:55

The leaders are now coming in high into goal, having learnt from those ahead who landed so frustratingly close to goal.

2019-05-31 17:52

It is really important to get enough height at the hairpins on the hill at the last turn point, there is little lift elsewhere.

2019-05-31 17:51

We are trying to work out whether Julien Wirtz has landed or is just running fast, or possibly being chased by one of the many angry goats in the nearby fields.

2019-05-31 17:50

It looks as if Méryl Delferriere could win today's task. She has got ESS and is the highest at 600m

2019-05-31 17:48

Julien is still in the air, but it will be a miracle if he makes goal, however he is an official sky god having come 2nd in the recent Super Final so let's hold our breath and see.

2019-05-31 17:47

Those who are winding their way up the hair pins on the hill at the last turn point are probably going to make goal.

2019-05-31 17:46

Super Final rivals Pierre Remy and Julien Wirtz were some of the fastest round the course but look like they won't make goal either.

2019-05-31 17:46

We have got absolute carnage at the end of the race, lots of the top ten who took End of Speed with a good race time are landing without getting to goal so won't get their time points for today.

2019-05-31 17:44

Race leader Michael Sommerauer is one of those who hasn't managed to get this last new turn point.

2019-05-31 17:43

Some of the pilots who had a fast time round the course will lose their time points as they have been unable to get this last turn point.

2019-05-31 17:42

This last turn point is catching out a lot of the pilots who can't climb high enough to get it.

2019-05-31 17:41

They now have to get a final turn point before goal. This new turn point was designed to stop them racing low on full bar to end of speed, a point when they could have a collapse, which is not great if they are low.

2019-05-31 17:39

Also just across ESS Pierre Remy, Clement Latour, Honorin Hamard, Sebastian Ospina and today's first lady (once again) Méryl Delferriere.

2019-05-31 17:37

The reason for the new turn point before goal is to encourage the pilots to arrive at ESS high.

2019-05-31 17:36

Those who have crossed ESS are all low and will need to climb to get the turn point before goal.

2019-05-31 17:35

Just crossing end of speed behind Michael, Marco Busetta, Jurij Vidic, Xevi Bonet Dalmau, Julien Wirtz, Tanguy Renaud-goud.

2019-05-31 17:34

Just behind Michael, Jurij Vidic who won the World Cup last year in Gemona Italy.

2019-05-31 17:33

Michael is about to get ESS, where his race time will be timed to. He can then take as long as he wants to cross the goal line.

2019-05-31 17:31

Also of interest is that Michael is flying the all new Niviuk Icepeak Evox.

2019-05-31 17:30

When Michael started paragliding he rapidly moved into acro paragliding, which he still practices and enjoys. He then started to see the beauty (and challenge!!) of cross country flying. Due to the acro training he had no problem flying high end competition wings. 'But,' he told me, 'I still have a lot to learn in gaggle flying tactics etc.'

2019-05-31 17:30

Michael Sommerauer is 1 km in front of the others with 3 km to go to ESS.

2019-05-31 17:28

Their instruments can tell them their height and what the wind speed has been so far, but not the lift or sink in the kilometres left to goal. Those who can judge this best and leave at the lowest point, taking the optimum line to make it, will win. Simple really!

2019-05-31 17:28

They also need to take into account the conditions: if the wind is behind them they'll need less height; into wind, they'll need more height.

2019-05-31 17:27

The key factors: the glide ratio of their wing (normally 12:1/11:1), their height and the distance remaining to goal. Are they high enough to make it?

2019-05-31 17:27

Towards the end of the race the crucial decision is how high to climb before breaking away for the final glide to end of speed and goal. This is the point where the race is won or lost.

2019-05-31 17:26

At the front all taking different lines all on about 15:1 to goal Marco Littame, Julien Wirtz, Michael Sommerauer, Marco Busetta, Xevi Bonet Dalmau

2019-05-31 17:24

The race to end of Speed is on. Michael Sommerauer in the higher ground on 11: 1 to ESS.

2019-05-31 17:23

Manuel told me that with the stronger conditions today it would now be possible to fly faster and take more chances away from the gaggle and they won't need the gaggle as much as they did during the first three days. That looks exactly what he's doing right now, going for ESS on his own.

2019-05-31 17:21

The leaders are spread out into three groups, Manuel Quintanilla is surfing along the front of the hills.

2019-05-31 17:17

It's a totally blue day today, there are just a few puffy clouds on the relief.

2019-05-31 17:13

Marco Littame, Johannes Baumgarten and Xevi Bonet Dalmau are currenly in the lead.

2019-05-31 17:11

On that note, I think Damien Lacaze, whom I have just mentioned, gave me an appropriate Thought for the Thermal for today: It can be very disappointing in a competition. 25 out of 125 pilots will not be happy with their position, so don't set your objectives too high. Be just ready to learn from the experience. Oh, and if anyone from Redbull is reading this, Damien would really like a place in the XAlps in 2021! .

2019-05-31 17:08

However well or badly pilots feel they have done today, nobody can complain about the scenery. 'Stunning' goes nowhere near to describing the rocky mountains and snow fields the pilots have flown over today.

2019-05-31 17:06

Johannes Baumgarten has taken the lead and is cruising along the hillside just ahead of the others.

2019-05-31 17:04

The top twenty are now getting the last turn point. They now have a 22km leg north with the wind against them.

2019-05-31 17:01

Unfortunately it looks as if Flavio has landed.

2019-05-31 17:01

Those who stayed on the high ridge managed to get a good climb and are now cruising across to get the turn point Johannes Baumgarten has just got the turn point at 1708m.

2019-05-31 16:59

Also being blown down towards the turn point behind the main ridge are Arnaud Baumy, Michal Gierlach and Damien Lacaze. Damien is very used to big mountain flying. There is a great article about Damien's expedition last summer with Antoine Girard (2018) to the Karakoram in the March 2019 (issue 197) of XC mag. After flying a 1500km circuit on their pragliders above the wild mountains of the Karakoram, from Nanga Parbat to the Afghan border, flying at more than 7950 metres they then flew over the Baltoro glacier with its famous Trango Towers..The photos of the Himalayan scenery (as always with XC mag) are stunning, there are also some good ones of rather sore looking feet!

2019-05-31 16:55

Flavio is very low and not finding a climb at the last turn point

2019-05-31 16:54

He's now got a 23 km into wind leg ahead of him.

2019-05-31 16:53

Flavio has got the turn point 2 km ahead of the others.

2019-05-31 16:52

Also of note, Flavio is flying the all new Niviuk Icepeak Evox.

2019-05-31 16:51

Flavio is going to need to watch his height, he's 500m lower than the others, but flying fast at 55 km/h

2019-05-31 16:50

Flavio was the youngest pilot in the 10th Super Final at Baixo Guandu in March 2019, frequently leading out and taking innovative new routes, one to watch we think as he is once again showing today.

2019-05-31 16:49

Whilst I was talking about things which happended 20 years ago, one pilot who wasn't around 20 years ago, Flavio Funiati, has dropped behind the higher ridge and gone off ahead on his own.

2019-05-31 16:46

Also heading to the back ridge is Russell Ogden. He's currently in 10th position overall in the competiton. He was 10th in task 1 and 5th = in task 4. When I asked Ozone R&D pilot Russell about the changes he has seen in competition paragliders since he joined the comp circuit many many years ago he told me: Over the last 20 years competition paragliders have undergone a steady evolution with new models offering more and more performance especially whilst accelerated. The big change though was when we moved to 2 liners and cleaned up the leading edge with plastics. The reduction in line/surface drag alone significantly increased performance but for me the major advantage was the improved control it gave in accelerated flight - modern wings are now more inherently stable due to the profiles we use, moreover they are easier to control at full speed since the wing is always in your hands with the B risers.

2019-05-31 16:42

Top chef, Rafael Saladini, is also right up with the leaders on the higher back ridge.

2019-05-31 16:40

Felix was 1st in task 5 and 1st overall in the Coeur de Savoie World Cup in 2014

2019-05-31 16:39

Felix is flying in team Air'G in this Coeur de Savoie World Cup. There is a lot new at Air'G at the moment. They will be presenting their new Singleskin Hike and Fly Wing at the Testival in Kössen and they will also be showing off their new five cornered (pentagonal) reserve.

2019-05-31 16:38

Felix Rodriguez Fernandez is crossing onto the higher ridge and taken the lead.

2019-05-31 16:36

Once again this task is providing lots of route choices, continue on the lower ridge at the front or go onto the higher ridge.

2019-05-31 16:35

Tanguy won the St Hilaire 2018 Airtour, completing the 376km hike-and-fly race in seven days taking in a considerable number of the alps around St Hilaire. He was one of only six pilots to complete the week long adventure race in France. His secret power? 'Rice, tomato and mozzarella salad, in great quantity!' Eventually he would like to compete in the X-Alps, that's his objective for 2021. You can read the full story in our partner XC mag, Aug 2018, issue 192.

2019-05-31 16:34

Another group led by Tanguy Renaud-goud are also breaking away.

2019-05-31 16:33

Further back down the ridge that the main gaggle are on, a group have broken away led by World and Super Final champion Pierre Remy.

2019-05-31 16:32

Tabanez Fonseca is taking a totally different route much further to the east. Task committee member Arnaud Baumy is coming to join him.

2019-05-31 16:31

Overall competition leader Stephan Morgenthaler is with the leaders. He was 6th in task 1 and 2 and 2nd in task 4 and once again seems unstoppable today.

2019-05-31 16:24

The leaders are all very close together and now getting a climb.

2019-05-31 16:23

They are now connecting onto a ridge where they should be able to gain height.

2019-05-31 16:21

They all seem to be making the valley crossing with enough height.

2019-05-31 16:14

They will all be pleased to leave the Bauges behind them, it was quite turbulent and strong in places.

2019-05-31 16:11

Still in two distinct gaggles, three if you count our commentary team rally car of one.

2019-05-31 16:11

The leaders in the air are now coming out into the valley. 26 kms to go to the turn point.

2019-05-31 16:10

The commentary team rally car is currently thermalling a set of traffic lights on two wheels direclty below them. With World Cup general secretary Laura Sepet at the wheel triumphantly announcing that we bet the gaggle !

2019-05-31 16:06

It is a totally blue sky ahead of them. The valley crossing, leaving the few sparse clouds beind them will be very difficult.

2019-05-31 16:05

The sky is perfectly blue except for a few puffy clouds which is what they are all heading for I think.

2019-05-31 16:03

Charles Cazaux is high and cutting across the valleys and going to join the others at the head of the gaggle.

2019-05-31 16:01

Those behind him are doing the same.

2019-05-31 16:00

Jošt Napret is leading this gaggle and has broken away and is going for the ridge further to the east.

2019-05-31 15:59

The most popular route is the ridge to the east.

2019-05-31 15:58

In a long task, managing their concentration is also a big challenge for a lot of pilots. Paragliding is not just physically demanding, but mentally very taxing too. Today is going to be a long day with 35 km to go to the next turn point.

2019-05-31 15:57

In places like Coeur de Savoie, the terrain is the best indicator of thermals. On a blue day the pilots will be following the terrain. Looking along the terrain for known thermal trigger points. Here it is so reliable that there are known 'House thermals,' features in the terrain which always trigger thermals.

2019-05-31 15:56

The pilots are constantly thinking about which route to choose, flats vs hills, following the clouds, avoiding blue skies which tend not to have lift. All the rising air is under the clouds and will therefore be descending elsewhere, normally around the edges of the clouds and under blue skies. Blue skies tend to be harder to read, clouds tend to give an obvious lifty line to follow. The clouds mark the thermals and indicate areas of rising air.

2019-05-31 15:53

Yongtae Ahn and Joze Molek are working a climb together. Before making the valley crossing ahead of them.

2019-05-31 15:51

What a race, former World and Super Final champion Charles Cazaux racing along one ridge neck and neck with Gin Glider's happiest pilot - Yongtae who has a reputation for always smiling, even when he isn't in the lead in a PWC gaggle.

2019-05-31 15:47

The gaggle behind them have taken the ridge to the west: Charles Cazaux, Satsuki Hoshida, Stefan Wyss and Luc Armant who won the last Coeur de Savoie World Cup in 2017.

2019-05-31 15:43

Yongtae Ahn is still in the lead. Hot on his heels, Joze Molek and Adrian Seitz.

2019-05-31 15:40

The conditions are much more stable than were expected today which is making climbing more challenging so we already have at least 10 pilots landed between turn point two and three.

2019-05-31 15:35

They now have a 49 km leg south ahead of them to down past Allevard.

2019-05-31 15:32

It's a tough day, lots of wind and pretty turbulent.

2019-05-31 15:31

Yongtae Ahn is the first to get the 3rd turn point.

2019-05-31 15:30

A few pilots have straightlined it across the valley and not followed the ridge. Vitalii Umanskyi, Arnaud Baumy.

2019-05-31 15:28

Stephan Morgenthaler, overall competition leader is at the front again today.1 km from the turn point with Joze Molek and Yongtae Ahn.

2019-05-31 15:25

Quite a few pilots have failed to make the valley crossing and have landed.

2019-05-31 15:24

The leaders have left the climb they were in and are now ridge hoping to the second turn point.

2019-05-31 15:23

There are a lot of clouds forming above the Bauges at the moment which will help to mark the thermals but also produce a lot of shade.

2019-05-31 15:22

One of the keys to finding thermals is to look for clouds which are just forming. But on average a working cumulus cloud only lasts 15 minutes and leaves behind sinking air once it has degenerated.

2019-05-31 15:20

Sense of smell and touch play a part too. Thermals often carry smells up from the ground and they are sometimes so warm relative to the surrounding air that your skin can easily feel them.

2019-05-31 15:19

To fly the distance to get round a PWC 'aerial race course,' finding thermals is one of the most important skills to master. There are always clues to where the next thermal is going to be found. Visual clues such as thermalling birds, other gliders, debris in the air like bits of grass.

2019-05-31 15:16

They are now going for the nearest ridge to get a clmb to then hop back to the turn point.

2019-05-31 15:15

They now have to go east to get the second turn point.

2019-05-31 15:11

If the air is really rough the pilots won't fly as close to a ridge as on a day when it is really smooth.

2019-05-31 15:10

Features in the slope can also kick off thermals further out. Any change or break in the slope or anything which has a small amount of vertical in it will kick off a thermal.

2019-05-31 15:09

The smoother the slope the less the updraught will be slowed by the roughness of the slope. E.g. if a ridge is tree covered then the lift will be better further from the ridge. If the ridge is smooth grass, skimming close to the grass could well be the best way to climb.

2019-05-31 15:09

Thermal updraft is caused by the sun heating the sun-facing slopes, causing convection up the slope. Close to the slope the friction between the slope and the air causes the updraught to rise more slowly. Therefore, the best place to get lift is 20-30 m out from the ridge.

2019-05-31 15:07

Those in front will now have those following as thermal markers to show them the best climbs.

2019-05-31 15:06

Now they have to retrace their thermals and go back to the Roc de Beouf to get the third turn point.

2019-05-31 15:05

The leaders have got the second turn point. Yassen is unfortunately low in the valley below them.

2019-05-31 15:04

Absolutely incredible, he had a mid air collision yesterday but is back on form today and at the front as usual.

2019-05-31 14:59

Yassen Savov has taken an early lead.

2019-05-31 14:50

So back to today's race. At the end of the Roc de Boeuf ridge they are going to have to decide how to cross the valley. It is a big valley crossing which pilots like Stephane Drouin were concerned about how they would do before the race.

2019-05-31 14:47

This flight was proof that Yael is a very tenacious, adaptable pilot who is building up a wealth of experience. She is also learning a lot, from pilots like her boyfriend Clement Latour who have a vast amounf of paragliding experience gained from free flying and competition flying all over the world.

2019-05-31 14:47

Yael wrote: 'We had some troubles getting over the Vercors natural parc. I've never been flying in those places and seeing them from above was really impressive. We then arrived at the Pic de Bure, where I've only flown once before, and I remember it was the strongest thermal I have ever been in. It was the same this time, super strong. In front of the Massif des Ecrins was just amazing. Pushed by the wind, the thermals were rough but powerful. The last critical point was crossing over Valbonnais. There was a venturi effect and when I saw Clement in front of me being shaken like a leaf in the wind, I thought this is not gonna be real fun!'

2019-05-31 14:46

The record braking flight took them over a wide range of terrain and involved ever changing weather conditions. They started off with a low cloud base, part way round Yael had to give it absolutely everything she had in her brake handles to get out of a really tough hole, it then started to work everywhere with nice clouds.

2019-05-31 14:46

Yael Margelisch is right up with the leaders today. On the first of May (2019) Yael flew a fabulous 264 km triangle from St Hilaire thus proving that she isn't somebody who just follows the gaggle. The flight is currently being considered by the FAI as a World record claim: 263.72 km - Free Distance around a triangle course from St Hilaire du Touvet, close to the base for our competition at Coeur de Savoie.

2019-05-31 14:43

To fly a long way in the mountains you mainly ridge soar. Climbing wastes precious time so you really only want to climb high when you need the extra height to make a big valley crossing or to clear a high ridge.

2019-05-31 14:42

They are flying in a long line along Roc de Boeuf

2019-05-31 14:40

They are all below hill height, this is so stressful to watch.

2019-05-31 14:40

What an amazing sight like a massive cloud of little bubbles going in to the valley in front of Semnoz hill.

2019-05-31 14:38

There are a lot of very anxious wives, girlfriends and partners watching this from the Forclaz launch.

2019-05-31 14:37

They have got the first turn point and are crossing the lake but a lot are getting low.

2019-05-31 14:35

So they have all got the start and are heading back to Planfait to get the first turn point.

2019-05-31 14:33

There are already two distinct gaggles. They look like little bubbles in the sky.

2019-05-31 14:31

They are all over 2000m.

2019-05-31 14:30

The sky is full of colourful dots, they are going to have no problems at all making the lake crossing.

2019-05-31 14:29

The spectators are all leaning over the edge of take off to get a better view.

2019-05-31 14:28

They are streaming across the sky towards the lake to cross the start which will open in 2 minutes.

2019-05-31 14:27

The charge to the start is on.

2019-05-31 14:25

They look like a swarm of colourful little bugs so, so high in the sky.

2019-05-31 14:23

They are all over 2000m above Planfait, tiny little colourful specks in the blue cloudless sky.

2019-05-31 14:20

Ten minutes to the start open at 14.30.

2019-05-31 14:18

Three former ladies' Super Final Champions are taking part: Laurie Genovese, Keiko HIRAKI and Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE. Seiko has also been World/European champion five times! Along with current ladies Super Final champion, Ms Bond, Méryl Delferriere.

2019-05-31 14:16

Two former Super Final Champions are taking part: Charles Cazaux and Stefan WYSS along with current champion, Pierre REMY.

2019-05-31 14:14

Just a reminder about the exceptionally high quality of pilots in this competition.

2019-05-31 14:12

You don't have to be first to cross the start line but in the top third is good. This way you don't play catch up for the first part of the race which is tiring and stressful. On the tracking on the App (search for PWCA in the App stores) the Start cylinder is in red.

2019-05-31 14:12

The start is really important, (shown in red on the App) a good start is key and gives confidence and the right frame of mind for the rest of the course.

2019-05-31 14:11

The Start today will open in 20 minutes.

2019-05-31 14:10

They have all followed the back ridge along to Planfait, the hill/take off behind Talloires, so that they are in a great position to do a quick out and return to the start gate which contours the shore line centred around the magnificent fairy tale castle on the point at Duingt.

2019-05-31 14:06

All the pilots in the race are now in the air.

2019-05-31 14:05

Loïs Goutagny, Jurij Vidic and Laurie Genovese have just taken off, leaving the launch to the constant circuit of tandems.

2019-05-31 14:03

You can tell when a pilot has taken off as their name appears on the live leaderboard. Their trackers only show on the live tracking once they have taken off. This also shows you where the pilots are taking off from.

2019-05-31 14:02

For those of you watching the live tracking and trying to work out what is going on, let me explain.

2019-05-31 14:01

When I asked Rafael's fellow Brazilian Deonir Spancerski what he thought of the French food, 'delicious,' he told me, then with a big grin told me that was because they had Rafael cooking for them.

2019-05-31 14:00

Rafael Saladini has just taken off. Part of Rafael's downfall here in Coeur de Savoie is the delicious French food, he has put on 3 or 4 kilos since he got here, so he is hoping for strong conditions today to compensate.

2019-05-31 14:00

There is a steady stream of giders taking off from this pitch perfect smooth green astro turfed launch above the shores of Lake Annecy in the French Alps.

2019-05-31 13:58

Test

2019-05-31 13:28

Mitch Riley is just going onto the green carpet to launch, hoping NOT to land short of goal today. "I'm going to show more control of my emotions today,' he told me laughing!

2019-05-31 13:25

In preparation for the X-Alps Eli told me: 'At the moment we spend several hours in front of the computer checking out different routes and getting all the gear ready for the race. Last week we where in Switzerland for some training flights – there was snow everywhere. So it's going to be an interesting race this year because the hiking part will be more challenging for sure.

2019-05-31 13:24

Eli Egger will be Aaron DUROGATI's supporter in the 2019 X-Alps.

2019-05-31 13:23

Elisabeth Egger has also just taken off.

2019-05-31 13:22

Nancy Berge has just taken off, this is her home site as she is a paragliding instructor here.

2019-05-31 13:20

The task is set - todays race is a 114.78 km Race to Goal The window will open at 13:00 Local Time and the Start is at 14:30

2019-05-31 13:07

The first pilots are just taking off. Clement Latour, Andreas Malecki and Nanda Walliser.

2019-05-31 12:59

The take off is absolutely packed. The view of the rocky snow capped mountains to the south is absolutely stunning. Deep blue Lake Annecy below us is dotted with little white boats. A perfect day for paragliding me thinks.

2019-05-31 12:53

It's a long task so the pilots won't want to spend a long time in the air before the start opens and tire themselves out.

2019-05-31 12:52

There is a real feeling of anticipatioin at the moment, final checks are being made on the gliders, but there will be no rush to take off as the Start is only a few km away.

2019-05-31 12:47

There is a bit of an inversion over Annecy but that shouldn't be a problem.

2019-05-31 12:46

The air is drier than on the previous days, there is less cloud - like none in fact, this task gives lots of options and is the most intesting task of the competition so keep watching.

2019-05-31 12:44

We now have timings. The pilots will be taking off in 15 minutes at 13h. The Start will open at 14h30.

2019-05-31 12:38

Briefing is taking place so we should have task times very soon.

2019-05-31 12:02

The top 3 teams overall are: Jack & Jones, Ozone and Flying Tree Environmental Agency

2019-05-31 12:00

The leading ladies after 4 tasks are Méryl DELFERRIERE (2705), Elisabeth EGGER (2497) and Keiko Hiraki (2453).

2019-05-31 11:59

So we go into the penultimate day with the top 10 overall scores as follows: Stephan MORGENTHALER (2853), Stefan WYSS (2819), Joze MOLEK (2817), Pierre REMY (2816), Theo WARDEN (2812), Julien WIRTZ (2807), Charles CAZAUX and Tilen CEGLAR (2803), Joachim OBERHAUSER ((2791), Russell OGDEN (2785).

2019-05-31 11:58

Task 4 lead out point baggers were: Julien WIRTZ, Pierre REMY and Jurij Vidic

2019-05-31 11:56

Task 4's top teams: 1st Jack & Jones, 2nd Ozone, 3rd = Parastick and Flying Tree Environmental Agency.

2019-05-31 11:56

Well done to task 4 leading ladies: 1st Méryl DELFERRIERE, 2nd Keiko HIRAKI and 3rd Nanda WALLISER

2019-05-31 11:56

Whilst we wait for the briefing just a recap on task 4. Well done to task 4 winners: 1st Julien Wirtz, 2nd Stephan MORGENTHALER, 3rd Pierre REMY.

2019-05-31 11:49

The pilots will probably be taking off in about an hours time,

2019-05-31 11:38

The task is set - todays race is a 114.78 km Race to Goal The window will open at 11:00 Local Time and the Start is at 12:00

2019-05-31 11:31

However, this competition isn't all about the European pilots. There are some big distance Brazilian pilots taking part too, including World record holder Rafael Saladini. He holds the paragliding World Record distance which was set in 2016. His record distance of 564km, if he had taken off here in Coeur de Savoie, would have seen him landing in Barcelona, Spain or touching down on the Slovenian border, or arriving just in time for a nice glass of wine in Bordeaux or splashing down on the beach on the Italian island of Sardinia!

2019-05-31 11:29

Three pilots competing were in the top ten in both the 2014 and the 2017 Paragliding World Cups in Coeur de Savoie: Julien WIRTZ, Ulrich PRINZ and Torsten SIEGEL.

2019-05-31 11:26

The pilots flying in this competition have a phenomenal amount of knowledge of how this area works, quite simply because it's one of their favourite playgrounds. Some of the pilots in this competition were flying here before the others were even born, however the young blood should not be underestimated. Young or old, male or female, nothing is certain about who will win Coeur de Savoie 2019!

2019-05-31 11:25

Pilots need to think about the sun when flying, east facing slopes will work better in the morning, south facing slopes at midday and west and even north westerly-facing slopes at the end of the day.

2019-05-31 11:23

For those interested in technical paragliding French, 'c'est moutonné,' doesn't meant that Lake Annecy is full of sheep, merely that there are white capped waves on the lake, therefore it is windy. However, I can assure you that today there are no moutons or sheep or wind in sight, it is quite simply, a stunning day. This is a west facing site so the pilots will be taking off a bit later than usual.

2019-05-31 11:19

So on to today's task. The Start will be around the castle in the lake which looks so beautiful with its deep blue water stretched out below us. The first turn point will then be around Planfait, they can then climb wherever they want before heading towards Chambery, then they have a turn point in the west of the Bauges, then down past Allevard, then back to HQ.

2019-05-31 11:14

Well done to the task committee who have done an amazing job this week. Task Committee Arnaud BAUMY, Jacques FOURNIER and Helmut Eichholzer, with the help of Didier Maturin, and of course, our very experienced meet director, Philippe Roea.

2019-05-31 11:12

The task committee have just set a 114 km task but we don't have timings yet.

2019-05-31 11:04

We've got excellent conditions today, the wind in the thermal layer where the pilots will be is light north west.

2019-05-31 11:04

The whole organisation has climbed up to the Forclaz takeoff and the day is developing nicely. Forclaz has stunning views over lake Annecy. (photos credit - Ruth Jessop)

More news soon

2019-05-31 11:02

Five ladies taking part have already won the female ranking of the World Cup: Méryl Delferriere, Laurie Genovese, Keiko HIRAKI, Yael MARGELISCH and Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE.

2019-05-31 11:02

Sixteen pilots taking part have already won a World Cup: Luc ARMANT, Honorin HAMARD, Rafael SALADINI, Charles CAZAUX, Stefan WYSS, Russell OGDEN, Jurij VIDIC, Torsten SIEGEL, Andreas MALECKI, Stephane DROUIN, Pierre REMY, Helmut EICHHOLZER, Felix RODRIGUEZ, Andrey ELISEEV, Yassen SAVOV and Stephan MORGENTHALER.

2019-05-31 11:01

Just a reminder that the winners of the 2014 and 2017 Coeur de Savoie World Cups, Felix Rodriguez and Luc Armant, are both competing.

2019-05-31 10:59

Col de Forclaz is one of the busiest paragliding launches in Europe, add to that 127 Paragliding World Cup pilots and it's standing room only to eat your baguettes.

2019-05-31 10:58

Here we are at Col de Forclaz, overlooking lake Annecy ready for task 5 of the Coeur de Savoie 2019 Paragliding World Cup.

2019-05-31 09:15

We are heading for the La Forclaz high above lake Annecy. The transports are leaving now and we should have task news around 12:00

2019-05-30 20:06

Friday 31st May :
--------------
08:00 Breakfast in HQ
09:00 Departure to Take Off - we are aiming to go to Annecy so please be prompt

IMPORTANT - you will need your Pilot Card to board the buses so please ensure you have it with you

2019-05-30 18:40

What an epic day - it was like a train coming into goal. 109 made the goal today. The competition is expecting to visot Annecy tomorrow - weather permitting of course.

The results are now online - see you tomorrow

2019-05-30 17:16

So for today's winning tactic from Super Final runner up, Julien WIRTZ. Julien has a lot of local knowledge of this area so just before the 4th turn point when some of the others turned out into the lower terrain Julien kept on going. He knew there would be a zone of confluence with wind coming up both sides allowing him to fly over the ridges. It was a big risk but it worked. But best of all, his 7 year old son Tao, who came in with Dad's tracker, can now tell all his class mates that his Dad is a real Super Hero.

2019-05-30 17:15

With all the pilots now landed it's time for today's winning tactic.

2019-05-30 16:38

I mentioned earlier that Mitch Riley had landed short of goal. He's just come in with his tracker, smiling as ever, proving once again that he is such a great sport with an amazingly positive attitude. Here's what he learnt from the experience in what I am going to pinch as today's Thought for the Thermal: It is really important to realise when your competitive nature makes you stop thinking effectively. This is relevant not just for between End of Speed and Goal which was Mitch's down fall today, but for all the way round the course.

2019-05-30 16:21

Ladies XContest winner Joanna Di Grigoli is just coming into goal. She was the 1st lady in XContest in 2017 and 2018. XContest is an international cross-country flying competition where each pilot's 6 best flights are added together to give their final score. Her 6 longest flights in 2018 were: Quixadá in Brazil 343.92 km in 10h 35 h, 334.77 km in 9h 44, 143.52 km in 4h 34 h, and triangles in Méruz, France 190.85 km in 7h 02 and in Sambuy, France 175.88 km in 8h41, and in Marlens France 142.58 km in 7h 31 h.

2019-05-30 16:03

What a day with over a hundred pilots in goal and more on their way.

2019-05-30 16:00

A carnival atmosphere has taken over the goal field. There is a clown and a big barrow of toy windmills adding lots of colour to an already bursting with colour and beeping varios, landing field.

2019-05-30 15:48

What an amazing sight watching a hundred colourful gliders close up looping and circling in front of the Dents d'Arclusaz

2019-05-30 15:41

It looks as if we are going to have about 100 pilots in goal today and once again Méryl Delferriere will be today's first lady.

2019-05-30 15:39

The sky is now full of gliders swooping and looping down into the goal field.

2019-05-30 15:38

So surely Pierre has won the day I hear you say. No, the winner is the one who crosses End of Speed first, which was Julien.

2019-05-30 15:37

Julien Wirtz in now making his way to goal to.

2019-05-30 15:36

There is loud applause as Pierre Remy lands in goal first.

2019-05-30 15:35

There is a big procession of beautifully coloured gliders flying across the totally blue sky and about to swoop down into the lush green grass of the goal field any minute.

2019-05-30 15:34

Julien Wirtz is taking his time to climb enough so that he can get to goal. If he doesn't make goal he will lose all his time points.

2019-05-30 15:31

It looks as if Mitch Riley who flew such a great race today has landed between end of speed and goal.

2019-05-30 15:25

The top 30 have now crossed ESS what a close, fast and furious race.

2019-05-30 15:24

Julien is now climbing on the tarred road up to Champ Laurent. This road works well because the ridge sticks out so it catches the valley breeze.

2019-05-30 15:23

Next across ESS is Stephan Morgenthaler.

2019-05-30 15:22

After Stephan Morgenthaler, is Clement Latour, followed by Pierre Remy. Russell Ogden, Stefan Wyss and Tilen Ceglar.

2019-05-30 15:21

Julien Wirtz has taken ESS 1 km ahead of Stephan Morgenthaler.

2019-05-30 15:21

They can arrive in goal whenever they want after they cross the end of speed line where their time round the course is counted.

2019-05-30 15:20

Julien Wirtz is surfing the ridge to get ESS then will be able to climb inside ESS to get to goal.

2019-05-30 15:19

Clement Latour is 4 km from ESS.

2019-05-30 15:19

Overall comp leader Stephan Morgenthaler is right behind him.

2019-05-30 15:18

Julien is 2 km to ESS

2019-05-30 15:15

Julien Wirtz and Mitch Riley are full on racing to get the last turn point at the moment.

2019-05-30 15:14

Seiko has won the ladies ranking no less than 14 times, she has been ladies, World Champion, European Champion, Super Final champion and loves flying record breaking distances. Seiko was asked on the Ozone website, 'Do you have any goals, dreams or plans for the next 1-2 years that you want to share?' She replied, 'After flying a 600km flight, I will take a rose bath with a glass of champagne!'

2019-05-30 15:11

Leading ladies Seiko Fukuoka Naville and Méryl Delferriere are also up with the leaders.

2019-05-30 15:10

They now have a short 4 km leg north to the last turn point.

2019-05-30 15:08

The first three to get the 4th turn point are: Julien Wirtz, Helmut Eichholzer and Johannes Baumgarten. Thanks to making good use of a convergence zone to stay in the high ground, Julien is 500m higher than the others. Julien also has the most lead points out of the leaders except for his Super Final rival Pierre Remy.

2019-05-30 15:06

Helmut Eichholzer and Johannes Baumgarten are racing neck and neck to the 4th turn point.

2019-05-30 15:05

Some pilots have taken a route further out on the lower terrain which seems to have worked well and let Helmut Eichholzer catch up with the leaders.

2019-05-30 15:04

Michal Gierlach is still up with the leaders. He told me that today would be fast and furious, no shade, no rain, just blue skies with nicely positioned clouds everywhere (like the cloud street they are all flying along underneath at the moment). The task is straight forward and the winner will be the one who makes the least mistakes. Lying in 4th position in a field of the world's most elite pilots, Michal is making very few mistakes today.

2019-05-30 15:00

Julien is higher than the others at 1646m and flying at 41 kmph.

2019-05-30 14:59

In the gaggle chasing Julien is Pierre Remy. Johannes Baumgarten, Mitch Riley, Jurij Vidic, Baptiste Lambert and Rafael Saladini who is certainly not flying like a fish out of the pond today.

2019-05-30 14:57

As they head to the 4th turn point Julien Wirtz is in the lead, here to finish off unfinished business from the Super Final and finish at least 34 seconds ahead of friendly rival Pierre Remy who bet him by 34 seconds.

2019-05-30 14:54

What a beautiful day, with cloud streets down either side of the valley above the hills and blue skies in the middle of the valley.

2019-05-30 14:50

Together with Klaudia Bulgakow, in 2018 Michal started a comp series called the Polish Sport Class Cup. The first edition was in beautiful Krusevo, which has also hosted PWC events in the past. This year's competition will be in the Italian Piave d'Alpago from the 30th of June to the 6th of July 2019. Their main goal is to share their knowledge about competition flying in a friendly environment, so that in the future we can have a new generation of Polish pilots in the PWC circuit. The competition is open to pilots from all over the World, (they already have 19 nationalities registered) and is for pilots flying maximum EN C gliders.

2019-05-30 14:49

Michal Gierlach is up with the leaders. He was 1st in the 2015 Nepali Pre World Cup in Pokhara so he's used to flying very big mountains! He also worked as a tandem pilot there too.

2019-05-30 14:47

Julien Wirtz is going further back into the mountains.

2019-05-30 14:45

The sun on the snow on the high mountains behind where they are flying is stunning.

2019-05-30 14:44

There is a cloud street all the way along from the Grand Arc, right along to the next turn point.

2019-05-30 14:41

World distance record holder Rafael Saladini is with the leaders. He told me this moring that he feels like a fish outside the pond here 'but I am learning to swim,' he told me laughing. However, I would imagine that for a Brazilian who has never seen snow before those snow fields must be quite intimidating! Rafael also asked me to write for all the Brazilians reading the Commentary today: Valeu Galera! Torcam por nos!

2019-05-30 14:36

The lead gaggle are all high at the moment at about 1800 m.

2019-05-30 14:34

Just a reminder that they don't have to actually go to Allevard, they just need to 'touch' the cylinder/circle around it.

2019-05-30 14:34

What a close race, the top 20 have taken the third turn point all together. Now they need to head south to a turn point around Allevard.

2019-05-30 14:32

They will be having stunning views today as they fly over the snow fields 1 km before the 3rd turn point.

2019-05-30 14:27

Also in a good position and pushing out in front at the moment is World and Super Final champion Pierre Remy. He's high at 1570 m and in a 1.4 m/s climb.

2019-05-30 14:25

Those who have one bad result so far in the comp and get a good score today will discard the entire bad score and really move up the leader board.

2019-05-30 14:25

Stef was 8th in task 2 and 2nd in task 3, so a good task today could see him discard his 99th place from task 1 and really jump up the overall leaderboard.

2019-05-30 14:22

As Stef told me this morning you can look at the map and plan your route in advance but when you get there the clouds are different and the gaggle have gone a different way so it all depends.

2019-05-30 14:20

Stefan Wyss is probably in the best position he is at 1614m and in a + 1m/s climb on his own up near the summit of Grand Arc.

2019-05-30 14:18

There is a real mix of wings in the lead gaggle at the moment, Ozone Enzo 3s, Gin Boomerang 11s, Flow Spectras, Niviuk Icepeak Evoxs and UP Gurus.

2019-05-30 14:16

Overall competition leader Stephan Morgenthaler is in a much better position, at 1016m. They have all slowed down a lot now and are trying to climb.

2019-05-30 14:14

Marco Busetta is still ahead but very low and not getting a climb.

2019-05-30 14:11

Those following are now loosing height too. The hillside they are on has got a lot of shade on it. They have got the wind behind them if they are in the valley but higher up the wind is from the north so it is giving a cross wind.

2019-05-30 14:07

Marco was in fact bemoaning having shaved off his 'lucky moustache' this morning.

2019-05-30 14:06

Or perhaps not, they are on a spur leading up to the Grand Arc and may yet get up. Nicola is in a climb but Marco isn't.

2019-05-30 14:05

Nicola Donini (son of Yassen's flying hero Luca Donini) and Marco Busetta have raced out in front but are now low and about to land.

2019-05-30 14:02

Those who followed the ridge are now sky high litterally and are at 1700m

2019-05-30 14:01

Those who came round the front of the hill are low and can be clearly seen trying to climb over the trees.

2019-05-30 13:57

And whilst they are doing that, those who took the higher route from the beginning have gone sailing past them!

2019-05-30 13:56

Those who took the route on the flatter ground thus avoiding the hill at Champ Laurent have over taken all those on the higher ground, but will now have to climb to continue in the mountains.

2019-05-30 13:54

Yassen is another one who made a dramatic debut into the World Cup. His first World Cup was in Poggio Bustone in Italy in 2008. Out of 4 tasks, he was 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 120th. So, had the current discard system been invented back then it is highly probable that he would have won his first ever World Cup! As Yassen told me 'I was very happy to be placed 2nd in my first PWC task, behind the master (Luca) Donini, and on final glide passing my favourite pilot at the time - Urban Valic. Good times.'

2019-05-30 13:53

Yassen Savov was out in the flatter terrain but is now heading back into the higher terrain too.

2019-05-30 13:52

Mitch's parents organized a tandem flight for him in 1992 when he was 8 years old. That flight is one of Mitch's most vivid childhood memories. 14 years later Mitch started paragliding in 2007 at the age of 22. 10 years later he launched himself into the World Cup circuit which he certainly took by storm. His 2019 Super Final debut saw him win the first task of his first ever Super Final (Baixo Guandu, Brazil, in March)! Difficult to improve on that!

2019-05-30 13:51

Leading those taking the lower ridge is Mitch Riley.

2019-05-30 13:50

The lead gaggle have split into two gaggles, those taking the lower ridge and those prefering to stick to the higher ground.

2019-05-30 13:49

The third turn point is on the Grand Arc near yesterday's take off.

2019-05-30 13:47

The leaders are all very close together as they push north along the south side of the valley.

2019-05-30 13:47

On the first of May (2019) Clement flew a fabulous 264 km triangle from St Hilaire thus proving his penchant for this area. When I asked him how you fly a distance like that, Clement told me, 'it was easy, I just followed Yael!' Famous for his enthusiasm I loved Clement's girlfiend Yael's account of their record breaking flight. 'I was really doubtful about the conditions in the morning when we were driving up to Saint-Hilaire. But fortunately, Clement was motivated for 2.'

2019-05-30 13:45

He's getting +3m/s on his tracker so he is clearly in very bouyant air as he pushes on along this small ridge.

2019-05-30 13:44

Clement Latour has managed to break away and taken a 500m lead.

2019-05-30 13:43

The leaders have now all got the second turn point above Villard Sallet.

2019-05-30 13:42

Current overall comp leader Stephan Morgenthaler is right at the front too. Stephan won the 2014 PWC in Macedonia. He was 6th in both task 1 and task 2 here earlier on in the week.

2019-05-30 13:38

Task 2 winner Tilen Ceglar, is in the lead, he's high and flying at 68 km/h!

2019-05-30 13:37

The leaders are currently making the valley crossing.

2019-05-30 13:36

A lightly loaded glider might take you to the top of the gaggle in a thermal, but you will then be slower in the subsequent glide.

2019-05-30 13:36

In the World Cup small differences in speed really do matter, especially on the final glide to ESS.

2019-05-30 13:36

Lighter loaded wings get chucked about more and thrown out of the core of the thermal more than heavily loaded wings. However, on a day where staying in the air in weak lift is the key then you want to be lightly loaded on your wing.

2019-05-30 13:36

Often people ask what makes some pilots able to fly faster? A lot is down to pilot skill but also if the pilot and ballast make it that the pilot is heavy for the wing's weight range the glider will fly faster. But it will have a worse sink rate. If you are light you will fly slower but have a better sink rate, therefore not have to stop and climb as much.

2019-05-30 13:34

The pilots are now racing back along the ridge past take off and will have to decide where to cross the valley to get to the turn point above Villard Sallet, on the ridge in the south east of the valley.

2019-05-30 13:32

Why does the Scorer cross things out/put a line through the scores rather than either rub them out or use tipex? Let me explain. The score which has been barred out is the score before discards were applied. The not barred score is what remains. The principal of discards, loosely speaking is that you discard the worst 25% of your tasks. This system enables (those who dare) to push out and not necessarily lose their entire competition if they land early.

2019-05-30 13:31

Just a recap on what we call 'discards.'

2019-05-30 13:30

There is cloud over the relief but it is totally blue out in the valley.

2019-05-30 13:28

The leaders are all taking the first turn point.

2019-05-30 13:27

Nicola told me this morning that today he was going to stay with the group and not push out too much as he already has 2 discards so can't afford another in a 6 task competition from which he is hoping to qualify for the super final. However, he has clearly changed strategies since he took off!

2019-05-30 13:25

Thee pilots are currently pushing out in front as they race along the ridge to the Dents: Nicola Donini, Manu Laly, and Marco Littame.

2019-05-30 13:24

Each pilot's score is made up of 3 parts. Time points (how fast they got to goal), points they only get if they get to goal. Distance points (how far they flew). Lead out points (how much of the time they were with the leaders).

2019-05-30 13:24

Just a reminder about how the scoring works.

2019-05-30 13:22

This is the point in the race when the lead out points are most heavily weighted so it is really important to be with the leaders.

2019-05-30 13:20

As one they are now heading back along the ridge towards the stunning Dent d'Arclusaz

2019-05-30 13:19

The pilots are all at the start cylinder, on the ridge above Montmelian, unfortunately most of the pilot's trackers are currently off line.

2019-05-30 13:16

The start is open.

2019-05-30 13:15

The start will open in 15 seconds.

2019-05-30 12:23

They are nearly all off now with 50 mins to get to the start 3.3 km away which they can cross from 13h15 onwards in 50 mins time.

2019-05-30 12:22

Tilen Ceglar winner of task 2 has just taken off with Yassen Savov

2019-05-30 12:19

X World and European champ Honorin Hamard, has just taken off along with newby Samuel Avenne

2019-05-30 12:17

Miguel Diaz Ruiz is getting ready to launch with a final debrief from his 8 year old son Kai, who I think we will see on a PWC podium in the near future!

2019-05-30 12:14

Ulrich Prinz has just taken off along with Martin Long and Yoshiaki Hirokawa

2019-05-30 12:10

The first pilots are now taking off. They will then have just over an hour to fly the 3.3 km to the Start line which is a virtual circle in the air. Their GPS will tell them when they have crossed the start line. They can cross the start line wherever they want around the cylinder/ circle and at whatever height they want.

2019-05-30 12:06

Today's task ziz zags about the valley to avoid going up into the north wind which is still relatively strong high up. The strategic parts of today's race will be when and where to make the valley crossing and whether to stay on the low ridges at the front or go further back into the higher hills.

2019-05-30 12:03

A lot of the free flyers who took off before the window opened have gone down so there is not a huge rush to take off.

2019-05-30 12:02

What an amazing sight, 127 of the World's best pilots with wings spread out in the take off meadow here at Montlambert ready for what everyone predicts is going to be a fast and furious race given the great conditions today.

2019-05-30 11:56

We now have timings, the pilots should be taking off any minute now and the start will then open an hour and a quarter later at 13h15.

2019-05-30 11:41

The task is set - todays race is a 86.48 km Race to Goal The window will open at 12:00 Local Time and the Start is at 13:15

2019-05-30 11:19

Due to problems with the northerly wind high up the task is staying in the Albertville valley with the goal again at HQ.

2019-05-30 11:16

An 87km task has been set.

2019-05-30 11:11

There will now be an interruption to the Commentary as the French pilots are doing a briefing on my picnic table around their cartographic table cloth dropping bits of baguettes all over the alps. Apparently they will be flying in a relatively sheltered part of the valley today, apart from the odd down pour of baguette crubs, the weather should be nice all day.

2019-05-30 10:59

The competition is currently making the front pages of the press. Today we are on the front page of Le Dauphiné, with a full page article on page 3. There is a photo album/news page on Parapente Plus magazine's Facebook page and we are on the front page of Free.aero/Voler.info too!

2019-05-30 10:58

The top three ladies overall are: Méryl DELFERRIERE (1929), Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE (1837), Nancy Berge (1829).

2019-05-30 10:57

60 points separate the leaders overall after 3 tasks: Stephan MORGENTHALER (2109), Theo WARDEN (2087), Joze MOLEK (2072), Andreas MALECKI (2054) and Joachim OBERHAUSER (2049).

2019-05-30 10:57

Task 3 lead out point baggers were: Theo WARDEN, Stefan Wyss, Pierre REMY and Yongtae AHN.

2019-05-30 10:56

The top teams in task 3 were: 1st Cross Country, 2nd Jack & Jones and 3rd Ozone.

2019-05-30 10:56

Well done to task 3 leading ladies: 1st Méryl DELFERRIERE, 2nd Elisabeth EGGER and 3rd Nancy BERGE.

2019-05-30 10:55

Well done to task 3 winners yesterday who, against all the odds, showed that anything is possible, even a 52 km task on a day with no sunshine: 1st Theo Warden, 2nd Stefan WYSS, 3rd= Joachim OBERHAUSER and Mitch RILEY.

2019-05-30 10:54

The trackers and sandwiches are being given out, everyone is getting ready for a great day.

2019-05-30 10:53

The snow covered La Lauziere chain which we have a great view of opposite launch have a few clouds froming on them, but look absolutely stunning this super sunny morning.

2019-05-30 10:48

Today we still have a north wind high up but it shouldn't enter into the valley too much. There should be clouds popping up later on to mark the thermals.

2019-05-30 10:47

Today we woke up to blue skies and sunshine, with lots of suntan lotion on board we headed up to the Montlambert launch. The forecast also looks great now right to the end of the comp.

2019-05-30 09:29

The buses are departing HQ for the local Montlambert launch. We will publish task details as soon as it has been decided.

2019-05-30 07:57

It is a truly beautiful morning. We have clear blue skies with small haze domes developing and the local scenery looks stunning in the sunlight. This is the Dent D'Arclusaz from the landing field at 07:45 (photo credit - Ruth Jessop)

More news soon

2019-05-29 20:23

Thursday 30th May : Schedule
---------------- ---
08:00 Breakfast in HQ
09:00 Briefing
09:30 Departure to chosen Take Off

2019-05-29 20:18

It was worth the wait - the weather cleared nicely. 86 pilots made goal with a further 22 making End Of Speed but not quite getting to the line.

The weather for the rest of the competition is looking much more promising - fingers crossed.

Meanwhile the final pilot is back and the results are now available online.

2019-05-29 19:19

Theo told me, 'I just assumed it was going to be cancelled so didn't take the task very seriously. I made a mistake setting my GPS and put the start 5 minutes later that it should have been. I forgot my radio so I just followed everyone else at the beginning hoping it was OK. As everyone came together at the last turn point, the main gaggle went into the mountains. I could see clouds forming in the flats so I went there, got a good climb which allowed me to push forwards fast to goal and get there three and a half minutes before everyone else.' So the moral of that one is: if you want to win, don't take your race too seriously!

2019-05-29 19:12

So for today's winning tactic from today's winner Theo Warden.

2019-05-29 18:53

It's worth remembering the exceptionally high quality of female pilot in this competition. The women who have won the most Women's Paragliding World Cups since Super Final Time began are: Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE (14), Keiko Hiraki (8), Méryl Delferriere (5) and they are all competing in this competition!

2019-05-29 18:43

It looks as if Ms Bond 007, Méryl Delferriere, was second lady across Ess today.

2019-05-29 18:42

It looks as if our first lady across ESS today was Elisabeth Egger. Eli flew the first female 200+ FAI triangle of the 2019 XC season, in the heart of the Austrian Alps. Making her definitely one of our leading ladies when it comes to Alp hopping.

2019-05-29 18:38

However for Torsten I don't think it really mattered. He has got such an impressive list of paragliding victories, spanning nearly quarter of a century, that when we put his profile on the World Cup website a few weeks ago it went into meltdown for three days!

2019-05-29 18:37

Torsten Siegel touched down in goal 7 minutes behind his rival from the Europeans today. Torsten was 2nd overall, in the 2018 Europeans, coming a mere 2 points out of 5348, behind this year's winner, and today's winner, Theo Warden, a point per fifteen years in age separating them proves that paragliding really is the sport with a wingspan across the generations!

2019-05-29 18:33

Everyone at Fly Sussex will have been jumping up and down in their harnesses today watching Martin Long coming into goal in the top 25.

2019-05-29 18:31

Ulrich Prinz is another one very happy to have made goal on this cloudy day. Uli rediscovered ski touring this winter which is why he is currently looking so young and fit, compared to those of us who rediscovered cheese fondu this winter!

2019-05-29 18:29

Honorin Hamard has also just touched down in goal in good time today. Although the Super Final might not have gone according to plan, 2019 has shown that Honorin is still very much on form. In the Montegrappa Trophy in April he won task two, and compared to the Super Final, gained 100 places, coming first overall

2019-05-29 18:26

The Super Final rivalry is obviously still there between Pierre Remy and Julien Wirtz. 34 seconds separated them after 9 days in the recent Super Final as they came 1st and 2nd. They have both just swooped down into goal with 12 seconds separating them today.

2019-05-29 18:23

Just coming into the goal field is Martin Petz I asked Martin about the new Flow Paragliders Spectra he is flying. He told me, 'The Spectra is on the easier side of the gliders we have at the moment. The climb rate stands out. It's solid and fast. Take off is easy as well.' It certainly seems to have worked well for him today.

2019-05-29 18:17

Time to mind your heads everyone as they swoop down into the goal field.

2019-05-29 18:17

The crowds lining the goalfield are all looking skywards on this cloudy day.

2019-05-29 18:16

There is now a massive gaggle all leaving the sunny tree covered hill side to the east of goal, they are high so should make it.

2019-05-29 18:14

Theo has just swooped down into the goal field to loud cheers.

2019-05-29 18:13

The sun is out the paramotors are buzzing into the goalfield, the rain clouds at take off seem a long way away.

2019-05-29 18:12

Theo is in sight of the goal field and is doing a few laps of honour before landing.

2019-05-29 18:08

Next across Ess Sebastian Ospina, Joachim Oberhauser, Stefan Wyss, Mitch Riley

2019-05-29 18:07

Seb will be next across ESS. He started paragliding in 2004 aged 14 - he was hooked straightway, he started to save up his school dinner money to go flying, aww. When asked, 'What is the worst thing which has happened to you? Seb replied, I once had a passenger throw up four times during a very rough flight,' XC magazine 2015.

2019-05-29 18:04

Theo has got ESS 2km ahead of the others.

2019-05-29 18:03

Their speed round the course is timed between the start and End of Speed, after that they can take as long as they want to get into got.

2019-05-29 18:02

Theo is 300m from Ess.

2019-05-29 18:01

Behind Theo is Helmut Eichholzer, Sebastian Ospina, Mitch Riley, Stefan Wyss, Yongtae Ahn, Pierre Remy, Joachim Oberhauser, Gildas Ben, Ulrich Prinz.

2019-05-29 18:00

Theo is ahead.

2019-05-29 18:00

4 km to end of speed it's neck and neck between Theo Warden and Mitch Riley to get ESS.

2019-05-29 17:58

Right with Mitch is Theo Warden.

2019-05-29 17:56

Mitch is used to flying big mountains, he worked as a tandem pilot in Pokhara, in Nepal and held the Nepal distance record on XContest for a while.

2019-05-29 17:54

Mitch is 1 km from the last turn point.

2019-05-29 17:51

There is a real mix of sun and shade in the valley with very little wind.

2019-05-29 17:49

The others are all dashing across from the hills to get the turn point.

2019-05-29 17:49

A small group have just got the second turn point XContest current leader Sebastian Ospina, European champion Theo Warden, Mitch Riley and Helmut Eichholzer.

2019-05-29 17:47

A few years of métro, boulot, dodo in Paris, left Emma feeling like a dodo and in need of the mountains, so she and her family moved to Annecy and she hasn't looked back since. Hopefully we'll see more of her in the World Cup comps.

2019-05-29 17:46

Today's Thought for the Thermal, a piece of advice from an experienced competition pilot for those who are just starting out in competitions, comes from Emma CASANOVA: There are three golden rules. 1) Get to know your instruments off by heart, run around a field, drive in a car with them. Read the instruction book. If you aren't happy with them get another one. 2) Don't try to race, just be happy to follow those in front, be humble until you are ready to use your speed bar. 3) Take off early and get as high as possible at the Start.

2019-05-29 17:45

It's good to see Emma Casanova up with the leaders today, she's relatively new to the World Cup comp scene but I think gave me one of the best Thought for the Thermals that I have ever had.

2019-05-29 17:40

The leaders are all very low.

2019-05-29 17:40

I love what the Slovenian Paragliding team website has to say about Jošt: As a five-year-old I taught chickens to fly, then took on model airplanes, but only with paragliding I myself took-off as a teenager. From there on life happened. As for his favourite moments: Each time I take-off.

2019-05-29 17:39

Jost is flying the new Flow Gliders Spectra

2019-05-29 17:38

They are now going north west to the second turn point. Jošt Napret is out in front on the lower terrain the others are all staying in the higher terrain.

2019-05-29 17:36

The sky is now completely filled in apart from a small patch of blue above the goal field.

2019-05-29 17:35

In May (2019) not to let the Europeans have a monopoly playing in the spring thermals, Mitch did a 280 km flight from Southern California to Arizona! This is how he described it: The deserts of Southern California and Nevada are a spectacular mixture of arid mountains, roadless valleys, and complicated convergences. On a day with big open distance potential my main goal is to use the entire day. I succeeded, my last climb was a smooth 1m/s glass-off that finished near 3,000m agl. I took the last glide into the sunset, needing 15/1 to pass over the Colorado river canyon and land on the next paved road in Arizona. A butter smooth, hands off downwind glide gave me about 25/1 while the ground underneath me slipped into darkness. Magical!

2019-05-29 17:27

The leaders have got the first turn point. Mitch Riley has just got an amazing climb out in the lower terrain, a nice birthday present, and is going to join them very soon.

2019-05-29 17:25

'Pierre Remy is capable of doing some amazing stuff. He could do quite well if he's consistent. He's from the Pyrenees, he's very patient. Unlike a lot of the Alpine pilots he's used to flying light conditions.' Quote from Ulric Jessop (PWC Technical Delegate) a few weeks before Pierre became World Champion!

2019-05-29 17:23

Current World and Super Final Champion Pierre Remy is with the leaders about to get the turn point first with the leaders.

2019-05-29 17:21

But having said that, Charles seems to managed to be on the podium wherever we are in the World. Out of the 10 Super Finals that he has competed in, he has been in the top ten 6 times! Only equalled by Jean Marc Caron.

2019-05-29 17:20

Charles spent some of his childhood in the Vallée d'Aulps and at Morzine, where he did his first paragliding flights. Growing up in the mountains of Haut Chablais and now living and working near Annecy has given him a lot of Alpine flying experience.

2019-05-29 17:19

The race is really on now with X World and Super Final champion Charles Cazaux in the lead racing in from the flatter terrain and a big gaggle coming round the mountains.

2019-05-29 17:18

Bogdan Bialka is with the leaders in the mountains. He told me, 'When I started competition flying I just wanted to win straight away,' which is obvious if you watch how he flies. He used to be too aggressive, pushing out in front, now he tries to find a balance. XC flying and comp flying are so different. In XC flying you are totally on your own, making your own decisions, sometimes it is difficult to adapt this to comp flying where you have to combine using the gaggle and using the skills you have to fly on your own to take a winning route out in front.

2019-05-29 17:15

Let's see how Honorin gets on today, he wasn't at all enthusiastic about the task at take off.

2019-05-29 17:14

At the beginning of the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu I wrote in the Commentary: 'Honorin is getting a lot more analytical about what he's doing these days. He can still charge off but is probably calculating it all more and being more thoughtful.' However, we all saw how well that went in BG and I would go as far as to say, never was an untruer word spoken. In future, I will not be listening to those who should be concentrating on their own job of scoring, thus leaving me to make up the Commentary!

2019-05-29 17:12

Also at the front in the mountains is Honorin Hamard.

2019-05-29 17:11

Stephane Drouin is with the leaders in the mountains. At the end of task 5 in the recent Baixo Guandu Super Final, Stephane told me he felt as if he was flying like a Quiche Lorraine, i.e. a not very aerodynamic object, involving lots of eggs, cheese and bacon, which is the pride of French cuisine. He seems to be flying much more like a light English cup cake in this competition.

2019-05-29 17:09

'More than 60 pilots made a 226km goal at the US Paragliding Nationals in Chelan on Friday 15 July 2016, making it the longest successful competition paragliding task ever flown. Robert Vandenbegine got to goal first but was placed second behind Josh Cohn because of fewer lead-out points.' Cross Country magazine July 2016.

2019-05-29 17:06

J.p. Robert Vandenbegine is with Charles out in the flats.

2019-05-29 17:05

Jurij Vidic is leading the group in the mountains.

2019-05-29 17:05

Charles Cazaux is out in the flats and in the lead.

2019-05-29 17:03

They all seem to be doing a lot better now and those on the front hills are now above hill height .

2019-05-29 16:56

There is even a bit of sunshine lighting up the tops of the paragliders as they bob along the dark green tree covered lower slopes. They are all pretty low, this is proving to be a very challenging task.

2019-05-29 16:53

There are patches of blue sky out in the middle of the valley

2019-05-29 16:51

There are now two distinct groups, those further back in the snowy cloud covered mountains and those on the lower ridges which have patches of sunshine on them at the front.

2019-05-29 16:46

Looking up into the snow fields you can clearly see the paragliders floating along above the tree line from one snowy mountain onto the next.

2019-05-29 16:45

Zoran Labovic has taken an early lead and is making the first big valley crossing.

2019-05-29 16:42

The cows munching the buttercups in the meadows below don't even look up as the sun comes out and the race begins in earnest.

2019-05-29 16:40

For this first leg the main route choice is how far back into the mountains do you go.

2019-05-29 16:38

Just a reminder that cloud flying is strictly forbidden.

2019-05-29 16:37

The pilots now have to fly south west to the first turn point but they won't be able to go much higher or further back into the mountains given the low cloud base.

2019-05-29 16:35

The Start is now open.

2019-05-29 16:34

1 minute to start open.

2019-05-29 16:34

It's better to fly a little slower with a better glide angle, arrive a little higher, and use the other pilots just ahead to find the climb for you. That way you'll stand the greatest chance of arriving straight in the best lift with the minimum amount of time lost. If you arrive first, but lower, you may get stuck. Which could be very much the case today.

2019-05-29 16:32

Thermals are formed by bubbles of air, warmer than their surroundings, escaping from the ground, so anywhere that encourages good temperature differentials will facilitate thermal formation. E.g. towns and buildings, edges between cloud shadows and sunlight, borders between ground features of different heating capacity, e.g. at the snow line.

2019-05-29 16:31

The pilots will be desperately looking for thermals at the moment, even the smallest thermal in these over cast conditions will be very welcome.

2019-05-29 16:25

If there is a marked improvement in the weather ahead, it's critical to save time by pushing into the better weather.

2019-05-29 16:23

Getting to goal is more important than racing. Only race when you are certain you won't go down. Race fast when you are high, and slow down when you are lower. If you don't get to goal, you don't get time/speed points.

2019-05-29 16:23

Anticipate the weather and the terrain ahead, if there is cirrus coming in stay high, if there is a blue hole or a big valley crossing coming up, stop and gain height.

2019-05-29 16:22

Flying fast is all about flying in the best lift available. It is really important to assess which lift to stop and climb in and which to fly through and when to leave a thermal as it gets weaker at the top.

2019-05-29 16:22

Be in a good position to stick with the lead gaggle at the Start and watch and learn from how the others race.

2019-05-29 16:21

It also gives some important strategies for any paragliding race:

2019-05-29 16:20

'Fifty Ways to Fly Better,' is written by former Paragliding World Champion (2007) and Paragliding World Cup winner (1995) Bruce Goldsmith. It is full of tips to help you climb fast and fly efficiently. It is available from the XCmag.com shop and is translated into many different languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Portuguese and Turkish

2019-05-29 16:20

Yesterday whilst we were sitting in the ran I dipped into the excellent book called 'Fifty Ways to Fly Better,' by Bruce Goldsmith and friends.

2019-05-29 16:14

There are patches of blue so the day is definitely improving

2019-05-29 16:05

Thirty minutes to the Start Open. When the Start opens the clock starts and the pilots will be timed round the 51.6 km course. They are now launching thick and fast we may yet get a task.

2019-05-29 16:04

The pilots who have taken off are maintaining at about ridge height, with only a few managing to climb higher.

2019-05-29 16:01

About half the field have taken off, the clouds are now above Alp height, there are a few patches of sunshine in the valley, but my biggest concern is that my spelling is being severely hampered by the rain drops falling on my keyboard.

2019-05-29 15:58

Marco Busetta has just struggled to take off with a cross wind and the rain starting again, his new streamlined, mustachless visage didn't seem to help.

2019-05-29 15:54

I asked task setter Jacques Fournier what he thought of the task as he stepped backwards into a large fresh cow pat, he gave a large French shrug, which I think said it all, this is going to be a very difficult task, even for the local French pilots.

2019-05-29 15:51

The window is open and they're off.

2019-05-29 15:45

It has now stopped raining and the pilots will be taking off in the next five minutes. With the Start opening at 16h35. Today's task is a 51.6 km zig zag back to HQ, rain clouds willing.

2019-05-29 15:33

The task is set - todays race is a 51.69 km Race to Goal The window will open at 15:50 Local Time and the Start is at 16:35

2019-05-29 15:31

The rain has passed, the pilots are reemerging from the cow shed and, in a slow prossession, are making their way back up to take off, trying to avoid the cow pats and crocuses as they go.

2019-05-29 15:24

Anyone, whether an individual or a business, can become a Paragliding World Cup Partner. To become part of our big paragliding family and help support the continued success of paragliding competitions around the World, contact the Paragliding World Cup Association via the Contact page on the pwca.org website.

2019-05-29 15:24

I'd also like to say a big thank you to all our partners for sponsoring the continued success of the Paragliding World Cup...and if any of them could do something about the weather here in Coeur de Savoie today...

2019-05-29 15:21

Our heartfelt thanks go to World Cup President Goran Dimiskovski, who took part in his first World Cup in Italy in Montegrappa in 2004. He brought a big personality and a new country into our World Cup family that year. He works tirelessly behind the scenes to bring us new venues like Loma Bola in Argentina and the new Asian Tour.

2019-05-29 15:20

We are also delighted to announce the arrival of the PWCA Asian Tour which will start in Hexigten in China: 10th – 14th of July and in Gochang in South Korea: 4th - 11th of October. You can see details of these competitions and the Pre PWCs on the World Cup Tour page of pwca.org.

2019-05-29 15:19

Loma Bola, Argentina: 09 - 16 November 2019

2019-05-29 15:18

Pico de Gaviao, Brazil: 07 – 14 September 2019

2019-05-29 15:18

Manteigas, Portugal: 29 June to 06 July 2019

2019-05-29 15:18

Linzhou China: 8th to 15th of June

2019-05-29 15:18

We are delighted to announce that the following dates have been finalised with the very recent addition of Loma Bola in Argentina in November.

2019-05-29 15:18

Whilst we sit watching the rain, dreaming of warmer climates, let's look ahead to the rest of the year's World Cup calendar.

2019-05-29 15:15

It's now listed in the links when a task is published and also on the left of the homepage as: Livetrack 360 - a single click opens it in the browser – unfortunately it doesn't seem to like working on a phone though.

2019-05-29 15:15

Just a reminder also that there is a new viewing option from Flymaster (Livetrack 360) which is a split screen view of the task with a 3D viewer on the right. It takes a moment to get used to it but it's quite responsive.

2019-05-29 15:13

We are delighted to already have some amazing footage of this comp brought to you from the only slightly dinted World Cup drone, having been flown backwards at high speed into some banana trees (Banana smoothie anyone?) in Brazil recently.

2019-05-29 15:10

As always, World Cup TV have been travelling with us and our dream team of Philippe Broers and Arvid Berg shot some excellent footage of the Super Final, called Super Final X, which you can see on YouTube, Facebook or the front page of PWCA.org.

2019-05-29 15:05

Everyone is now sheltering in vehicles or a nearby cow shed, apart from World Cup cameraman Philippe Broers, who is dancing on top of the Secours Montagne (Mountain Rescue) landrover.

2019-05-29 14:57

It is now raining on launch too and there is rather a lot of packing up going on.

2019-05-29 14:57

Simon Mettetal is making everyone feel cold wandering about in shorts pretending he can't feel the frost bite setting in.

2019-05-29 14:55

No timings have been given yet as we have 100% cloud cover and it's raining out in the valley.

2019-05-29 14:54

Briefing has just taken place for a 52 km task.

2019-05-29 14:41

There are white and purple crocuses everywhere. Yassen Savov has just stood on the crocuses and crushed at least 10 of them. Oh dear, now his shoe has fallen to bits. I think today's big story could be 'The Revenge of the Crocuses.'

2019-05-29 14:38

The trackers are being given out.

2019-05-29 14:36

For those of you who have just tuned in, we are all at cloud base without anyone having actually taken off yet!

2019-05-29 14:21

We are delighted to welcome pilots flying five different CCC certified gliders in this competition: the Ozone Enzo 3, the Gin Boomerang 11, and this time we also have 6 pilots flying the new UP Guru, 11 flying the Flow Spectra and 9 flying the Niviuk Icepeak Evox.

2019-05-29 14:21

In the team competition at Coeur de Savoie in 2017 Ozone and Gin, after six tasks, had exactly the same score proving the parity between the then new Gin Boomerang 11 and the Ozone Enzo 3. This time there are three other CCC wings in the competition.

2019-05-29 14:21

Woody Valley and Ozone are leading the team competition as we take off for task 3.

2019-05-29 14:20

The top 3 ladies as we start task 3 are: Yael MARGELISCH (1272), Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE (1262) and Keiko HIRAKI (1219).

2019-05-29 14:20

As we start the third task of this 2019 Coeur de Savoie World Cup, one point separates the 2 leaders. The top 5 overall are: Jose REBELO (1395), Stephan Morgenthaler (1394), Charles CAZAUX (1390) and Joze MOLEK and Andreas (Pepe) MALECKI both have 1377 points.

2019-05-29 14:19

Well done to the top teams in task 2: 1st Flying Tree Environmental Agency, 2nd Parastick and 3rd Jack & Jones.

2019-05-29 14:18

Well done also to our leading ladies in task 2: 1st Méryl DELFERRIERE, 2nd Yael MARGELISCH and 3rd Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE.

2019-05-29 14:18

Well done to task 2 winners: Tilen Ceglar, 2nd Sebastian OSPINA, 3rd Pierre REMY who were also the top lead out point baggers for the day.

2019-05-29 14:17

Whilst we all sit and shiver I would like to congratulate the winners of the last task.

2019-05-29 14:17

The hope is that the cloud base, which is hiding the mountain tops, will clear and the pilots will be able to take off at around 15h, in 45 minutes time.

2019-05-29 14:15

So 60 hair pin bends later, here we are sat on a very soggy hillside amongst the gentians, wild pansies and buttercups with a snow field next to us which is doing nothing to warm up the ambience.

2019-05-29 14:14

After a day of torrential rain the sun is out but we now have a rather windy forecast so we have gone to the L'Ebaudiaz take off on the opposite side of the valley from the Montlambert launch, an hour from HQ, on the east side of the valley, near the top of Le Grand Arc.

2019-05-29 10:41

A provisional task has been set with the takeoff at Lebaudiaz - shuttles will leave headquarters at 11:30

2019-05-29 10:33

We are waiting at HQ to see how the weather develops - more news will be along soon

2019-05-29 10:24

There will be a new briefing at headquarters at 10:30

2019-05-29 08:38

The updated waypoint files for Chamousset are WPT KML GPX CUP

2019-05-29 08:16

Day 4 has arrived. The forecast shows strong winds and the photo demonstrates what happens when the temperature and dewpoint are exactly the same ... cloud !! (photo credit - Ruth Jessop)

More news soon

2019-05-28 10:23

Mé

2019-05-28 10:16

Mé

2019-05-28 09:47

Mé

2019-05-28 09:37

Mé

2019-05-28 08:41

It's day 3 and the weather is awful - it is raining hard in Chamousset and today's task has been cancelled. This photo is the landing field at 08:30 (photo credit - Ruth Jessop)

We will be back for more action tomorrow.

2019-05-27 17:54

What a contrast to yesterday - 113 made goal today but, unfortunately, in a bit to short a time which has devalued the day a little.

The scores are online now and we will see what tomorrow brings.

2019-05-27 15:02

As for today's winning tactic from Tilen Ceglar. I knew it was a strong day so it was not crucial to be high on the ridge because of the north wind. I didn't bother to gain altitude on the couse, the pace was insane, even if I was lower I tried to keep contact with the leaders. I chose the right lines towards the last turn point. The key to getting good lines was following the clouds and thinking about how the wind would work at that height. On the way to goal I got a good thermal and was the first to leave, although I took a big risk by leaving lower than the others I made Ess first so it paid off.

2019-05-27 14:55

Just to confirm the first ten across end of speed were: Tilen Ceglar, Pierre Remy, Julien Wirtz, Jurij Vidic, Sebastian Ospina, Stephan Morgenthaler, Clement Latour, Stefan Wyss, Michele Boschi and Honorin Hamard.

2019-05-27 14:53

Apologies for not announcing the ladies who were first across End of Speed earlier but we knew we had problems with one of the ladies' trackers. The first three ladies across end of speed today were: Méryl Delferriere, Yael Margelisch and Seiko Fukuoka Naville.

2019-05-27 14:44

Unfortunatley the nominal time has not been fulfulled today, so the winner will not get 1000 points. Nominal time is set at the beginning of the competition, and was set as one hour and fifteen minutes here. If the winner takes less than this to get to ESS, then the task will be devalued. Today's winner took one hour and forty seconds. So the moral of that is if you want more points slow down!

2019-05-27 14:33

It looks as if Tilen will have won overall as he has 100% of the lead out points and crossed End of Speed first.

2019-05-27 14:14

They went round the course so fast today that some of them look as if they have got jet lag!

2019-05-27 14:13

Oh dear, I think the goal field is about to burst there are so many gliders trying to make a landing worthy of a World Cup winner.

2019-05-27 14:12

This looks like the Paragliding World Cup equivalent of sardines, how many paragliders can you fit into a small field with knee high green grass? Mind how you go with the cow pats.

2019-05-27 14:09

There are hundreds of very excited school children here in the landing field cheering madly. It's not obvious which one landing is the actual winner, but it doesn't seem to matter.

2019-05-27 14:08

And as one they now head for goal

2019-05-27 14:07

What an amazing sight at the goal field, it looks as if about 100 little coloured croissants are floating about in front of the tree covered hill side opposite, trying to get enough height to head for goal.

2019-05-27 14:04

I make it one pilot crossing End of Speed every second!

2019-05-27 14:03

Closely followed by Julien Wirtz, Stephan Morgenthaler, Pierre Remy, Clement Latour, Michele Boschi.

2019-05-27 14:03

It looks as if Tilen Ceglar has it.

2019-05-27 14:02

Clement Latour is with the leaders too, another very experienced alpine pilot having just done an amazing alpine triangle of 264 km on the first of May.

2019-05-27 14:01

Sebastian Ospina, current leader of XContest is with them, neck and neck, what a race.

2019-05-27 14:01

Jurij is with Tilen and Stephan Morgenthaler and Pierre Remy.

2019-05-27 14:00

1 km to End of speed and Tilen Ceglar is in the lead.

2019-05-27 14:00

Jurij Vidic is also with them. Another pilot with a great track record of alpine flying. He was 5th in the Coeur de Savoie World Cup in 2014, first in the World Cup in Gemona, Italy last year and Winner of the PARAGLIDING WINTER CUP 2019, he's racing to end of speed at the head of the gaggle once again.

2019-05-27 13:58

Today looks like a repeat of the recent Super Final with Pierre Remy and Julien Wirtz racing neck and neck for end of speed. After nine days of top level racing in Baixo Guandu, only 34 seconds separated them.

2019-05-27 13:55

Tilen Ceglar is very much on form at the moment, he came 6th in the Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in Italy in April and came 3rd in the 2019 Paragliding Winter Cup.

2019-05-27 13:54

Pierre told me he is not stressed about this competition and doesn't feel under any pressure after winning the recent Super Final and Worlds. He's here on holiday and is going to watch the others, stay calm and get to goal in a good position - well that tactic seems to be working rather well for him today?

2019-05-27 13:53

Tilen Ceglar, Isidor Fink and current Super Final and World Champion Pierre Remy are in the lead.

2019-05-27 13:52

They will now race north east to end of speed where their time round the course is caluated to.

2019-05-27 13:50

Thirty have got the last turn point together. This is going to be a very close race with 11 km to go to End of Speed.

2019-05-27 13:49

They have now encountered the valley wind coming down from Chambery which is blowing them all towards the turn point.

2019-05-27 13:47

Time for Yassen Savov's Mum to look away, Yassen has gone into the lead again, as usual ahead and a bit lower than the others. But Yassen has a proven track record of flying well in the Alps having won the Europeans in 2012 in St Andre les Alps.

2019-05-27 13:44

The following gaggle have now left the ridge on the north side of the valley and are hoping they won't be dipping their toes in the river Isere as they head for the last turn point.

2019-05-27 13:42

Yoshiaki Hirokawa is with Nicola, working as a team to hunt for lift is way more efficient than going it alone.

2019-05-27 13:42

Nicola Donini, star of the 2017 Super Final who challenged Michael Sigel's supremacy right up to the final thermal, is making the valley crossing now too and going to make the ridge that Laurie and Zoran are on ahead of them.

2019-05-27 13:40

Zoran and Laurie Genovese have made it onto a very conveniently placed ridge which will take them very efficently to the last turn point.

2019-05-27 13:39

However the Alps certainly isn't Ecuador, but the cloudbase is perhaps fairly reminiscent.

2019-05-27 13:37

Zoran's route seems to be working well. He flew very well 18 months ago in the Ecuador World Cup, coming 6th and 4th = in 2 out of the 3 tasks, giving him a result of 3rd overall.

2019-05-27 13:33

Zoran and Jost will be hoping to connect onto the Mont Raillant ridge, a long low ridge which they will hopefully be able to fly along to cut a corner and get to the second turn point before the others.

2019-05-27 13:30

A few further back are breaking away to make the valley crossing: Zoran Labovic and Jošt Napret.

2019-05-27 13:30

Marco's tactic for flying faster today was to shave off his mustache, it certainly seems to be making him much more streamlined!

2019-05-27 13:28

Leading out at the moment as they head back to launch are Marco Busetta and Isidor Fink.

2019-05-27 13:28

Both sides of the valley have clouds, there is a nice cloud street which the pilots are following on the north side of the valley. The middle of the valley is blue.

2019-05-27 13:26

Those coming back along the Dents are flying along just above the tree line just below the rocky cap that tops this stunning mountain.

2019-05-27 13:23

Should they cross the valley now or later?

2019-05-27 13:23

Now comes the big tactical part of today's race, when to make the valley crossing as they race south west to the final turn point above Allevard.

2019-05-27 13:20

The leaders have taken the first turn point. In the lead: Stephan Morgenthaler, Clement Latour, Julien Wirtz.

2019-05-27 13:18

Today's leaders have just got the first turn point at the end of the ridge. Remember they don't have to go into the middle of the turnpoint just 'touch' the nearest part, then turn round as quickly and efficiently as possible and go towards the next turn point.

2019-05-27 13:17

The colourful bubble shaped paragliders are dotted all along the front face of the Dents.

2019-05-27 13:16

Looking up at the Dents it looks as if somebody has taken a child's bubble blower and blown bubbles all along the tree covered steep slopes of this stunning mountain.

2019-05-27 13:13

The ridge on the Dents is in cloud but this shouldn't cause problems as the pilots won't want to pop up above ridge height and get into the northerly wind.

2019-05-27 13:12

Alexandre Jofresa is with the lead gaggle getting onto the Dent and in fact today's Thought for the Thermal, a piece of advice from an experienced World Cup pilot for those who are just starting out in competitions comes from Alexandre: For those coming to fly in the Alps it is key to realise the valley wind and the upper wind are often in different directions. The convergence where they meet works well and is the key to flying here.

2019-05-27 13:10

The front slope is facing into the sun so should hopefully work.

2019-05-27 13:09

There is a north wind high up so they will be in the lee of the upper wind when they get onto Dent d'Arclusaz. This is a very typical/classic route when flying in Coeur de Savoie.

2019-05-27 13:07

Tilen Ceglar has taken an early lead.

2019-05-27 13:06

They are now heading across tree covered slopes dotted with lush green meadows full of flowers, to the rugged, rocky slopes of Dent d'Arclusaz.

2019-05-27 13:05

This is where the lead out points which make up a vital part of each pilot's score are most heavily weighted, so it is really important to be with the front flyers to get a good score.

2019-05-27 13:04

The Start is open, time to race. This is the point the clock starts ticking and doesn't stop until they cross End of Speed.

2019-05-27 12:59

All of this is done while pushing the highest performance paraglider to its max in close proximity to the world's best and most competitive pilots. It's as fun and full on as flying gets! The pilot who comes into goal first, and leads a lot wins the day.

2019-05-27 12:58

The thermals are invisible so it is riskier to lead than to follow. The scoring software rewards leading with lead points, so leading during the race is crucial, but if you take too much risk and land before goal your score will be dismal. Leading at the right times and following at the right times is a major part of the puzzle.

2019-05-27 12:58

While racing paragliders you have nearly infinite choices. Altitude is fuel, but it usually takes time to turn circles in a thermal and get high. Choosing the most buoyant lines, only turning in the strongest thermals, and knowing when to slow down and conserve altitude is crucial to success.

2019-05-27 12:58

Before the start, everyone is vying for position at the edge of an invisible cylinder. 125 pilots watching the start clock tick down and their distance from the edge of the cylinder on their onboard flight computers. Once the start gun goes off all 125 pilots are racing around the 50-200km course, marked in their flight computers with turn points.

2019-05-27 12:58

This is competitor Mitch Riley's description of how a World Cup race works:

2019-05-27 12:56

Five minutes until the Start opens.

2019-05-27 12:50

10 minutes to the start gate opening and it looks as if all the competitors are going to cross it at the same place.

2019-05-27 12:40

The pilots have all taken off now leaving behind the lush green meadow full of yellow buttercups, blue forget me nots, deep purple aqua legia and dancing butterflies, not forgetting the marmots whom I hope all now have tooth ache!

2019-05-27 12:24

Whilst we were having more problems with marmots eating our internet cable on launch most of the pilots have taken off and are having no problem staying up under the blue sky above launch. Unfortunately we seem to be under the only bit of blue in the valley.

2019-05-27 12:03

We have difficult weather conditions today, it is nice now but we are expecting a lot of cloud later today. There is a north wind high up so a short task has been set with a zig zag up and down the valley with goal at HQ, the farm Des Gabelins.

2019-05-27 12:00

The Start will open 500m away in the air in an hours time.

2019-05-27 11:54

The pilots are now taking off, led by World and Super Final champion Pierre Remy.

2019-05-27 11:52

The task is set - todays race is a 48.63 km Race to Goal The window will open at 12:00 Local Time and the Start is at 13:00

2019-05-27 11:38

The French are doing their breifing around their picnic table which is about to collapse any minute under the weight of the French paparazzi who have spotted super stars Méryl Delferriere and Pierre Remy. They are clicking away furiously in an unbelievable media frenzy, Thank goodness I remembered my lippy and hairbrush this morning. If any of the paperazzi would like to take my photo I am under the picnic table.

2019-05-27 11:38

The French are doing their breifing around their picnic table which is about to collapse any minute under the weight of the French paparazzi who have spotted super stars Méryl Delferriere and Pierre Remy. They are clicking away furiously in an unbelievable media frenzy, Thank goodness I remembered my lippy and hairbrush this morning. If any of the paperazzi would like to take my photo I am under the picnic table.

2019-05-27 11:28

Well done to task 1 lead out point baggers: Jose Rebelo, Andreas MALECKI and Charles CAZAUX.

2019-05-27 11:27

Well done to task 1 winners: 1st Jose REBELO, 2nd = Charles CAZAUX and Andreas MALECKI and to our leading ladies: 1st = Keiko HIRAKI and Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE, 3rd Constance METTETAL. Top teams: 1st Woody Valley, 2nd Wind and 3rd Ozone.

2019-05-27 11:26

The Task Committee Arnaud BAUMY, Jacques FOURNIER and Helmut Eichholzer, with the help of Didier Maturin, and of course, our very experienced meet director, Philippe Roea have just set a 48 km task.

2019-05-27 11:22

There is blue sky above us with free flyers climbing out but there is a big bank of cloud stretching from the other side of the valley half way across to us. I asked technical delegate Ulric Jessop what that means. He told me, it means we have to hope it doesn't come over here as it will shut everything down and make it even more difficult than yesterday.

2019-05-27 11:20

Here we are on the Montlambert launch at Coeur de Savoie, in the heart of the French Alps, ready for task 2.

2019-05-27 09:09

We will be using the Montlambert launch again today - the buses leave HQ at 10:00

2019-05-27 08:34

Day 2 of the event is here and the weather is looking better than the forecast indicated - this photo was taken of the Dent De L'Arclusaz at 0745 this morning (photo credit - Ruth Jessop)

We expect to be heading for one of the takeoffs soon and more news will follow as soon as we have any...

2019-05-26 18:53

We almost made it but, in the end, nobody reached the goal. Everybody is now back and the results are available from the link above. We will try again tomorrow.

2019-05-26 16:44

So how will the lack of pilots in goal affect the scores today? Obviously if there are no pilots in goal, there are no time points (minimum of 35). So the distance points are higher to reflect a large spread of distances back down the course line to reflect the day's achievement. However, they will be out of 965 rather than 1000 due to the lack of time points.

2019-05-26 16:32

Everyone has now landed, but it doesn't seem to really matter that nobody made goal. Everyone is just laughing about the fact that anyone got even half way round the course today, never mind 60 km round!

2019-05-26 16:29

Jose is so so close to ESS, this is incredible but I don't think he is going to make it much further.

2019-05-26 16:28

Still in the air and desperately trying to get ESS. Jose Rebelo, Charles Cazaux, Arnaud Baumy and Michael Sommerauer and they are all less than 60m above the fields.

2019-05-26 16:24

Or not, I think Alexandre has just landed. Right so who's next?

2019-05-26 16:24

This is breath taking, there seems to be absolutely no lift, but still they some how keep on going.

2019-05-26 16:22

Alexandre has 1.5 km to go to ESS.

2019-05-26 16:21

Alexandre Jofresa has a 2km lead. He was 1st in task 4 and 6th overall in the Coeur de Savoie World Cup in 2017, so he has a proven track record of flying well here.

2019-05-26 16:18

Still trying to get to ESS at the moment Joze Molek, Alexandre Jofresa, Andreas Malecki, Charles Cazaux, Arnaud Baumy, Jose Rebelo and Michael Sommerauer.

2019-05-26 16:14

The sky is still totally covered and seems to be getting darker all the time.

2019-05-26 16:11

It looks as if Stephan Morgenthaler and Manuel Quintanilla really have landed this time.

2019-05-26 16:11

ESS is the end of the timed part of the race. Just a remainder that the timed part of the race takes place between the Start in the air which opened at 12.45 today and the End of Speed. The pilots can then take as long as they want to get to goal. But they must cross the goal line to qualify for their time points which reflect how fast they flew round the course.

2019-05-26 16:08

Stephan is 3km to the end of speed (ESS) .

2019-05-26 16:05

3 km behind them, Arnaud Baumy, Russell Ogden, Charles Cazaux and Joze Molek

2019-05-26 16:04

They are still going for it, this is amazing, 4 km to ESS.

2019-05-26 16:01

Stephan Morgenthaler and Manuel Quintanilla are in the lead but about to land I think.

2019-05-26 16:00

There is 100% cloud cover, miracle of miracles, some pilots are still in the air, albeit turning in zeros.

2019-05-26 15:56

Will anyone make the last 12 km to goal?

2019-05-26 15:54

Yassen is now showing up on our live tracking as being 5m below ground level!

2019-05-26 15:53

I hope poor Yassen's mother has gone out to do something special on Mother's day and isn't suffering the same stress that we all are watching Yassen in the lead at 56 m above the ground.

2019-05-26 15:52

The 4 intrepid leaders are Yassen Savov, Stephan Morgenthaler, Russell Ogden, Manuel Quintanilla.

2019-05-26 15:51

True to form, the curse of the commentator, i.e. me giving a run down of who is in the lead has put most of the top 20 on the ground!

2019-05-26 15:48

Today's Thought for the Thermal, a piece of advice from an experienced World Cup pilot for those who are just starting out in competitions, comes from Rémi Bourdelle : to fly well, you need to eat well.

2019-05-26 15:46

Rémi Bourdelle, who is one of the lightest pilots in the competition (despite eating for five), told me: this is the best comp with regard to food. The sandwiches come from a real boulangerie with 8 different flavours. There is enough cake and croissants to blow not just your mind, but your stomach too.' And what about the flying I asked him, 'bah, oui,' he replied.

2019-05-26 15:45

There is then a gaggle of about 10 pilots Yassen Savov, Joze Molek, Manuel Quintanilla, Charles Cazaux, Tanguy Renaud-goud, Tim Rochas, Yael Margelisch, Laurie Genovese and Rémi Bourdelle.

2019-05-26 15:43

Pulling away at the front and with a 1 km lead Yoshiaki Hirokawa, Sergi Claret, Krzysztof Schmidt and Yongtae Ahn.

2019-05-26 15:41

There is steady attrition down into the flat fields in front of the hill they are all failing to climb on.

2019-05-26 15:40

Nobody seems to be getting a climb, they are just floating about.

2019-05-26 15:39

Despite the conditions 78 pilots have got turn point four and are struggling back across the tree covered hillside to the last turn point on the ridge at the south end of the valley, Montendry.

2019-05-26 15:34

It's great to see one of our leading ladies Laurie Genovese up with the leaders today.

2019-05-26 15:32

In the goal field there are lots of activies to entertain the pilot's families. There is a clown doing a great job, in strippy baggy trousers, tying knots in balloons which squeak in protest, and blowing colourful bubbles up into the air to join the multitude of gliders floating about on the tree covered hillside in front of the landing field, which look remarkably similar to the colourful bubbles.

2019-05-26 15:23

However it will be easier for them now with 90 pilots coming towards them marking the thermals and showing them where to go.

2019-05-26 15:21

They now have to pretty much retrace their thermals and go back the way they came.

2019-05-26 15:20

In the lead at the moment Stephan Morgenthaler, Joze Molek, Michael Sommerauer, Andreas Malecki and Russell Ogden.

2019-05-26 15:19

Just a reminder that they don't have to actually go into the middle of the turn point, just touch the circle/cylinder around it.

2019-05-26 15:18

The leaders are at the 4th turn point, a cylinder around Grand Arc.

2019-05-26 15:16

They really are struggling across the tree covered hillside now with a lot below hill height.

2019-05-26 15:13

Leading ladies Méryl Delferriere and Laurie Genovese are in the gaggle just behind them. Both were in the top ten in the 2017 Super Final and Meryl improved her place to come in 7th overall this year, earning herself the title of 007, alias Miss Bond.

2019-05-26 15:10

The lead gaggle are now trying to gain height on a tree covered hillside with the sunshine catching the tops of some of their gliders lighting them up like brightly coloured fireflies, set against dark clouds above and behind them.

2019-05-26 15:05

At this extremely high level of competition, very few dare push out in front on their own - Yassen Savov is one who can, and does.

2019-05-26 15:03

And just when we thought it was going to be plain sailing, Yassen Savov has 'done a Yassen' and over taken everyone on the inside taking a different route out in the valley.

2019-05-26 15:01

Russell is very much on form at the moment having come third in the recent Super Final and forth in the Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in April.

2019-05-26 14:59

Michael Sommerauer and Russell Ogden are following the course line further back in the mountains. Stephan Morgenthaler is going to join them.

2019-05-26 14:55

The high mountains in behind have cloud on them and snow down to 2000m, not the ideal place to fly.

2019-05-26 14:54

There is hardly a breath of wind in the valley. The hills at the front of the ridge are out of cloud and have dappled sunshine on them but the free flyers trying to stay up on them at the moment are really struggling.

2019-05-26 14:50

They have now got a long leg north east up to Grand Arc ahead of them.

2019-05-26 14:49

The pilots are swarming in from all directions to get this turn point, what an amazing race for a day which looks so unflyable.

2019-05-26 14:47

In my Google searches for nuggets of information about the pilots, I came across a very interesting fact about Jacques Fournier on the Wikipedia website. 'Jacques Fournier, a Cistercian cardinal, was elected Pope Benedict XII on the evening of the 20th of December.' I bet none of you knew that! However, I did then spot that that was on the 20th of December, 1334.

2019-05-26 14:47

Closely followed by Jacques and Michael.

2019-05-26 14:46

Stephan has got the third turn point first.

2019-05-26 14:45

The front runners at the moment are Stephan Morgenthaler, Michael Sommerauer, Jacques Fournier and Manuel Quintanilla.

2019-05-26 14:45

Everyone has spotted Yoshiaki and they are all now heading out across the valley to the third turn point.

2019-05-26 14:44

However Yoshiaki Hirokawa has made a brave dash across the valley which seems to be paying off.

2019-05-26 14:43

We've probably got about 90% cloud cover, some of which is quite dark and not much sunshine. Cloud base is barely 500m above the height of the mountain the pilots are trying to gain height on.

2019-05-26 14:40

The lead gaggle are approaching the mouth of the valley following the hills on the north side, just above Arbin.

2019-05-26 14:39

Sam is currently training with the DEJEPS (Diplôme d'État de la Jeunesse, de l'Éducation Populaire et du Sport) to become a paragliding instructor, and to create his own school abroad. He certainly seems to be teaching the World Cup pilots a thing or too at the moment!

2019-05-26 14:38

One of the other new comers to this competition is just catching up with Michel and leading the field, Samuel Avenne.

2019-05-26 14:36

As Stefan Bernhard told me on launch: a lot will depend today on the strength of the valley wind. When do you need to get high so you don't get 'eaten' by the valley wind? You need to be economical and not waste time climbing but not get too low and stuck by the valley wind.

2019-05-26 14:33

However Michel needs to get a lot higher to get across the valley to the third turn point.

2019-05-26 14:32

And thank you for leading the way Michel!

2019-05-26 14:32

Michel has taken a bit of a break from competing for other life projects but, as he told me, 'I am lucky to participate in this competition in Coeur de Savoie 2019 which will allow me to reintegrate the competition scene at a high level. Thank you to those who are supporting me for this event.'

2019-05-26 14:31

Local pilot Michel Macquet has taken the lead but is getting low just above Montmelian.

2019-05-26 14:27

Seb is sticking to the hills on the north side of the valley and just flying back over launch at the moment.

2019-05-26 14:26

Sebastian Ospina has taken the lead. He is also way ahead of everyone else in XContest at the moment. With flights in Assu, Brazil in October/November 2018 of: 488.60 km, 479.89 km, 454.25 km, 434.78 km, 431.00 km and 174.77 km.

2019-05-26 14:24

Some of the leaders have landed, the shade is proving a real thermal stopper today.

2019-05-26 14:22

The top thirty have now made the second turn point and are heading south to the large circle/cylinder around the ridge at the south end of the valley.

2019-05-26 14:21

There is a lot of shade about making life very difficult for the pilots.

2019-05-26 14:19

The valley wind is pushing down from Chambery to Les Marche and then south, so our valley is quite protected, preventing a strong valley wind blowing up our valley.

2019-05-26 14:17

Three pilots have made the 3rd turn point: Ferdinand Vogel, Luc Armant and Honorin Hamard.

2019-05-26 14:15

The cloud is well down on Dent d'Arclusaz. but the pilots flying above Villard d'Hery on the other side of the valley are out of cloud but it doesn't look very lifty.

2019-05-26 14:11

As Baptiste Lambert told me, this is going to be a day of following the clouds. It is very humid today so you can see very easily where the thermals are. Normally in the alps you just follow the ridges but the clouds will help a lot today, marking the thermals - as long as there aren't too many of them.

2019-05-26 14:09

Honorin Hamard has got the 2nd turn point.

2019-05-26 14:08

One of the main tactics in a paragliding race is knowing which thermals to stop and climb in and how high to climb in them as they become weaker at the top. It's important to be very decisive, choose the right climbs, know when to leave, (when the climb slows and you reckon you're high enough to get to the next one). It is really important to minimise the time you spend in climbs by flying efficiently and avoiding sink on long glides.

2019-05-26 14:07

Honorin Hamard has made a break for it and is going for the second turn point.

2019-05-26 14:06

Luc Armant and Baptiste Lambert are also in the lead but staying out in the valley.

2019-05-26 14:06

There are two lead gaggles, one on the ridge just by take off: Nicola Donini, Felix Rodriguez Fernandez, Honorin Hamard, Rafael Saladini, Russell Ogden.

2019-05-26 14:03

For those of you wondering why Luc didn't seem to be taking part in this comp and his name was only added to the list at the last moment, the reason was that Luc was so looking forward to the comp that he booked his accommodation here at Coeur de Savoie months in advance - and then forgot to register himself in the competition!

2019-05-26 14:01

Honorin Hamard is charging ahead, neck and neck with fellow Ozone designer and winner of the last Paragliding World Cup held here, Luc Armant.

2019-05-26 13:58

Races in the Paragliding World Cup are essentially about who can fly the fastest round a course and NOT who can fly the furthest, unless nobody makes goal.

2019-05-26 13:57

Just a reminder that each pilot's score is made up of 3 parts. Time points (how fast they got to goal), points they only get if they get to goal. Distance points (how far they flew). Lead out points (how much of the time they were with the leaders).

2019-05-26 13:56

They now need to cross the valley to turn point two on the north side of the valley at Saint Jean de la Porte.

2019-05-26 13:55

The leaders have got the first turn point on the ridge at the south end of the valley.

2019-05-26 13:53

During this first part of the race it is curcial to be out at the front as the lead out points are most heavily weighted at the beginning of the race.

2019-05-26 13:52

And further north, led by one of the favourites to win this competition, Honorin Hamard.

2019-05-26 13:51

There are already two distinct gaggles, one to the south led by Tomáš Podmaník.

2019-05-26 13:49

The pilots can now start racing round the course. The first turn point they need to go to is the small circle/turn point to the east, across the valley which the main gaggle are now heading to.

2019-05-26 13:48

The main thing new for this competition is a change to the lead out point system. The lead out points will now start at roughly the second thermal down the course line.

2019-05-26 13:48

The Start is now open.

2019-05-26 13:42

The Start will open in 3 minutes.

2019-05-26 13:42

The pilots are now assembled around the Start cylinder which is shown as red on the PWCA app.

2019-05-26 13:34

Apologies for the problems we are currently having with the Commentary, I am reliably told that it is something to do with the marmots nibbling our internet cable on launch.

2019-05-26 12:48

Then you cross 'end of speed' (ESS) but need to have enough height to get across the goal line 2km away.

2019-05-26 12:47

There are normally about 4 or 5 cylinders to go into along the course.

2019-05-26 12:47

You have to go just into the circle around the 'turn points'. The further you go into the circle/cylinder/turnpoint, the more time you waste and the slower you get round the course.

2019-05-26 12:47

Then you need to use thermals to go round the course, but not stop in ones which are too weak and not climb too high, because that wastes time.

2019-05-26 12:38

In brief how a comp works: Everyone waits at the virtual start line in the air, then they try to get away as quickly as possible.

2019-05-26 12:36

For those of you lost in the terminology already, let me explain.

2019-05-26 12:36

The Start gate will open in the air at 13.45, in 75 minutes time.

2019-05-26 12:35

On launch the sun is out and the pilots are getting ready for the window to open in 30 seconds.

2019-05-26 12:27

The French team briefing picnic table is creaking very loudly under the weight of Luc Armant winner of the 2017 Coeur de Savoie PWC and Stephane Drouin very animatedly demonstrating how to do a valley crossing with a strong valley wind. I have a strong suspicion the table is not going to survive this week!

2019-05-26 12:13

The object of any task today will be to try and get the pilots on to the other side of the valley, the south side of the valley, where the cloud base is much higher.

2019-05-26 12:11

The French pilots are having their briefing which seems to involve a lot of rather dangerous looking balancing on a picnic table!

2019-05-26 12:09

The task is set - todays race is a 64.35 km Race to Goal The window will open at 12:30 Local Time and the Start is at 13:45

2019-05-26 12:09

There is a north wind high up but very little wind in the valley which will be sheltered, hopefully giving us a taskable space to play in, with the goal back at HQ.

2019-05-26 12:08

The pilots will be taking off in about 25 minutes. I've just asked a lot of them what they think of the task but nobody seemed to have really worked out where they were going yet!

2019-05-26 12:00

The briefing is taking place. The pilots are squinting in the sunshine entering the task into their instruments. Free flyers are boating about above our heads.

2019-05-26 11:54

Nine out of the top ten, including the first lady, from the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu are taking part: Pierre REMY (1st), Julien WIRTZ (2nd), Russell OGDEN (3rd), Alexandre JOFRESA (5th), Charles CAZAUX (6th), Méryl Delferriere (7th), Clement LATOUR (8th), Yongtae Ahn (9th) and Ernesto Hinestroza (10th).

2019-05-26 11:53

All three top ladies from 2017 Coeur de Savoie World Cup will be competing again: Méryl Delferriere (1st), Seiko Fukuoka Naville (2nd), Laurie Genovese (3rd).

2019-05-26 11:52

Eight out of the top ten from the 2017 Coeur de Savoie will be competing once again: Luc ARMANT(1st), Julien Wirtz (2nd), Ulrich Prinz (3rd), Torsten Siegel (4th), Russell Ogden (5th), Alexandre Jofresa (6th), Thomas Gury (7th), Nicola Donini (10th).

2019-05-26 11:51

Nine of the top ten from the 2014 Coeur de Savoie will be competing once again: Felix Rodriguez Fernandez (1st), Clement Latour (3rd), Julien Wirtz (4th), Jurij Vidic (5th), Ulrich Prinz (6th), Torsten Siegel (7th), Alexander Schalber (8th), Jacques Fournier (9th), Yoshiki Kuremoto (10th).

2019-05-26 11:49

Just a reminder that this competition has an extremely high level of pilot quality.

2019-05-26 11:47

The task committee have set a 64 km task so we should have a briefing soon with more details of the route.

2019-05-26 11:44

There was a lot of rain over night so the cloud is covering the mountain tops but some of the snow fields on the mountains opposite are beginning to show through the low cloud and the sun is shining so all is not lost.

2019-05-26 11:43

We're ready, the meteo isn't!

2019-05-26 11:42

Here we are on the Montlambert launch at Coeur de Savoie in the heart of the French Alps, ready for task 1.

2019-05-26 09:54

Day 1 of Event 1 in the 2019 Paragliding World Cup is here. We have quite low cloud in the valley but the sky is clearing. The pilots are on the way to the Montlambert launch and we will assess the chances of a task once everyone is on takeoff.

More news will be along soon...

2019-05-25 21:33

Just a reminder that friends and family can all keep up with the competition on the World Cup app (PWCA live) which shows the live tracking, Commentary, photos and scores. Links to the app are in the 'MEDIA' menus on the left.

The Commentary and tracking can also be seen here on the front page during each task.

2019-05-25 21:11

Sunday timetable is as follows :-

08:00 Breakfast

09:00 Briefing and choice of flying site

09:30 Departure to the chosen takeoff

2019-05-25 16:21

The airspace file for Chamousset is HERE
The waypoint files for Chamousset are WPT KML GPX CUP

2019-05-22 09:04

Pilot 13: Stefan Wyss (CHE)

Stefan started competing in the Paragliding World Cup in 2000.

He was the Seventh Super Final Champion in 2015 and won by taking the direct, riskier but shorter route, winning four of the eight tasks and stamping his authority on the competition.

He was in the top ten in three out of the nine tasks in the recent Baixo Guandu Super Final, proving that becoming a Dad since his last Super Final hasn't slowed him down at all!

He has been Swiss champion five times.

Steve is the owner of Skywings, an all year round tandem operation in Interlaken. "One of paragliding's real gentlemen," Ulric Jessop, Paragliding World Cup Technical delegate. In Coeur de Savoie, Stefan will be flying in team Jack&Jones, the Paragliding World Cup's favourite clothing company, which at least means he'll have a clean t-shirt on every day!

Task wins: 21, 2nd only to the legendary Hans Bollinger on 28.
World Cup wins: 3

Sponsored by: Skywings Paragliding (www.skywings.ch).

2019-05-20 01:05

Pilot 2: Julien Wirtz (FRA)

Julien has been flying since the age of 13. He flew bivvy with Philippe Nodet in the Himalayan in 2004, 2005 and 2006, participated to the Red Bull X-Alps in 2007 and 2009, and has been competing in the PWC since 2009. Julien is a professional tandem pilot at Col de la Forclaz near Annecy and a keen skier and particularly enjoys ski touring to keep fit over the winter.

Julien competed in the first ever Super Final back in 2009 in Poggio Bustone in Italy and has been in the top 10 in 5 out of the ten Super Finals. He is one of a very elite group of pilots who have competed in all the Super Finals since Super Final time began in 2009.

Julien was in the top ten in seven out of the nine tasks in the recent Super Final in Baixo Guando Brazil and came second just 2 points and 34 seconds behind this year's winner Pierre Remy.

He was in the French team for the Europeans in 2018.

Julien has a proven track record of flying well in Coeur de Savoie having come 4th in the 2014 World Cup there and 2nd in 2017.

Task wins: 3

Sponsors: Ozone and Certika (control centre for paragliding at le Grand Bornand).

2019-05-19 01:12

Pilot 294: Jurij Vidic (SLO)

Jurij took part in his first ever World Cup in Preddvor in Slovenia in 1997. He has been one of the stars of the World Cup circuit for over a decade having come second in the World Cup SuperFinal in Denizli, Turkey in 2010.

In 2017 he was 3rd= in the Worlds and won the 2017 Paragliding Winter Cup.

In 2018 he was in the top 5 in two out of the four tasks in the World Cup in Bright Australia. He came 1st in the World Cup in Gemona, Italy, winning a task, then 6 weeks later he came second in Sopot, Bulgaria, where he also won a task. He was 7th in the 2018 European Championships where he won task 5.

The 2019 season got off to a flying start for Jurij as he won the Paragliding Winter Cup. He won the first task in the Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in April and came third overall.

Jurij is somebody who can win any time, any place, always one to watch, definitely a candidate for a podium or top 10 place in Coeur de Savoie!

Task wins: 6
World Cup wins: 1

Sponsors: Agring d.o.o., Sloparagliding team, Naviter, HighAdventure, Troia

2019-05-18 08:19

Pilot no 32: Torsten Siegel (DEU)

Torsten took part in his first World Cup in Spain in the Sierra Nevada, near Granada in 1996. Twenty two years later he's still leading the gaggle and came 2nd overall in the 2018 PWC in Gemona, Italy, and was in the top 10 in two out of the four tasks. In fact he's got such an impressive list of victories that our website went into melt down the first time we tried to put his profile on.

He's been in the German team every year since 1999!
Winner of the World Cup in Serra da Estrela in Portugal in 2005.
European champion in 2014.

2nd overall, in the 2018 Europeans, coming a mere 2 points out of 5348, behind this year's winner, Theo Warden, a point per fifteen years in age separating them proves that paragliding really is the sport with a wingspan across the generations!

Torsten has a proven track record of flying well in Coeur de Savoie having won task 3 and come 7th overall in the 2014 World Cup and finishing 4th overal lin the 2017 World Cup.

Torsten lives in Toronto, Canada and works as a designer and test pilot for Gin.

Task wins: 7
World Cup wins: 1

Sponsors: Gin Gliders, pets Premium (www.petspremium.de), Wildes Land (www.wildes-land.de) and Naviter.

2019-05-16 23:21

Pilot 103: Yassen Savov (BUL)

Yassen's first World Cup was in Poggio Bustone in Italy in 2008; he was 2nd in his first ever World Cup task and came very close to winning overall. The following year, in 2009, he won the PWC in Croatia. He entered the first ever Super Final in 2009 and has competed in every Super Final since.

Ten years after his first World Cup, he's still up there with the leaders. In task 1 in Sopot, Bulgaria in 2018, he was second, unfortunately his flying was a bit fast and furious after that, which didn't help his final score. A month later, in Aksaray, Turkey, he was very much in control and came second overall in the last World Cup of the season. In the recent Super Final he was 3rd in the first task.

At this extremely high level of competition, very few dare push out in front on their own - Yassen is one who can, and does. He's currently lying in fourth place overall in task wins since the World Cup began. Always one to watch.

European Champion in St Andre in 2012.

Task wins: 12
World Cup wins: 1

2019-05-16 00:28

Pilot 63: Mitch Riley (USA)

Mitch did his first tandem flight in 1992, when he was just 8 years old. Since then he has flown extensively in the Himalaya, Alps and Rocky Mountains doing long vol-biv trips all over the world. One of his favourite places to fly, and where he flies a lot, is in the Mojave Desert in California. He's a paragliding instructor with Eagle Paragliding based in Santa Barbara, California.

In 2015 he won the U.S. National Championships.
His first World Cup was three years later in Baixo Guandu in 2018.
He won a task in the next World cup he competed in, in Aksaray, Turkey where he finished 4th overall.
Mitch then went on to win the Monarca Open in Mexico in January 2019.

The high point of Mitch's paragliding career was in March this year when he won the first task of his first ever Super Final in Baixo Guandu, Brazil! Difficult to improve on that! Mitch is also the voice over in the famous paragliding film, Super Final X. Mitch is also keen on ski mountaineering, surfing, and trail running. One of the newbies to keep both eyes on.

Task wins: 2

2019-05-15 00:47

Pilot 1: Pierre Remy (FRA)

Pierre is the current World and Super Final champion, the only pilot to have ever been both at the same time, making him the supreme champion of the paragliding world. Pierre didn't just win the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu in Brazil, he was in the top ten in five out of the nine tasks!

Pierre started flying in 1998 with his Dad and ground handling at the age of 12. He had his first flight just before he turned 14. His first competition was in 2003. He won the French Under-21 Championships in 2004 and he was French champion in 2009 and 2017

Pierre came 3rd in his first Paragliding World Cup in Annecy in 2012. He was 2nd in Valle de Bravo in 2014, he then won the World Cup in Ager in 2015. He was 1st overall, in the 2018 Pre PWC in the Pyrenees at Cerdagne Targasonne.

Pierre is a designer and test pilot for Nervures.

Task wins: 1
World Cup wins: 1

2019-05-14 00:46

Pilot 7117: Ulrich Prinz (DEU)

Uli was 5th in the World Cup in Sopot, Bulgaria in 2018 and was in the top ten in three out of the six tasks. He came 9th in the Gemona, Italy World Cup and was also 3rd in the 2018 French Open. He came 6th in the 2014 Coeur de Savoie World Cup. Three years later he came 3rd and was in the top 10 in three out of the six tasks in 2017. Can he gain another three places and make Coeur de Savoie 2019 this his first World Cup win?

Uli is consistently in the top ten in the PWC, Europeans and Worlds. He has lots of experience of flying in different locations around the world from Chelan in the US, to Lanzarote, to the Karakorum in Pakistan. In addition to being a very versatile pilot, Uli knows the Savoie area well.

Dislikes (according to the Ozone website): Rain, Marmite and Red traffic lights.

2019-05-13 01:32

Pilot 12: Stephàne Poulain (FRA)

Stephàne started flying in 2000 and took part in his first PWC in 2015.

He is no stranger to being in the top ten in World Cup tasks. In the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu Brazil he was in the top ten in three out of nine tasks. In the 2018 Baixo Guandu PWC he was a task winner, in the top ten in three out of five tasks and 2nd overall. If he hadn't been a bit unlucky in the last task where he got stuck at the final turn point, he could have won overall.

In the 2018 World Cup in Aksaray he was in the top ten in two out of the three tasks and 3rd overall. He came 5th in the 2018 French Open which had an extremely high level of pilots.

Stephàne lives in the north of France so is very used to flying flat lands and flies a lot between the French and Belgian Ardennes, so it'll be interesting to see how he gets on in the very different alpine terrain.

Task wins: 2
Stephàne is helped and supported by his local club Pointe Ardenne Parapente.

2019-05-12 01:16

Pilot 115: Maxime Pinot (FRA)

Maxime had a mixed bag of success in the recent Super Final in Brazil and came in the top ten in two of the nine tasks. However, he has a proven track record of flying well in Coeur de Savoie having won tasks 2 and 6 in the 2017 World Cup there.

Maxime won the 2014 Super Final in Turkey very convincingly with a 215 point lead ahead of runner up, Honorin Hamard. Maxime has proved so many times that he can push on ahead and leave the crème de la crème of the paragliding world behind for the whole task and crush everyone else's lead-out points.

He lives and works in Annecy as a paragliding instructor where he has been training hard for the X-Alps. He will be taking part for the first time this year with none other than 2013 World Champion, Jérémie Lager, as his supporter. Maxime was first in the 2018 Bornes to Fly so he will be one to watch in both the World Cup in Coeur de Savoie and the X-Alps.

Task wins: 8
World Cup wins: 2

2019-05-11 00:12

Pilot 46: Simon Pellissier (FRA)

Simon stood out from the crowd in the recent Super Final flying the Niviuk Icepeak Evox and is part of the all new Team Niviuk.

As the son of paragliding instructor Laurent Pellissier, who teaches at the Ressources Parapente school at Orcières-Merlette, in France, Simon was born into the world of paragliding. He did his first flight at age 12 and when he was 15 years old he moved from Gap to the Pyrenees where he spent three years at Pôle Espoir de Font Romeu, the only school of its kind, where sports like paragliding are all part of the curriculum.

Simon flew to fame by winning a task and coming 2nd overall in the 2016 PWC on Reunion Island - his first ever World Cup.

He's a very current competition pilot having come 5th overall at the World Cup in Bright Australia last year where he came in the top ten in two out of the four tasks. Also in 2018 he was 4th equal in the first task at the World Cup in Gemona, Italy and also took part in the World Cups in Baixo Guandu and Sopot, Bulgaria.

Task wins: 1

Sponsors: Orcieres 1850, Ressources Parapente and Niviuk Paragliders.

2019-05-10 00:25

Pilot 3: Russell Ogden (GBR)

Russell was 2nd in the first ever Super Final back in 2009 in Poggio Bustone in Italy and he was 3rd in the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu, Brazil making him one of the most consistent pilots in the sport. Ten years on he's still on the podium and came in the top ten in five out of the nine tasks!

Russell has a proven track record of flying well in Coeur de Savoie having come 5th in the 2017 World Cup there. Russell's first ever World Cup was twenty years ago in Cordoba in Argentina in 1999. Since then he has lost a lot of hair and learnt not to land in prickly bushes. He has also gained a wealth of paragliding experience, from instructor and mentor for the British team training camp, to senior member of Ozone's R&D team, to World Cup winner in Turkey in 2009. Russell has been British champion three times and came 3rd in the 2018 British Open in Macedonia.

Very much on form at the moment having come third in the recent Super Final and forth in the Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in April.

Task wins: 6
World Cup wins: 1
Sponsored by Ozone

2019-05-09 00:27

Pilot 18: Joachim Oberhauser (ITA)

Joachim was a lead out point bagger in the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu and was in the top ten in four out of the nine tasks.

He came 10th in the recent Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in Italy in April.
3rd in the 9th Super Final in Roldanillo in Colombia.
8th overall in the 2018 European Championships.
1st in the 2018 Alpen Cup, in Tolmin, Slovenia.
3rd in the Zillertal Battle 2018 in Mayrhofer, Austria.
Frequently in the top ten in World Cup tasks.

Task winner in the 2014 Super Final and at the World Cup in 2010, both in Pamukkali/Denizli, Turkey and at the 2016 Super Final in Governador Valadares, Brazil and at the World Cup there in 2009. Joachim is a very versatile pilot having been on the podium all over the World, but above all, he's a very experienced Alpine pilot. Definitely another one to watch!

Task wins: 4

2019-05-08 00:26

Pilot 611: Seiko Fukuoka Naville (FRA)

Seiko is one of the most crowned Super Stars in our sport.

She has won a total of fourteen Ladies World Cups, far more than anyone else, and is frequently in the top ten overall. She has qualified for all the Super Finals since Super Final time began (2009) and was the seventh and eighth Ladies' Super Final Champion (2015 and in 2016).

For the last five years she has been Women's World and European champion: She was European Champion in 2014, 2016 and 2018 and World Champion in 2015 and 2017.

Seiko is also a big distance women's record holder and set a new World Straight Distance (female) record - 402 km in Deniliquin (Australia) on the 9th of December 2015.

Seiko lives near Doussard in France and loves big mountain flying. Her biggest fan is the adorable four legged, tail wagging, Yquem.

2019-05-07 11:16

Pilot 49: Jonathan Marin (FRA)

Jonathan was one of six pilots in the recent Super Final flying a crinkly, shiny new, Niviuk Icepeak Evox. Jonathan started flying when he was 14 years old and got his (aeroplane) pilot's licence when he was 15 years old, but prefers flying paragliders. He's a top pilot who comes from Pilat which is a small massif to the west of Grenoble which has given him the opportunity to build up a range of technical skills from flatland to mountain flying.

3rd in the World Cup in Gemona Italy in 2018.
9th in the World Cup in Aksaray, Turkey in 2018.

Jonathan was the French Champion in 2016 in the Pyrenees and has been on the podium many times in the French championships. Here's what Honorin Hamard had to say: "Jonathan is one of the best French pilots and could easily be a contender for the Super Final title in Brazil - if I don't win it!" However, given that sadly both came away from the Super Final with 'better luck next time,' written in their homework books, let's see how they get on in the Alps rather than the Brazilian jungle.

2019-05-06 00:38

Pilot 29: Yael Margelisch (CHE)

Yael started flying in 2010 and competing in 2013.

Yael had problems with her foot following a reserve throw and heavy landing during the winter 2018/2019 so was going to take things easy in the recent Super Final and was under doctor's orders to land in goal every day! Mission accomplished, Yael was in the top 3 ladies ranking in five out of the nine tasks and finished second lady overall!

Yael's podium places were added to when she came second lady in the Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in April in Italy. Podium places are nothing new to Yael as she was first lady in the 2017 Ecuador World Cup. Yael is frequently up with the leaders, and not just in the ladies' rankings. She was 1st lady and 3rd OVERALL in the first task of the 2018 Europeans. Yael's ambition is to 'Master all kinds of paragliding disciplines, Competition, XC and acro.' She loves paragliding because: 'It's freedom at its best and I always dreamt of it.'

Yael is a paragliding instructor and a ski instructor in Verbier, but also has lots of other hobbies: kiteboarding, cooking, ski touring, speedriding.

2019-05-05 00:08

Pilot 8: Clement Latour (FRA)

Clement has a proven track record of flying well in Coeur de Savoie having won task 3 in the 2017 World Cup and come 3rd overall in the 2014 World Cup there.

He's very much an alpine flyer and came 2nd in the nearby 2018 Pre PWC Pays du Mont Blanc, Passy, France. His recent 264 triangle from St Hilaire on the 1st of May proved his penchant for this area.

Clement came in the top ten twice in the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu and came 8th overall. He was in the French team for the Europeans in 2018 and his best score in the Europeans was 2nd place in 2014.

Clement has cycled round the World (2005-2007), climbing Mont-Blanc, Kilimandjaro, Aconcagua, Ojos del Salado, Huascaran and Chopicalqui en route and got to 8600 m on Everest. The high point (literally) was failing to take off tandem from Mt Everest at 8600 m in 2007, with nil wind at such an altitude, it was impossible to take off, ouch!

Very well known in the world of hike and fly especially after some stunning performances in the X-Alps. 8th in 2011 and 2nd in 2013.
Task wins: 3

Sponsors: SUPAIR and the FFVL

2019-05-03 23:03

Pilot 5: Alexandre Jofresa (FRA)

Alexandre started paragliding when he was very young and went to the Pôle Espoir de Barcelonnette, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in France.

He's a pilot who is rapidly progressing at the moment with a great result in the recent Super Final coming fifth, finishing in the top ten in two tasks. In the recent Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in Italy in April, which is one of the big competitions to start off the European fly in season, he continued to show that he is very much on form at the moment coming fifth, clearly his favourite number.

He is in a good position to be selected for French team in the next World Championships in Macedonia. In the words of Honorin Hamard, 'Alexandre is a pilot who will be a formidable competitor in the World Cup in France.'

He has a proven track record of flying well in the Alps as he was in the top 10 in two of the six tasks in the last World Cup in Coeur de Savoie (2017) and won a task there.

Task wins: 1

2019-05-02 18:49

Pilot 124: Keiko Hiraki (JPN)

Keiko has competed in all the Super Finals since Super Final time began (2009) and she has an extremely impressive list of ladies' World Cup wins, eight in total, spanning a decade:

2016 World Cup at Serra da Estrela in Portugal
2016 World Cup at Castelo in Brazil
2015 World Cup at Montalegre in Portugal
2013 World Cup Super Final at Governador Valadares in Brazil
2013 World Cup at Porterville in South Africa
2012 World Cup at Montalegre in Portugal
2009 World Cup Super Final at Poggio Bustone in Italy
2007 World Cup at Ibaraki in Japan

Keiko works as a commercial tandem pilot for the paragliding school, Sky Asagiri, at one of the best flying sites in Japan called "Asagiri," just in front of Mt.Fuji. She was in Japan's paragliding XC team in the 2018 Asian Games in Puncak, Bogor Regency, Indonesia. The Japanese ladies team won silver medals.

Keiko's longest flight was 353km in Quixada, Brazil in 2015.

Sponsors: API, SKY ASAGIRI, KojitsuSanso, Nagao.

2019-05-01 10:47

Pilot 10: Ernesto Hinestroza (DEU)

Ernesto is originally from Venezuela but has lived in Germany since 2008 and now flies for Germany.

He started paragliding in 1998 at the age of 16 and to do this he some how convinced his parents that he "needed" to fly. He then worked as an instructor and tandem pilot for many years.

He started competing seriously in 2012 and has been on the up in the thermals ever since. He was in the top ten in the last two Super Finals, 8th last year and 10th this year.

This winter he went to Colombia once again with his family for flying, competing, working (XC guiding) and escaping the German winter. He came 2nd in the Roldanillo Open (VALLE DEL CAUCA) in January 2019. But Ernesto is no stranger to Alpine flying; he came in the top ten in two out of the six tasks in the 2017 Coeur de Savoie World Cup.

Sponsors: DGFW; DHV

2019-04-30 09:52

Pilot 626: Honorin Hamard (FRA)

Always one to watch - if you can keep up with him!

Honorin was 7th = in the first task in the recent Baixo Guandu Super Final and won task 6, unfortunately quite a few of the tasks in between didn't quite go to plan. French Champion in 2018 and winner of the Paragliding World Cup in Bright, Australia. European Champion in 2016, World Champion in 2015 Winner of XContest in 2014 and 2016 (an international cross-country flying competition). Designer for Ozone gliders.

Honorin made his debut as a Super Hero in 2018 in the film Flying Fish, by d'Antoine Boisselier. The film was in the Coupe Icare film festival and can be seen on Vimeo.

Although the Super Final might not have gone according to plan, 2019 has shown that Honorin is still very much on form. He won task two and was the winner of the Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in April.

Task wins: 9
World Cup wins: 3

Sponsored by: Ozone, Altitude Eyewear, Naviter, CDVL50, Région Normandie, Soartd, Icaro 2000, Ligue Normandie and Club des Archanges.

2019-04-28 19:53

Pilot 72: Loïs Goutagny (FRA)

Loïs was one of six pilots who stood out from the crowd in his first Super Final in March in Baixo Guadu, Brazil, flying the new Niviuk Icepeak Evox. He's just put a stunning video on YouTube of flying in Rio with the rest of team Niviuk after the competition. The words "Oh Christ," come to mind when you watch it!

Loïs took the Bright World Cup in February 2018 by storm coming 4th overall and finishing in the top ten in two out of the four tasks. He took part in four out of the five World Cups last year and the French championships. He was 4th overall (5th in one task and 4th in the other) in the 2018 Pre PWC in the Pyrenees at Cerdagne Targasonne, France. Loïs is the current under 21s French champion.

When he's not competing, he's a student in Annecy and ski instructor at Les Arcs during the holidays. Definitely one of the young ones who is on the up and worth keeping an eye on.

Loïs's sponsors are: Niviuk, AGméca, A2T, the paragliding school at Les Arcs and TryFly.

2019-04-27 11:06

Pilot 107: Laurie Genovese (FRA)

Sixth and Ninth Ladies' Super Final Champion in 2014 and in 2017.

Laurie started flying in 2006. Her Dad took her tandem flying when she was a kid then she started flying on her own at 14 years old. Laurie attended the FFVL Pôle Espoir at Font Romeu which allows students to combine a normal academic school life with sports training at a high level. Laurie is a paragliding instructor in the summer and physio in the winter.

1st lady, and almost 1st overall in the last task in the World Cup in Val Louron, in France, in 2013. Laurie came so close to being the first lady to win a World Cup task, however that award went to Petra Slivova who won task 2 during the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu, Brazil.

Laurie is frequently in the top ten overall. She was in the top ten overall in 4 out of the 9 tasks in the 2017 Super Final. One to watch not just for a place on the ladies' podium but also in the overalls.

2019-04-26 09:27

Pilot 98: Nicola Donini (ITA)

Son of paragliding legend Luca Donini (former World and European champion).

Those who followed the 2017 (9th) Super Final, will never forget the duel played out between Nicola and eventual Super Final winner, Michael Sigel. After an amazing performance, Nicola came second. He won 3 tasks and was in the top 5 in 6 out of the 9 tasks. He was also a confirmed lead out point bagger.

Nicola has a proven track record of flying well in Coeur de Savoie having come 10th in the 2017 World Cup there. Could he claim the one title that his famous father never got and become Paragliding World Cup champion here in Coeur de Savoie?

Nicola will definitely be one to watch, although he doesn't compete much in World Cups between Super Finals.

Task wins: 5

2019-04-24 19:00

Current Ladies' Super Final champion.
Pilot 007, this year's Miss Bond: Méryl Delferriere (FRA)

Méryl started paragliding when she was 13 years old. She went to Pôle Espoir de Font Romeu in the Pyrenees in France with many of the other rising stars of the French paragliding world.

Méryl was 10th overall in her second ever Super Final, the 9th SF held in Roldanillo, Colombia in 2018, coming in the top ten overall in two tasks. She was also 2nd lady in the 2018 European Championships. She was 7th overall in the recent 10th Super Final. Once again, she came in the top ten overall in two tasks.

After the Super Final in March, Méryl continued to show that she is unstoppable by coming 16th overall and first lady in the Montegrappa Trophy 2019 in April in Italy. In 2018, Méryl was one of the World Cup's most consistent pilots overall: 10th in the Super Final; 9th in Baixo Guandu, Brazil; 10th in Sopot, Bulgaria.

She has been on the number 1 spot on the ladies' podium five times: the Super Final in Baixo Guandu, Brazil; in 2018 Sopot, Bulgaria; Baixo Guandu, Brazil; Bright, Australia; in 2017, Coeur de Savoie, France. This puts Méryl in third place for Women's Paragliding World Cup wins after Seiko FUKUOKA NAVILLE (14) and Keiko Hiraki (8) who will both also be competing in Coeur de Savoie.

One to watch not just for a place on the ladies' podium but also in the overalls.

2019-04-23 23:26

Pilot 6: Charles Cazaux (FRA)

Charles came in the top ten in two out of the nine tasks in the recent Super Final in Baixo Guandu and came sixth overall. Out of the 10 Super Finals that he has competed in, he has been in the top ten 6 times! Only equalled by Jean Marc Caron.

Charles started competing in the World Cup in 1999 and won the first ever Super Final. He has done all the Super Finals since Super Final time began. Up until the recent Super Final he was famous for being the only pilot to have been both Super Final Champion (2009) and World Champion (2011). He has a proven track record of flying well in Coeur de Savoie having won task 2 in the 2014 World Cup there and come 11th overall in 2017. He was French Champion in 2014 and 2015.

In 2015 Charles set a new world paragliding free distance via up to three turn points record of 476km and Australia record free straight distance of 450km! The record was recently beaten by fellow Super Final winner Michael Sigel. Charles is one of the pilots that Honorin Hamard admires the most. This is how he described Charles: "He has a very strong mental attitude, in little thermals on the flats he's lethal, he can spend hours in the air and still find a way to fight for the last little thermal of the day."

Task wins: 6
World Cup wins: 1

Sponsors: Airlinks Academy, Morzine, Orange, Naviter, Sena, ONE Day, Ozone.

2019-04-22 20:47

Pilot 34: Rafael de Moraes Barros (BRA)

Rafael lives near Pico do Gaviao in Brazil where there will be a World Cup event from the 7th to the 14th of September this year.

He came 4th and 8th in the first two rounds of the Brazilian Open in 2018, giving him an overall result of 3rd in the Brazilian Championships last year. This year got off to a similar flying start with a great result of 3rd place in the 2019 PG Brazil Open round 1 in Governador Valadares a few weeks ago in April. Rafael is frequently in the top ten in World Cup tasks and currently has AA letters, which is the highest ranking possible.

3rd in the 2018 PWC in Sopot, Bulgaria with 3 top ten places out of six tasks.
5th in the 2017 PWC in Pico do Gaviao, Brazil with three 3rd places and one 6th place out of seven tasks.
7th in the World Cup in Argentina in Mina Clavero in 2014, in the top ten in 3 out of the five tasks.

2019-04-21 19:18

Pilot number 9: Yongtae Ahn (KOR)

Yongtae started flying in 1992 and learnt at the same time as his father. His father flew for only a year but Yongtae was hooked.

During his 2 years national service he was unable to fly but he started flying again in 2004. His first World Cup was in Mun Gyeong in South Korea in 2009. In the last few years he has become a regular in the top ten in World Cup tasks. He was 8th in the 2017 World Cup in Pico do Gaviao, Brazil, coming in the top ten in three out of the seven tasks. He was also 7th in the 2018 World Cup in Gemona coming in the top ten in two out of the four tasks. He was 4th in the 2018 PrePWC Gochang KOREA. This year got off to a great start for Yongtae with a top ten place in the 10th Super Final in Baixo Guandu, Brazil.

Yongtae has worked for Gin Gliders for 6 years in the Sales and Delivery department and more recently as Quality Control manager. He is famous in Korea for coming 2nd in competitions. He is well liked and very friendly with his easy smile. He prefers mountain flying to flatlands so is very much looking forward to his first time in France taking part in the Coeur de Savoie competition.

Sponsored by Gin Gliders and Mrs Ahn (his wife).

2019-04-20 16:25

The Coeur de Savoie Paragliding World Cup 25/05/2019 to 01/06/2019

In this stunning Alpine aerial race, nine out of the top ten from the recent Super Final will be competing, along with the two leading ladies. The current World, European and Super Final Champions in both the overall and ladies' rankings, will be taking part: Pierre Remy, Theo Warden, Seiko Fukuoka Naville and Méryl Delferriere. Keep up with everyone on the PWCA Live app, read the live Commentary, and follow your favourite pilots on the tracking at pwca.org to see who the high flyers are in this amazing competition.

The PWCA app is available for iOS and Android

Over the next few weeks we will be featuring the profiles of some of the top pilots on our website.

2019 World Cup France ::: Coeur de Savoie

France, Chamousset

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