Paragliding Competition Saturday 22nd to 29th January 2022 at Mt Borah, Manilla
This years annual Cross Country (XC) flying event has been downgraded to a “XC Week” due to the ongoing covid difficulties with running large sporting events and a total lack of International pilots attending.
The event will be conducted using online briefings and scoring to ensure covid has a limited impact.
The lack of international participants due to the closed national borders means it will be a domestic pilots only affair with numbers significantly reduced from the usual 200+ to well below 100.
The forecast flying conditions for this years Manilla XC Week are looking great after many weeks of excellent flying in the season so far.
The XC Week event utilises the “Open Distance” format where pilots try to fly as far as possible for each of the 8 days.
The pilots use rising currents of warm air called “thermals” (just like the eagles do) to provide lift to heights up to 3000m (10,000ft). By finding a number of these thermals, long distances can be flown – all without an engine. Pilots could end up as far away as southern Queensland, the Hunter Valley or west of Walgett each day !
Visitors are welcome to Mt Borah during the event. The 880 metre high Mt Borah launch site provides a great vantage point for spectators to see the colourful gliders take to the air around midday daily and offers panoramic views over the Manilla, Namoi and Peel river valleys. Best flying will be seen 10am-2pm daily. The access road is OK for 2WD’s.