Last year I was the best performing lady at an international paragliding competition held in Spain and I was lucky enough to win the Best Lady Title for the XC Open World Series which was flown on three continents.
The XC Open World Series is a paragliding marathon. It is not about being the fastest, most ballsy pilot in front of the pack. It is about the long haul, about vas-byt, about hanging in there when things are tough and thermals are scarce, about working every little opportunity that comes your way, about making your own luck and never giving up. Last year I took off for the final days marathon flying (we flew 8 days) and nearly sank out, almost landing within the first few minutes. But I did not give up. I am South African - we don't give up. Concentrating intensely, I managed to hang on, using every bit of lift that wafted my way and very, very slowly and patiently I clawed my way off the road I was about to land on and climbed back up to mountain ridge height and back into the game.  My wingman in Spain - the vulture - image courtesy of www.flickr.com
After flying for 15kms I found myself again on a never ending sink cycle, but I could see a convergence line to my right (a lift line of buoyant air marked by a line of clouds) and I scooted over there, almost never making it, but again I found a tiny bit of lift 100 meters off the ground and carefully, oh so carefully, I nursed it until it became stronger and I climbed to cloud base. Sitting at cloud base I saw a vulture a little more to my right, flying a straight line below me, wings out spread, not even flapping. He had found the convergence line I was looking for and I climbed aboard with him. I flew along this invisible highway for almost 40kms with very little effort, passing racing gliders to my right and left. I fly a safe intermediate glider. It is not as fast as the others, but because I had found this lift line I could often fly straight without turning like the others who had to climb in cylinders of upwardly mobile air called thermals. I was on a vulture highway and covering ground fast. When I landed in Avila that afternoon, 60kms from where I took off, I did not realise that I had flown further than anyone that day. I was simply overjoyed at having flown such an incredible flight - and all because of my vulture friend. Here is the full story of that day - Task 8. With the help of the vultures who flew with me most of those 8 days, I not only won the female category for that competition in Spain, but I accumulated enough points to win the Best Lady Title for the entire XC Open World Series. This year I am flying north to defend that Title. Was last year just luck? Or are my vulture friends waiting to show me the way a second year in a row? This Flygirl needs your help getting there ..... ... and a little help from everyone will literally go a long way. | 
