This is a far cry from the days when I was South Africa's first female full contact kick-boxer in the early 1990's.

Kickboxing photos and news articles.

Some of those traits that made me South African Champion still plague me today.  I want to win.  I want to obliterate the competition, I want to have the best longest distance flight of the day. I want to be the best I can be and better than everyone else!

This is a terrible cross to bare :-), but  there is light at the end of the tunnel -I am learning to lose.  In competitions there can only be One winner and I am neither super-talented nor highly skilled.  I am your average female pilot who dhappens to do something quite extra-ordinary each time I lift my glider into the sky.  I fly.

Going on a tandem flight and doing a course in paragliding was one of the greatest gifts I gave myself 10 years ago.

Nothing else matters - just me, my glider, the sky and the horison.

But like I said, I am plagued with a competitive spirit.

In 2010 I reached one of many crossroads in my flying. Do I want to stay in long distance flying which offers me the freedom to choose my own path and maximise my flying time?  Or do I want to enter the traditional race circuit where tasks are set to waypoints and speed is of the essences?  Having never competed internationally in kickboxing, I wanted to experience what it would be like to do so in paragliding.

Goal Setting

I keep reminding myself that my goal in flying is to enjoy the journey, one thermal at a time, Des Pansi's 203km South African Ladies Record and Kamira Pereira's Ladies 325km World Record flights at the back of my mind. These flights inspire me more than ever to fly for the horison and when I am 'connected' this is achievable. But I keep forgetting, which is why I need to keep reminding myself!.

In December 2009 I made a decision - to fly big distance I have to learn to fly faster.

So I put certain things in play

A WING UPGRADE

Thanks to Swing , Wallendair, Birdmen Paragliding and Olympus Cameras - I was able to buy a top of the range sports class wing  the Swing Astral 6.   The wing is 'phenominal' in strong conditions, but as time went by I found I was disadvantaged in light conditions.

ENTERED TRADITIONAL RACE COMPETITIONS

I avoided these types of competitions because they exposed a weakness in my flying, that of flying into wind. I found fighting against the natural flow of the elements frustrating.  I never learned the technique and my results were poor. Mediocrity does not sit well with me and so I focused on my strength  instead - flying down wind. In doing so I was lucky enough to win the Best Lady category for the XC Open World Series in 2007, a competition series spanning three continents.

In December 2009 I chose to experience another approach to traditional task based competitions. I competed in the www.winelandsparagliding.co.za, my first South African national competition in many years. My focus at this competition was to learn through observation and from anyone willing to impart knowledge.  I wanted to learn to fly faster, to climb weak broken thermals more efficiently, to shorten my transition time between thermals, make tactical decisions and use gaggle information more effectively. These tools I will take with me into long distance flying.   Why do I need to learn to 'swim upstream'  and  to fly faster? Because  speed equals distance and there will come a time when I will be covering distance fast and mountainous terrain will have to be navigated.

My results at this competition were better than expected.  I finished 2nd Lady behind 2009 South African Champion Khobi-Jane Bowden.   Results as posted on the official website. This competition showed me that I and the Swing Astral 6 have the potential to qualify for the South African Springbok team going to the 2012 Paragliding World Championships in Spain. This of course depends on whether I decide to focus on traditional competitions as well as long distance competitions and the South African selectors allow a female to compete as part of the team.

For me to improve in traditional and long distance flying, I have to fly internationally. 

There are no competition clinics in South Africa as there are in Europe.  The Swiss are currently the best competition pilots in the world. They mentor their pilots.  If you want to achieve - they will guide you and give you the tools to be the best you can be.

Letting go of the fear of losing was  an incredible step forward in growth.  There is still ego involved, for sure.  I want to win, but  there are times when I must crawl, lurch and stumble in order to learn what those moments have to teach me. If I deny my weakness, I cannot remedy it. This is, as always with paragliding,  an internal journey as much as external.

I do not suffer the usual female issue of being a lightweight. Unclothed, I weigh in at a respectable 76kg and physically I am stronger than the average woman.  Physically there is nothing holding me back from being a strongly competitive pilot.

In recent years I funded my participation in international competitions by selling my possessions and mortgaging my land.  This is my choice. It would make more sense, perhaps, to secure financial sponsorship in return for advertising on my glider and website and I still pursue this avenue, but reality is, I have not worked out how to do this and the vast majority of my funding comes from me doing it for myself.  Which is also ok :-).  I learn what I am capable of and all excess are stripped away.

So here is how I have done it so far:

In 2007 I maxed my mortgage on my land to compete on three continents and it paid off with the Ladies XC Open World Series title.  I am still paying off that debt.

In 2008 I had no funds at all, but by mid year I made the big decision to give up my rented home and sell all my  household possessions  and compete in Spain.

In 2009 I was well and truly on my way and bought a ticket to Australia. I did not have enough funds to get to get to Europe and  so I stayed  on the Australian continent.  During that period, money from the sale of my Sports Talent Agency  (now www.gassports.co.za) came through, but by then I was in love with Australia and extended my stay to nine months. My long distance flying improved through practice. 

My needs have always been simple and are even more so now. I travel back-packer style, camping, hitching and staying with friends and family.  All have been incredibly supportive of my life-style. 

In 2010 I am selling the last traces of my boating business in the film Industry - my website www.gaynor.co.za, the database and quoting and invoicing system.  It is a great niche business that served me well for 11 years. I have a few small 1950's clinker rowing boats that I am letting go of .  My car, the Toyota Fortuna Diesel 4x4 will  be sold before I leave for Australia.  This will all pay off the last of my debts and give me a few months in Australia and New Zealand to fly 4 competitions. 

The European competition scene is vastly more expensive and subject to sponsorship or the sale of my land. I would very much like to see if I can qualify for the Springbok Team in 2012 - and that means competing internationally regularly over the next two years.

Travelling is my way of life. Flying is one of the ways I learn about myself and what I am capable of.

Should there be a sponsor other than myself who feels they would get something out of sponsoring a female paragliding pilot with Springbok aspirations for 2012, please let me know

The question perhaps is : What does a sponsor get out of it?

The Sponsor gets to brand my new glider and have a visible presence on the www.flygirl.co.za website.  I will promote my sponsors image where ever I am.

But this is not enough.  The Sponsor needs to maximise media exposure using Flygirl and the branded glider  if they are to get value for money.  We have to drive this.

Eco Living - Housing, Organic Food, Energy Awareness - we use too much and we are harsh with what we use.

Nature Activities - National Parks, Marine Environment - this is my sourse of personal energy.

Travel and Lifestyle - there is an alternative to that which is killing us

Alcohol and Addiction Support Groups - Learning  to manage Myself with Serenity.

Child Protection - Damage our children and you damage our future.

This is the link to the FAI website that approves all CAT 2 and CAT 1 competitions  FAI Approved Events

The long distance XC Open World Series competitions are my favourite, but I have also included the Australian traditional competition circuit as these are in my budget at present.  Australia hosts a leg of the international XC Open World Series every year, so I am going to be there anyway. May as well fly 3 competitions if I can.  A competition in New Zealand might be an option as well - depending on whether the number of pilots participating increases to make it worthwhile.

Australia

30 January - 10 February 2010, Manilla, Australia - XC OPEN World Series

06 March - 12 Mar 2010, Bright, Australia

Europe - subject to finance

21 – 28 August 2010 Ager, Spain. This is the First Women Only paragliding competition. A landmark event which I would like to be a part of..

28 August - 04 September 2010, Piedrahita, Spain - XC OPEN World Series  My favourite European competition.  It is also the place where the 2011 Springbok Team will be competing.

South America - subject to finance

November 2010, Brazil, South America - XCeara - Long distance. This is the 2009 website .   Will update when 2010 comes on line. I dream of flying Quixada, the place where women break world records.  I want to fly with those women.

South Africa

Competition Calendar has not been released. There is likely to be a competition in Barberton in June, De Aar late November , Porterville, in December and perhaps a new event location in Limpopo.  Will confirm my involvement once dates are known.

In October 2006 I discovered I could fly over 100kms and do it regularly.  In quick succession I flew 5 x 100km plus flights in 6 months, a first for South African women.

2006 North vs South, De Aar, South Africa - Results and Stories

This discovery of long distance flying ability gave me the confidence and enthusiasm to enter my first international paragliding competition, the XC Open World Series in Manilla, Australia. Long distance flying became my passion!  At this competition I was playing with the big international girls - the best in the world.  I absolutely loved the experience even though I did not feature.

2007 XC Open World Series, Manilla, Australia - Results and Stories

13th Lady
95th Overall of 148 pilots

The XC Open distance competition format suited me. I wanted more.  That same year I mortgaged my land in order to go to Piedrahita, Spain to compete.  There I discovered what was called 'luck' and won a Task overall.

2007 XC Open World Series, Piedrahita, Spain - Results and Stories

1st Lady
11th Overall of 45 pilots

That result secured me the Best Lady of the XC-Open World Series 2007 by a handful of points!. This was my finest competition achievement year.

2007 XC Open World Series (Overall results after competitions on 3 continents)

2008 was a struggle. I stopped flying for 8 months, my spirit broken - but not completely destroyed.  The XC Open World Series was my salvation.  I found a way to get to Spain and compete.  My results were poor, but I was flying again!

2008 XC Open World Series, Piedrahita, Spain - Results and Stories

5th Lady
61 Overall of 103 pilots

Same with the Pre-XC Open in South Africa. 

2008 Pre-XC Open World Series, De Aar, South Africa - Results and Stories

4th Lady
26th Overall of 37 pilots

Whilst flying and hitch hiking around Australia for 9 months I rediscovered my love for life and flying.

2009 XC Open World Series, Manilla, Australia - Results and Stories ( I was primarily updating the official XC Open website) 

Some photos and reports on Flygirl - but with only one valid task, there was not much to write about.

8th Lady of 14 Ladies
70th of 106 pilots

On returning to South Africa for the Gradient XC Africa I found myself 'styling' in the air.  Rumour has it I was 'lucky' again - at least this time I can smile about it :-) Some things don't change, but I have.

2009 Gradient XC Africa in De Aar, South Africa - Results and FAI Scores

1st Lady
1st Sports Class
9th Overall of 37 pilots

In December 2009 I made a big step up from Intermediate to Sports Class, flying the Swing Astral 6 in the Winelands Paragliding Open in Porterville, South Africa.  It was a big learning curve for me.  This was an environment where many ghosts were laid to rest and it was a great success on many levels.

I found I was comfortable flying on the ridge, learned a few things about flying into wind, picked up lots of competition, glider handling and psychology tips from pilots like Seby Coupy of France, Desiree Pansi, Walter Neser and Martin Van Der Merwe of South Africa.   The pilots and towns people were incredibly friendly and helpful, we had 4 fantastic tasks, my gliders performance is awesome and all in all, a very good competition.

2009 Winelands Paragliding Open in Porterville, South Africa - Overall Results.

2nd   Lady of 9 lady pilots
7th   Sports Class of 25 pilots
35th Overall of 77 pilots

2010 XC Open World Series, Manilla, Australia - Official Website Reports and Results

1st Lady of 9 Female Pilots - Results
12th Sport Class of 45 Pilots

2010 Bright Open. Bright, Victoria, Australia
3rd Lady

2010 Corryong Open, Victoria, Australia
3rd Lady

The Astral 6 is hailed as a glider with passion.

We are well matched.

DATE

SITE

GLIDER - CLASSIFICATION

South Africa

Aerodyne Shaolin.  Intermediate. Leonardo Track Log
Google Earth KML link 

South Africa

South Africa

South Africa