SOL Paragliders is pleased to introduce its new logotype. The new visual identity of SOL Paragliders should convey the malleability of the medium paraglider, the characteristics to move free in all directions challenging the gravity.

The sinuosity that distinguish the logotype also symbolize the immense wealth of the Brazilian geography that allows the multiple opportunities to work out in the air, at sea or on land.

SOL Paragliders is pleased to introduce its new logotype. The new visual identity of SOL Paragliders should convey the malleability of the medium paraglider, the characteristics to move free in all directions challenging the gravity.

The sinuosity that distinguish the logotype also symbolize the immense wealth of the Brazilian geography that allows the multiple opportunities to work out in the air, at sea or on land.

Mathias Roten, 1979 - 2008, Rest In Peace

At a loss for words, we report the tragic loss of our beloved friend and Speed Flying team leader, Mathias Roten. Mathias passed away last Friday while test flying a new glider in the Lötschental, Switzerland.

The world championship in acropiloting for hanggliders and paragliders will be held in Voss and Norway the last week of August. About 100 of the world’s best acro-pilots will be arriving Voss for the second world championship.

The event will take place at Voss in the western part of Norway from the 22nd to the 31st of August this year. Voss is one of the few extremesport-villages in the world and host every year the largest extremesport-festivals in the world.

Volunteer work
Even though the comity still lacks a main sponsor the championship will be held the last week of august. That was decided last month at the Norwegian airsportassociation.
The event will be base don volunteer-workers.
– An arrangement like this needs a good organisation. Voss has through the extremesportfestival shown that they can make this happen, says Arne Hillestad, head of organisation and the daily leader of the hang- and paraglide section in the Norwegian airsportassociation.

Over 100 participants
The competition will be held over eight days, and will show some spectacular flying over the lake in Voss. The competition is very friendly to the audience, as it will be held in the centrum of Voss, next to the idyllic lake.
To get the pilots up to the ideal height for their “ballet dancing” in the air, the pilots will be towed by a boat. Over 100 pilots are expected to Voss for the competition in the three classes: Solo hanggliding, solo paragliding and syncro paragliding (Where to pilots fly a program together).
 
From every part of the world
The participants will come from all over the world: USA, Argentina, Japan, and most of the European countries. Voss hang- and paragliderclub is one of the biggest hang- and paraglidingclubs in Norway and most of the Norwegian pilots will be locals. The local hanggliderpilot Jon Gjerde won the world championship last year, and there is expected a lot of viewers when he this year competes in his home village.
About 10 pilots are expected in solo hanggliding, 55 pilots in solo paragliding and about 30 pilots (15 pairs) to the syncro paragliding.

SEE YOU IN AUGUST!

Contact:
For information about the competition:
Arne H. Hillestad, Head of Organisation, Cell: (+47) 90 86 75 60, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Dag Jørgensen, Head of Comity, Cell: (+47) 99 45 31 44, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
For media/press:
Anne Jordalen, Head of Media Unit, Cell: (+47) 90 93 86 22, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The aforementioned tricks and moves can be marveled at in public for the first time at Red Bull Speedride in St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria. As well as the boundaries of this new kind of sport, the world’s best advocates of it are tested between January 21 and 25. These are: those who can choose the best line; show command over the greatest skiing and flying ability; and who can score points in the disciplines ‘Energy and flow of the run’ as well as ‘Creativity.’ The winner of the first ever speedriding Big Mountain Contest will be chosen by the participants themselves via democratic vote after a video analysis. They will be crowned on January 28 at the ISPO tradeshow for sports fashion and equipment in Munich.

RedBull Speedride Homepage
The following 17 best athletes worldwide have taken the challenge and have accepted the invitation to the first Red Bull Speedride:

- Antoine Montant, FRA (Speedriding Pioneer, Vice World Champion in Acro Paragliding)

- François Bon, FRA (Speedriding Pioneer, Acro Paraglider, Skydiver, BASE Jumper, Eiger & Mont Blanc Premiere)

- David Eyraud, FRA (Speedriding Pioneer, second at the SpeedflyingPro 07)

- Pierre Malbet, FRA

- Felix Rodriguez, ESP (Multi World Champion in Acro Paragliding, Winner of the Red Bull VERTIGO 2000-2005)

- Matt Gerdes, USA (Paraglider, Skydiver, Ski-BASE Jumper)

- Carson Klein, USA (Paraglider, Speedriding Pioneer)

- Mike Steen, USA (Paraglider, BASE Jumper, Wingsuit Flyer, Speedriding Pioneer)

- Mathias Roten, SUI (Acro Paraglider, Winner of Valfréjus 2007)

- Dominique Steffen, SUI (Acro Paraglider, Winner of the Syncro world cup, Swiss Champion 2007)

- Ueli Gegenschatz, SUI (BASE Jumper, Paraglider, Wingsuit Flyer)

- Gaël Amman, SUI (second at Zinal Mauler Cup Speedriding, 5th at the SpeedflyingPro 07)

- Christian Amon, AUT (Paraglider, Speedriding Pioneer, Winner of the Red Bull Dolomitenmann 2005)

- Helmut Eichholzer, AUT (Paraglider, 4th at the Red Bull X-Alps 2005)

- Simon Penz, AUT (Paraglider, Speedriding Pioneer)

- Max Biederman, AUT (Paraglider, Speedriding Pioneer)

- Daniel Kofler, AUT (Paraglider, Speedriding Pioneer)

The replacement of the Valluna called "Faial"has ben certified under the EN standard. It is classed as a C at minimum weight (85kg) and B at max weight (115kg).
Technical specification for medium size:

• flat area: 27 m²
• take-off weight 80/100 kg
• aspect ratio 5.2
• glider weight:
  • Standard version 5.0 Kg
  • Bivouac version 3.8 kg (spectra risers and unsheathed upper lines)
  • Paramotor version 5.2 kg

Most of the improvement is on the handling with a more direct control response. Performance measurements to be confirmed are slightly better than Valluna with higher top speed. The Faial will also exist in:

• XS 22 m² (50-70 kg)
• S 24.5 m² 65- 85 kg
• L 29.8 m² (95 -125 kg)