Lausanne, 15 October 1999

CIVL World Pilot Ranking Scheme - Update

The World Pilot Ranking System has just been updated.

The 1998 PWC competition in Bright, Australia has been dropped from the rankings (over 18 months ago). The only paragliding competition included in WPRS since the last publication is the Coo Fruit Cup, Japan (the Japanese PG nationals only had one task and thus were not valid for WPRS points). Tsuyosji Tsuji's (J) 2nd place at the Coo Fruit Cup brings him up to 13th place overall in the WPRS ranking. There are no other significant changes in the top 30 and no changes in the female rankings. The Swiss still dominate with 6 of the top 10 places, Austria has 2 top 10 places including Christian Tamegger who is currently ranked number 1. France and Italy each have 1 pilot in the top 10. There are currently 575 paragliding pilots ranked.

There have not been any comps dropped from the hang gliding rankings and the Canungra Classic which has just taken place in Australia is the latest competition to be included. Joel Rebecchi's (AUS) win brings him up to 18th place overall (from 27th) and Steve Moyes (AUS) has climbed from 40th to 23rd. There are no changes to the top 3 female rankings, although there are three new females to the ranking Shirley Lake (AUS), Carol Binder (AUS) and Debbie Maher (AUS) who were well placed in the Canungra Classic. The British have 3 pilots in the top 10, Brasil have 2, and Luxembourg, Austria, France, Germany and Ukraine have 1 each. There are now 503 hang gliding pilots ranked.

There have been no competitions added to the Class 2 rankings, but the Atlantic Coast 1998 event (over 18 months old) has been dropped. As a result David Sharp (USA) now heads the Class 2 rankings ahead of Brian Porter (USA).

Full rankings can be found on FAI/CIVL website at www.fai.org/hang_gliding/rankings/

Results not yet received :
- Pre World Speed Gliding, Greece

Forthcoming hang gliding competitions that qualify for WPRS points are:

Category 1: Pan American Championships, USA; Female World Championships, Greece; European Championships, Austria; World Speed Gliding Championships, Greece.
Category 2: South African HG Champs; Australian Champs, Hay; Bogong Cup, Australia and the Millenium Cup, Mexico; Spanish Open (Pre-World Air Games; Speed Run, Austria.

Future paragliding competitions that qualify for WPRS points are:

Category 1: European Championships, Germany.
Category 2: Millenium Cup, Mexico, South African PG Championships; Australian Nationals, Bright; Manilla PG Open, Australia.

Details on these competitions can be found on the CIVL web page at http://www.fai.org/hang_gliding/competitions/comp_schedule.asp

Any queries/questions regarding the World Pilot Ranking Scheme should be sent to Sarah Fenwick, e-mail civl@ukonline.co.uk, tel/fax +44 1983 523003 or +44 1248 681755

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