SAFA Skysailor Magazine

31 WINTER 2025 | June-July-August SKY SAILOR The competition spans three days, with open distance and direction formats. At its core, the event is about skill-building and safety. Pilots are grouped into ‘Flying Crews’, consisting of one crew chief (PG5), two PG2/3 pilots, and two additional pilots. Senior pilots mentor the novices, and scoring is cleverly handicapped to level the playing field: • Funster pilots receive triple points for each kilometre flown • Sportster pilots earn double • Ace pilots score one point per kilometre Three full days of launching and flying from Mt Borah Photos: Heidi Krueger This format gives novice and intermedi- ate pilots a real shot at success. The team camaraderie is a standout feature. It offers less experienced pilots the chance to build meaningful XC hours in a pressure-free setting – an ideal way to discover the excitement of paragliding competition. This year, weather posed a challenge, with late autumn conditions and moderate to strong winds demanding focus and skill, especially over the final two days. Still, pilots managed to fly all three days.