Pilots preparing for paragliding open
“We believe that this competition will be even bigger than last year as we have had much more novices visiting our area, which means there is a huge chance that they will all take part in our competition,”
It’s that time of the year that Barbertonians will notice paragliders become a regular sight in the skies. These are mostly pilots preparing for the upcoming paragliding open which is once again hosted in our town. This annual competition will be held from June 28 to July 4. During this week-long event, scoring of the pilots takes place to determine their ranking for the prize-giving at Barberton Golf Club after the event has been completed.
Barberton Golf Club has again been kind enough to accommodate the paragliders for the landing and food stalls will be available at both the club and the take-off site. “We believe that this competition will be even bigger than last year as we have had much more novices visiting our area, which means there is a huge chance that they will all take part in our competition,” said Andrea Botha of Barberton Odyssey.
For years already, The Loan Tree Hill take-off site has been used for paragliders and is still one of the best to fly at during the winter season, but accidents can still happen. Should anyone find a pilot down, please call the recovery coordinator on 079-180-1488. Also remember to ask the pilot their tracking number, so they can be marked in as safe and landed. “We request the community to please be on the lookout for these pilots during the time of their stay, as we want them to still fly here for years to come,” she said.
Should you be interested in taking part in a tandem flight, contact Andrea Botha on 079-180-1488. The same goes for being a spectator at the take-off site. This has to be arranged in advance as an early departure is the only way to get to the site.
