27 August 2008

The XC Open starts 30 August and runs until the 6th September 2008

Here is the list of the pilots competing which includes 13 Women and 8 South Africans.

It is official!  We have double the number of women competing this year with Karina Sharipova from Russia confirmed. It would appear that Karina is a hang glider pilot as well as paraglider pilot.  Cool!

What a great turn out from our paragliding women :-) and the South Africans!

 Here are the Pilots flying in this competition: »2008 XC-Open Piedrahita XC-Open (Spain)«

	lastname	firstname	nation	glider
1	Achterberg	Russell	ZA	Axis Mercury
2	Barbaglia	Gerald	CH	Niviuk Peak 29
3	Bauer	Florian	DE	Up Trango 3
4	Bausenwein	Hans	DE	Gin Boomerang 5
5	Beguet	Anne (F)	CH	Sky Paraglider Ares S
6	Belcic	Matej	SI	Mac Para Magus XC
7	Benz	Sebastian	CH	Not yet decided
8	Blaser	Aaron	CH	Airwave Magic FR 3
9	Boley	Tobias	DE	Swing Mistral 4
10	Bormann	Rene	DE	Up Trango 3
11	Bowden	Khobi Jane (F)	ZA	Advance Sigma 7
12	Bridle	Tim	UK	Skywalk Poison 2
13	Brooks	Bill	AU	Avance Omega 7
14	Bulgakow	Klaudia (F)	PL	Gin Boomerang 5
15	Dubach	Urs	CH	Up Edge
16	Eiberle	Ulf	DE	Swing Stratus 7 GS
17	Endner	Christian	DE	Gin Zoom Race
18	Fabijaniak	Grzegorz	PL	Gradient Aspen 2
19	Frei	Dominik	CH	Nova Tattoo
20	Fuhrer	Bernhard	CH	Gin Boomerang 5
21	Fuzowski	Janusz	PL	Ozone Mantra R07
22	Graham	Mark	UK	Axis Vega 2
23	Green	Ronald	UK	Advance Sigma 6
24	Gresch	Horst	DE	Skywalk Poison 2
25	Grzech	Adam	PL	Skywalk Poison 2
26	Heider	Roland	DE	Advance Omega 6
27	Herold	Raimund	CH	Airwave Sport 2
28	Herold	Joachim	DE	Gradient Aspen 2
29	Howald	Boris	CH	Gin Boomerang 4
30	Hulett	Nevil	ZA	Mac Para Magus 6
31	Huynh	Mylinh (F)	VN	Advance Alpha 4
32	Ibarguen	Txema	ES	Gin Boomerang 5
33	Kartner	Peter	DE	Niviuk Peak
34	Keller	Günter	DE	Firebird Hornet Sp
35	Klaus	Gunter	DE	Gin Boomerang 5
36	Koekemoer	Theuns	ZA	Axis Venus 2
37	Kopp	Ralf	DE	Up Targa
38	Kowalski	Kacper	PL	Axis Mercury
39	Krauchi	Janine (F)	AU	Advance Epsilon 5
40	Kravtsov	Alexander	RU	Gradient Avax XC 2
41	Krick	Joachim	DE	Advance Omega 7
42	Leppard	Adrian	UK	Ozone Magnum
43	Linckh	Eberhard	DE	Swing Astral 5
44	Lutolf	Suby	ES	Windtech Combat
45	Machalowski	Tomek	PL	Skywalk Poison 2
46	Machel	Robert	PL	Axis Mercury
47	Mack	Monika (F)	DE	Swing Stratus 7
48	Maier	David	DE	Niviuk Peak
49	Makkonen	Jouni	FI	Gradient Avax SR 7
50	Martens	Burkhard	DE	Gin Boomerang 5
51	Maurer	Christian	CH	Advance Omega
52	Mettler	Philippe	CH	Advance Omega 7
53	Miller	Christine (F)	DE	Icaro Maverick
54	Minnaar	Jan	ZA	Advance Omega 7
55	Moss	Nicky (F)	UK	Axis Venus 2
56	Moszczynski	Bartosz	PL	Axis Vega 2
57	Muller	Martin	CH	Gin Boomerang 5
58	Mumenthaler	Reynald	CH	Gin Boomerang 5
59	Munchmeyer	Dietrich	DE	Gin Boomerang Sport
60	Nedialkov	Dimiter	AU	Advance Epsilon 5
61	Nef	Olivier	CH	Niviuk Peak
62	Nilsen	Thomas	NO	Advance Omega 7
63	Nubel	Manuel	DE	Swing Stratus WRC
64	Nuber	Joerg	DE	Up Trango 3
65	Paintmayer	Peter	DE	Mac Para Magus XC
66	Pansi	Desiree (F)	ZA	Gradient Avax XC 2
67	Pansi	Arnold	ZA	Swing Astral 5
68	Peglow	Olaf	DE	Swing Stratus 7
69	Petz	Martin	DE	Advance Omega 7
70	Pfister	Mario	CH	Advance Omega 7
71	Piasecki	Stefan	CA	Icaro Ice
72	Pomierski	Wojciech	PL	Axis Vega 2
73	Radu Sorin	Daniel	RO	Advance Sigma 7
74	Regan	David	UK	Ozone Geo
75	Regner	Manuel	DE	Skywalk Poison
76	Riboni	Philippe	CH	Gin Boomerang 5
77	Rieck	Andreas	DE	Advance Sigma 7
78	Rieder	Andreas	DE	Skywalk Cayenne 2
79	Rogie	Tom	BE	Up Summit XC
80	Roser	Patrick	CH	Niviuk Peak 25
81	Ross	Byron	AU	Advance Epsilon 5
82	Rossi	David	CH	Niviuk Peak
83	Rothmuller	Rupert	DE	Advance Sigma 5
84	Rummel	Peter	DE	Gin Boomerang 5
85	Russell	Paul	UK	Nova Ra
86	Sahlström	Ari-Pekka	FI	Gin Boomerang 5
87	Sattler	Torsten	DE	Swing Stratus 7
88	Schloeffel	Ralph	DE	Skywalk Poison 2
89	Schoeman	Gaynor (F)	ZA	Aerodyne Shaolin
90	Schuetz	Werner	DE	Icaro Maverick
91	Schweizer	Bastian	CH	Gin Zulu Explorer
92	Sharipova	Karina (F)	RU	Paraavis Dart Cr
93	Sigida	Adelaida (F)	RU	Gradient Avax XC 2
94	Stephan	Hubert	DE	Skywalk Poison 2
95	Tobias	Marc	DE	Skywalk Poison 2
96	Tuvo	Damien	CH	Gin Boomerang 5
97	Van Bellen	Klaus	DE	Advance Omega 7
98	Van De Borne	Richard	BE	Nova Tycoon
99	Vandewoestyne	Bart	BE	Sol Ellus
100	Vergari	Marco	CH	Up Trango 3
101	Wenness	Godfrey	AU	Advance Omega
102	Wensauer	Marc	DE	Nova Triton
103	Whitecross	Gary Mark	ZA	Nova Ra
104	Winkler	Oliver	DE	Nova Ra
105	Wojtkiewicz	Przemyslaw	PL	Gin Boomerang Sport
106	Wozniak	Artur	PL	Gradient Aspen 2
107	Zewe	Kerstin (F)	DE	Swing Cirrus 3
108	Zjawin	Henryk	PL	Mac Para Magus 4

Previous posts:

88 confirmed pilots as of today. The one and only pilot from Spain is Txema Ibarquen flying a GIN Boomer 5. Update below.

I have booked accommodation with Steve Ham and Puri of www.flypiedrahita.com for the week of 24 - 31 August.  A more expensive option on the surface, but I am coming from a flying drought of note (8 months) and I need to be careful as I ease back into it the air.  Steve Ham is the local man in Piedrahita.  He offers accommodation, airport pick ups, breakfast and 3 meals for 450 Euros per week.  He also guides his clients during that period and with his local knowledge he will get me into the air in safety as much as possible.  I also don't have a vehicle and from my experience last year, walking that mountain every day was a killer so it is good to tag with Steve for this period.  Few locals travel the road up to take off and those that do were generally wonderful about giving me a lift, but I always had to walk several kilometers before said wonderful vehicle would come along!

I will probably be staying in the local youth hostel from the 20th - 24th August and for most of the XC Open itself 01 September - 6 September.  Then I will be back with Steve and Puri for the German Open 7-13 September on a room only basis.  I get to celebrate my birthday again in Spain :-) on the 9th of September during the German Open.

11 July 2008

So it is all systems go for flying overseas next month.  Sure I have not raised the funds yet, but that is a small technicality which I will take care of over the next few weeks. What is important is that I am focused.  I know what I want and where I am going and how I am going to get there. 

05 July 2008

Confirmed pilots on the increase - 84 today.  Update below. This is going to be one amazing competition. Almost double last years entrants and a big South African field which is SIMPLY THE BEST!!!   Flying with quality pilots is what  raises the level of our flying and 9 South Africans are doing just that.

02 July 2008 

In one day registration jumped to 79 pilots confirmed with payment.

I see another South African has registered, Russell Achterberg. That brings the total number of registered South African entries to 9.
Pretty cool :-)

30 June 2008 

A big jump in registration figures for the Spanish XC Open with pilots wanting to qualify for the  discounted fee.

74 pilots are confirmed with payment.  8 women plus me makes it 9 in the Ladies category and a very interesting class :-) Almost double last years female entry!  Nicky Moss and Christine Miller are the new confirmed entries - YAY!

The 9 Ladies are:

Anne Beguet - Switzerland
Nicky Moss - UK
Christine Miller - Germany
Monika Mack - Germany
Kirsten Zewe - Germany
Khobi-Jane Bowden - South Africa
Desiree Pansi - South Africa
Gaynor Schoeman - South Africa
Adelaida Sigida - Russia 

Don't leave it too late - 145 pilots have registered their intention to fly this competition. 

Previous postings: 

It is with some heart tugging that I recognise the names of many of the pilots entering this competition.  Wish I was there.... you are all going to have so much fun!

28 June 2008
So here is an update.  I have stopped wishing I was there and I am going to Piedrahita for the XC Open in August.

To date 141 pilots have registered their intentions to compete including Flygirl. 69 have confirmed with payment.

When my registration payment goes through, there will be a very nice ladies class of seven pilots confirmed - bigger than last year and there is still two months to the event so I expect there will be even more competition. Dang! :-)  Actually I am looking forward to it and if there are a whole lot of girls in the air with me, even better. 

The seven women include four competitors from last year: 

Khobi-Jane Bowden - South Africa
Gaynor Schoeman - South Africa
Desiree Pansi - South Africa
Adelaida Sigida - Russia (my team mate of 2007 - you GO GIRL :-)

Like Des, Adelaida has upgraded to the Gradient Avax XC 2. (Des, presently registered as flying a Swing Astral 5, recently found a new love - sorry Arnold :-)

The three other ladies are Anne Beguet from Switzerland with Monika Mack and Kirsten Zewe from Germany.

26 June 2008

Below is a list of those who will definitely be at the Piedrahita XC Open in 2 months time. If you want to see who the 76 pilots are sitting on the fence, click here for the XC-Open website registration page.

A few names I recognise:

Nevil Hulett is in camouflage, having registered as an Argentinian.  With his pale face he will never get away with it :-) 

Gary Whitecross, a South African competitor from last year who finished third in the Masters category.

Theuns Koekemoer - 'hear comes chaos with a great big smile' :-) 

Klaus Van Bellen , my amazing low save wingman at Avila last year.  He had such a great flight after that I don't know how he could resist.

Damien Tuvo, who flew an unheard of route and showed us new xc possibilities at Piedrahita and then went on to win the competition by 120m!!!!!  What a nail biter finish that was.  His advice for everyone to remember ' Fly another 120m when coming into landing'.

Bartosz from Poland who visited South Africa this year with his lovely wife Maya.  We originally met at the Czech Open in Italy where he was free flying.  This would be a really good first competition for him after having cut his teeth on Porterville in March.

Martin Muller, hardcoreRed Bull  X-Alps competitor and an XC Open competitor from last year.

Nicky Moss is making a slow, painful come back to flying after an accident last year.  This competition should be good for her. I hope she decides to compete.

Klaus Gunter, last years XC Open World Series winner.  He is already confirmed for De Aar.  The man from Germany has set his sights on Ewa's German Open Distance record of 300km, me thinks :-)

Zoltan Fordos from Hungary, last years All Africa Sports Class winner and who I met up with again in the Wilderness where he and his buddies were enjoying the smooth coastal lift, sunshine and warm water. 

Jonathan Fox, the amazing cherry tree valley flier - I will never forget his face after such a great flight.  His smile lasted for days!

To all of you - get off the fence and confirm your bookings!  I would love to see you all again in Piedrahita!!!

Ole!