Barberton Paragliding Open '24

Barberton Paragliding Open 2024

Event Website

Barberton Paragliding Open 2024

Event Location

53X4+8C Barberton, South Africa

Event Date

June 16 - June 22, 2024 (Practice day: June 15, 2024)

Description

The Barberton Paragliding Open is the longest-running paragliding competition in Africa. The event will take place from June 16 to June 22, with Saturday, June 15 reserved as a practice day. The historical mining town of Barberton hosts this event with the Barberton Golf Club serving as the official meet center and Lone Tree Hill as the official launch site.

The competition aims to determine the South African XC champion across eight classes:

• Novice
• B-class
• C-class
• D-class
• Open (CCC) class
• Overall Woman
• Overall Men
• Tandem

Additionally, it will crown the best team and national Club Champions for 2024.

Entry Fee and Payment Details:

Full Event Entry: R4000
Early-bird Full Event Entry: R3000 (until May 10, 2024)
Daily Competitor Fee: R650

Banking Details:
Account Name: BPO
Type: Savings
Number/IBAN: 1305487050
Branch Code: 470010
Bank Name: Capitec SWIFT/BIC number: CABLZAJJ

Reference your payment with your full name.

Daily Schedule:

• 09:00: Vehicles leave for take-off.
• 10:30: Task briefing.
• 11:30: Window opens.
• 15:00: Window closes.
• 18:00: Deadline for tracklog upload.
• 19:00: Publishing of Provisional results.
• 20:00: Deadline for uploading backups and fixing problems. Organizers must be informed ASAP.

Selection Rules:

The event is limited to 120 entries. Until June 1, twenty-five spots are reserved for non-South African participants; afterward, entries are first come first serve. Participants must register successfully, pay fees, hold a valid FAI sporting license and be a member or temporary member of an approved ARO.

Certification and airworthiness of all equipment are solely the pilot’s responsibility.

Flying Site - Lone Tree Hill:

Lone Tree Hill is a Basic/Student graded paragliding and hang-gliding launch site at an elevation of 1290m asl. The designated landing area on Barberton Golf Course is at 830m asl. Suitable wind directions include westerly to northerly to north-easterly winds. The launch site can comfortably accommodate three gliders launching simultaneously.

This site has been used predominantly by paragliders after its initial use by hang-gliders over thirty years ago. It offers thermal strengths from less than 1m/s up to approximately 5m/s, typically starting around noon but sometimes as early as ten in the morning during winter months when temperatures range from about 10°C in the mornings to about 28°C in early afternoon.

For more information on daily free-flyers/students permits or camping options visit Barberton Open Instagram.

Travel Info:

Barberton is located in Mpumalanga’s De Kaap Valley surrounded by ancient Makhonjwa Mountains—a World Heritage Site known for its Geo-Trail—and is just a short drive from Mbombela (Nelspruit), which houses Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA). From Johannesburg's O.R Tambo International Airport it's about a four-and-a-half-hour drive along N17 & R38 eastwards.

For further details including local regulations and other offers visit Event Website.