All pilots who want to compete in an FAI Category 1 competition are urged to check they meet the top 2/3 rule. Complete lists of all pilots who meet the top 2/3 rule can be found at:
http://www.fai.org/hang_gliding/competitions/qualified/

The closing date for qualifying is as follows;

PG Europeans May 8th 2002
Applications must be sent to the selection committee olivier.burghelle@wanadoo.fr together with the additional requirements proof.

HG Women's Worlds May 11th 2002
Rigid Wings Worlds May 11th 2002
HG Europeans May 20th 2002

Pilots who wish to apply for an exemption must contact paula@fai.org for more details.

All competitors must also ensure they have a valid FAI licence to participate in these events as well as proof of Insurance in English and the Glider documentation according to section 7.

The qualification questionnaire for Women's World Hang Gliding Championships is now available for downloading from the FAI website. It can be downloaded as a text file which must be returned completed to Paula Bowyer.

Link:
- Download the questionnaire (this link includes information on Pilot’s qualifications to compete in a Category 1 events)

Jan Järnesjö has set up a 'CVS server' to help continue the development of the RACE scoring system. This server will enable developers to fix bugs, propose new language packs and prepare new releases. Anybody interested in helping “develop” RACE should contact Jan at jan.jarnesjo@stockholm.bonet.se.

Jan also announced that he has prepared a RACE2002 version which handles large start circles (requires a small change in the database) and bundles some new modules. The files should be available shortly for download.

Link:
- RACE Home Page

PARAGLIDING

The southern hemisphere competitions continue to add to the Paragliding rankings with the addition of the Manilla Open, Australian Open and the New Zealand Nationals. Competitions deleted are: Veltins Cup 00, European Championships 00, PWC Mieussy 00, Ball Open 00, PWC Chamonix 00, Polish Open 00.

The top 3 remain the same, with Jean-Marc Caron (FRA) in number 1 slot, Alex Hofer (SUI) in 2nd and Steve Cox (SUI) in 3rd, Tadano Shoichiro (JPN) takes 4th place from Hans Bollinger (SUI) down 1 place in 5th and Patrick Berod moves up a place to 6th. Jin Oh Kim (KOR) maintains his climb to make it into the top 10 in equal 7th place from 12th, this makes a rise of 24 places in the last 2 months. Enda Murphy has also made the most of the Southern season, with a gain of 24 places in just 1 month into equal 7th place. Joos Achim (GER) drops one place to 9th but the best gain of places goes to Craig Collings (NZL) who jumps 42 places into 10th place with his excellent performances at the Australian Open and Manilla Open.

In the nations ranking, Switzerland, France and Japan remain in the top 3 slots but South Africa jumps into 4th place (from 7th), 95 points ahead of Germany (5th) with Great Britain remaining in 6th. New Zealand has an even bigger jump into 7th place from 13th, Australia moves up one place to 9th and Austria falls 5 places to 9th place. Korea regains its 10th place, up 2 places.

The Paragliding ranking scheme has now topped the 900 mark with 911 pilots from 42 countries.

ACCURACY
Accuracy rankings see the addition of the Alpe Adria Open.
The top 10 is still comprised solely of Slovenian pilots. Matjaz Feraraic finally overtakes Simeon Klokocovnik by 1 point, with Matjaz Sluga staying in 3rd, 13 points behind. Jurij Vertacnik and David Sluga move up a place to 4th and 5th (equal) while Franc Unic drops a place to be equal 5th. Tomaz Gorisek remains in 7th place but Damjan Pregelj gains 3 places to be 7th. Jaka Gorenc regains his top 10 place at 9th and Janez Nose has the biggest gain jumping 6 places to round off the top 10.

HANG GLIDING
There are no new results but the Podbrezova cup 00, the Brasil HG masters 00 and the French Open 00 are deleted. There are no changes in the top 10 places with Gerholf Heinrichs maintaining 1st place with 253 points.

In the nations ranking France maintains its lead with USA (2nd) displacing Australia (3rd).

There are 531 pilots ranked from 37 countries.

CLASS 2
There are some changes to this class due to competitions being deleted; the Pre Wag 00, US C2 Nationals, European C2 Championships, German C2 Open, French Open.

The top 3 remain the same, with Brian Porter (USA), Johann Posch (AUT) 2nd & Michael Huppert (SUI) 3rd. Steve Elkins (GBR) gains 3 places to 4th and Davis Straub (USA) maintains 5th place.

There are 62 pilots ranked from 11 countries

Results
Results not yet received (and therefore not included in WPRS yet) are the Andradas (HG) Nationals and the Il Real Minas (PG) Open, Venezuela is suspended from competitions.

Full details of the rankings (PG and HG) can be found on the World Pilot Ranking System website: http://www.fai.org/hang_gliding/rankings/

Pilots should check that their personal record shows the correct nationality, particularly as there are still a number of hang glider and paraglider pilots of unknown nationality.

QUALIFYING COMPETITIONS

Hang Gliding
Forthcoming hang gliding competitions that qualify for WPRS points are:
Category 2: Swedish Open; Korean Nat League; Wallaby Open; Flytec Championships; Japan Open: Ukraine Open; Eva Meynhardt (Hungary); Alpen Open; Canadian Championships; Croatian Open; Millau Classic; Open Dutch Champs; British Natioanl Open; Podbrezova Cup, Brazilian Open; (Red Bull Vertigo)
Category 1; European Champs; Womens World Championships.

Paragliding
Forthcoming paragliding competitions that qualify for WPRS points are:
Category 2 Champs: Korean Nationals; Yugoslavian Open; Alpen Open; Berchtesgarten Open; Ukraine Open; Hadong PG Open; Canadian Open Nationals; Swiss Open; International German Open; Slovenian Open; Nordic Cup (Austria); Southern California Open; Iberian Open (Portugal); PWC Monte Cornizzola; Portuguese Open; Iberean Open; PWC Morzine; PWC Turkey; PWC
Mung Yeong. (Red Bull Vertigo)
Category 1; European Champs, Slovenia; PG Worlds (Portugal) 2003

Rigid Wings;
Category 2; Wallaby Open; Rigid Wing Nasa Cup; Ukraine Open; Millau Classic; Dutch Open;
Category 1; European Championships, World Championships, Chelan;

Paragliding Accuracy;
Class 2: Green Dragons PLA; Slovenian Open; Target Austria.

Details of these competitions can be found on the CIVL web page:
http://events.fai.org/hgpg/civl-calendar.asp

Information and an application form for CIVL category 2 sanctioning are available on the CIVL website http://www.fai.org/hang_gliding/ or from Paula Bowyer, paula@fai.org

All amendments should be e-mailed to Paula Bowyer (paula@fai.org)
Full details of the rankings can be found on the FAI/CIVL website

Minutes of CIVL Plenary Meeting 21st-23rd February 2002, Lausanne, Switzerland are now online. You can find them at http://www.fai.org/hang_gliding/meetings/

The draft Section 7 is included but the completed version will be published shortly.

The European PG Championship is open to non European pilots provided there are vacancies. NACs wishing to enter pilots in this event have to make a declaration to the selection committee (paula@fai.org) before May 8th 2002 to include competition results and experience. The selection will be made by the selection committee composed of Bojan Marcic, Paula Bowyer and Olivier Burghelle. Confirmation of the Entries will be given just after this date to allow the non European teams to make their travel arrangements.

Priority will be given according to the WPRS published at the end of April with a maximum of 5 pilots per non European Country.

In addition, pilots have to qualify according to the qualification criteria required for the European pilots.