‘A friendlier world with air sports’: FAI Young Artists Contest 2021 winners announced
The FAI is pleased to announce the 2021 FAI Young Artists Contest winners. In the 35th anniversary edition of the competition, artists from Japan took the top prize in the Junior and Intermediate categories, with the winner of the Seniors coming from the USA.
The 2021 theme was “A friendlier world with air sports”, celebrating the friendships that air sports forges with people from all over the world and of all ages. This global connection was reflected in the range of FAI Member countries whose artists participated in the 2021 competition: Argentina, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong (China), Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and USA; fifteen countries in total.
The competition is open to youngsters between the ages of six and 17. Notably in this year’s results, Poland’s Milena Bak took second place in the Junior category, following a bronze medal in the 2020 competition.
All the winners will be presented with FAI Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, as well as diplomas.
2021 Winners
Junior Category
- Haruto HIRAYAMA - JPN
- Milena BAK - POL
- Kako YAMAMOTO - JPN
Intermediate Category
- Aoi IKEDA - JPN
- Anish UPADHYAYA - USA
- Daria PILYUGINA - RUS
Senior Category
- Amy LEE - USA
- Isabel CHANG - USA
- Wenxin SHI – CHN
The three age categories for the competition are:
Group I - Junior Category (Date of birth between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2014).
Group II - Intermediate Category (Date of birth between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010).
Group III - Senior Category (Date of birth between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2006).
Aoi IKEDA (JPN), winner in the Intermediate Category
2021 contest theme “A friendlier world with air sports”
When we think of aviation, our first thoughts go to the sky. We imagine what it would be like soaring through the air in a glider, floating across the sky in a hot air balloon, or maybe even twisting and looping through the clouds in an aerobatic plane. While being in the sky is glamorous, it is only part of the adventure. Every journey begins on the ground with a team of people working together to make something magical happen.
Working together, a group of aviation enthusiasts can accomplish what one person alone never could. The friendships created in this process are one of the things that keeps people coming back to air sports again and again. The friends that meet to hang glide share laughs on cliff sides around the world. Hot air balloonists enjoy meals with the crew of the chase vehicle after a flight across the countryside. Air shows, of course, offer it all. Everyone is invited to share in the joy that sport aviation produces. Pilots love talking about their planes, ground crews share the work required to keep everything safe and in top shape. Every aircraft is a conversation starter. Each one gives people a chance to ask questions or share their own aviation stories. The chance to take a ride is irresistible to some, while others enjoy eating tasty food and watching the show overhead. A single parachutist in the sky can hold the attention of hundreds of people below. When the day’s adventure is over, both participants and spectators leave with new friends, as well as stories to share among themselves and others.
Air sports brings people together and creates friendships that connect people from all over the world and of all ages. Now it’s your turn to grab your favourite art supplies and create a poster that captures the friendlier world that comes from people meeting and sharing their love of sport aviation.
Haruto HIRAYAMA (JPN), winner in the Junior Category
Top image: Amy LEE (USA), winner in the Senior Category
