End of Season 2023/24 Wrap Up

2024 New Zealand Paragliding Cross-Country Championships

April 1st 2023 to March 31st 2024

End of Season Wrap Up

Here’s the confirmed standings and wrap up of the 2024 competition! Being geared up and prepared earlier in the season certainly reaped rewards, with all of the top six placed pilots flying at least one of their best three flights in the period October 22 to November 6. Then the top six completed their scoring on just five subsequent excellent weather days: Nov 26, Dec 27, Jan 7, Jan 15 and Jan 16. Coronet Peak, Central Otago, was again the site of choice this season, especially for big triangles, and even though there were some long gaps between great cross country days, the season has again surpassed the previous for the number of 100 km FAI triangles flown.

One pilot helping a lot with that best season tally of 100 km triangles by contributing seven, was this year's winner of the Champs, visiting French pilot, Charles de Beaufort!

Here are some season highlights:

• NZ’s 6th and 7th best FAI Triangles (Charles de Beaufort, 171.5 km and Johannes Marburger, 170.8 km respectively, Coronet Peak)
• NZ’s 7th equal best open distance (Thomas Rold, 182.7 km, Coronet Peak)
• NZ’s best FAI Triangle by a female pilot (Clemence Cadario, 138.0 km, also a best as an Out-and-Back, 76 km)
• 4 FAI Triangles over 150 km, and a further 23 more FAI or Flat Triangles over 100 km
• First ever flights of NZ 100 km open distance flown from a West Coast region site, achieved on two consecutive days:
• Ben Kellet, Leo Chelle and Bradley Franks flying 153, 153 and 146 km respectively, NE from Mt Fox on Oct 28
• Kellet and Chelle flying 116 km SW from Kellys Hill on Oct 29 (see also: Airborn Magazine Issue 230)
• The second and third ever flights of NZ 150 km open distance from a site outside of Otago (as above, Kellet and Chelle, Mt Fox)
• First flight of NZ 120 km open distance flown from Lindis Pass, Otago (Tim Marshall, 121 km)
• In total, 13 flights NZ 100 km open distance
• In total, 52 NZ 100 km flights of various course types.

2024 NZ XC Champions and Category Winners

* 1st Place
Pilot: Charles de Beaufort
60 points ahead of second place, Charles’ two highest scores were the season’s best and 4th best FAI triangles (171 km and 150 km, Coronet Peak). In total, Charles logged 2,005 XC km in 27 flights during his spring and summer stay in Central Otago.

* 1st Runner Up and 2024 NZ XC Champion
Pilot: Ben Kellett
As best-placed NZ resident, Ben has defended his XC Champs title with three high-scoring FAI triangles including the season's third best, 154 km from Coronet Peak on Jan 16.

* 2nd Runner Up
Pilot: Thomas Rold
Thomas’s flights included the season’s best open distance: 182 km from Coronet Peak.

* 2024 Women’s XC Champion
Pilot: Clemence Cadario
This season Clemence secured the Women’s XC Champion title by setting the bar higher and flying the longest and third longest FAI Triangle courses ever flown in NZ by paraglider by a female (138 km on Nov 26 and 116 km on Jan 24, both from Coronet Peak).

* Best Rookie (first-time PG2 competitor)
Pilot: Andy Sarratt
Placed 81st overall, Andy’s best flight of the spring (before heading overseas) was a 69 km free flight course (27 km open distance) from Long Spur, Canterbury.

* North Island Champion
Pilot: Mark Macdonald
Mark’s flights included the season’s best North Island open distance (87 km from Kaimai) and best North Island out and back (84 km from Kaimai).

* North Island Best Open Distance
Pilot: Mark Macdonald
87.2 km from Kaimai, Waikato.

* South Island Best Open Distance
Pilot: Thomas Rold
182 km from Coronet Peak, Otago.

Well done all of the above! (Especially Charles and Ben) :) Thank you to all who submitted flights so we could see where there was good flying to be had.

2024 NZ PG XC Champs Overall and North Island Final Standings

Click on these links to go to full report for the 2024 New Zealand Paragliding Cross-Country Championships, including the table of the top 50 places overall, the North Island table (top 25), and season’s site best flights.

XC Champs Table - Final Standings
North Island Table
Open Distance Table
North Island Open Distance Table
2024 Season Site Best Flights
Season 2024 Milestone Flights