PARAGLIDING
Work the thermals to cloud base, go cross-country, race a field to goal, or loop a hot wing.
Flying
Launch
Forward in light air, or turn and face the wing in wind. Kite it on the ground, and get dragged if you get it wrong.
Find the lift
Soar the ridge, core the thermals to cloud base. The vario beeps and the thermal assistant shows you the core.
Go somewhere
Cross-country, scored the way XContest scores it: free distance, flat triangles and FAI triangles. Goals to fly on eight maps.
Get down
Big ears, a B-stall, the speed spiral and the bar.
When it goes wrong
Collapses, cravats and twisted risers. Throw the reserve. Gust fronts and storms, and cloud suck.
Hot wings
Wingovers, stalls and spins, and on the hottest wings the helicopter, the SAT and the loop.
Scored
The card
Launch, Time aloft, Height gained, Cross-country, Goal, Accuracy and Landing.
Race day
Race a field of 12 to 24 gliders to goal, scored like a real comp, with prize money for the top third.
The daily XC
One task for everyone, new every day.
The forecast
On the cross-country maps, a week of mornings, afternoons and evenings: booming days, windy days, blue days, and the ones to sit out.
Your way in
The school
P1 and P2 on the training hill with Thomas, then your P3 at Sun Valley: 360s, your first thermal, the spot.
The road
Cloud base and goal on Baldy, then competition flying.
Your kit
Thirteen wings from EN-A to the Zenith, three harnesses, three reserves, speed bars and flight computers.
Where · 10 places
The launches, from the training hill to the big cross-country valleys.
