British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

Hang gliding worlds postponed

Although all requirements have been met for the hang gliding world championships at Krushevo in July, the UK is not the only country to have been unable to attend. Australia, Austria, Brazil, Italy and the USA also report that they do not intend to participate.

With so many top nations withdrawing the championships have become senseless. On May 27th the organisers and CIVL agreed to postpone the championships until 2022, a great blow for all involved.

Posted: 27 May 2021
By: J. Schofield

Heart attack claims John Silvester

Paragliding legend John Silvester, 61, died peacefully at his home in Snowdonia on Sunday May 23rd, brought down in the end by a heart attack.

John's achievements in high-altitude exploration flying are legion. He seemed to thrive in terrain that is off-limits to normal people, in pursuit of some of the last frontiers on earth.

He had suffered from a weak heart for many years.

Our sympathies are with his partner Nicky and his children Molly and Dru.

Posted: 26 May 2021
By: J. Schofield

HG Worlds in N Macedonia

After a flurry of emails and phone calls it has become clear that it will not be possible to field a viable team in the upcoming HG Worlds in N Macedonia, and a decision has therefore been taken to withdraw from the competition.

This is not something we wanted to do, nor did we want to do it so late in the day, but events have forced our hand and we could not delay the decision any longer.

A copy of the letter sent to the competition organizer on behalf of the British National Team can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

BHPA HG Worlds 2021

Bill Bell
BHPA Director of Competition, on behalf of the British National Team

Posted: 25 May 2021
By: Paul Dancey

Hang gliding worlds is go! 

After much deliberation, and consideration of the views of international teams and pilots, CIVL has supported the Kruševo organisers' decision to go ahead with Class 1 and Class 5 world championships from July 18th-30th. Sadly, in late May, the British team had to withdraw from the event in the light of UK Government advice against travelling to North Macedonia. A great blow to Team GB and to the sport.

Posted: 25 May 2021
By: J. Schofield

New northern paramotor school 

Ric Womersley is now up and running with his new BHPA paramotor school in the Goole area of East Yorkshire. Ric, a former British team pilot, has been a paraglider and paramotor instructor for the last 11 years and helped to set up one of Europe's most successful paramotor schools.

He has long nursed the dream of setting up his own school; the opening of Northern Skies brings BHPA paramotor training to the vast untapped area east of the Pennines and north of the Peak District. The school benefits from very easy access off the M62. Full details are here.

Posted: 25 May 2021
By: J. Schofield

Fly & Share 2021

Last year more than 50 pilots flew together at the inaugural Fly & Share event at Greifenburg, Austria. Sponsored for each XC kilometre flown, they raised over 8,000 euros for KarmaFlights in Nepal. This year's event will be bigger - and will take place wherever you fly!

Fly & Share is an XC camp for everyone, supported by former German champion Ferdi Vogel, world acro champion Theo de Blic and others. Working with the Cloudbase Foundation, Karma Flights aims to make the 2021 event global. Pilots everywhere are invited to join in by collecting sponsorship and donating to KarmaFlights for every kilometre flown on the weekend of August 5th - 8th.

Distances are unimportant; the focus is on creating a worldwide community event. Full details of how to participate are here.

Posted: 25 May 2021
By: J. Schofield

Paragliding Worlds for Argentina in Nov.

The paragliding world championships, originally scheduled for Coeur de Savoie, France, in May, was cancelled in March. Soon afterwards CIVL received a proposal from Loma Bola, Argentina, to run the event in November. Other proposals were sought and soon arrived from GV in Brazil and Roldanillo in Colombia.

The Argentinian proposal then became a formal bid, discussed by CIVL delegates. Although the area is known for stable conditions and sometimes very short tasks, CIVL has agreed that the 17th FAI World Paragliding Championships will be at Loma Bola from October 31st to November 13, 2021. Early arrivals are encouraged and supervised training days will be laid on. 

Posted: 25 May 2021
By: J. Schofield

EHPU MC Newsletter

The first edition of the European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union MC Newsletter has now been published and can be viewed on the EHPU website.

The European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union (EHPU) is an independent, self-governing and non-profit umbrella association for national hang gliding and paragliding associations in Europe. Its general aim is to promote and protect our sports in Europe. It currently has nineteen European member associations including the BHPA.

Posted: 18 May 2021
By: Paul Dancey