NZ Ha N g glidi N g XCo N test Cross-Cou N try C H ampio N s H ips

January 1st to december 31st

April 1st 2022 to march 31st 2023 Top scores on 23/1/2023

XC Championship Open Distance

Omarama Hang Gliding Cross Country Classic

saturday 11 February to sunday 19 February 2023

Flying around Omarama is always spectacular; expect 9 or 10,000ft and an easy 20km to over 100km depending on your skill and weather conditions.

The Mackenzie country around Omarama is a great place to beat your Personal Best; height, distance etc, move up the XC Champs table, fly legally to 13,000ft or maybe even fly to Mt Cook!

This summer, our usual Waitangi date was nabbed by the HG Nationals so we’ll go for the week after so people can go on to Omarama after the Nats for more excellent flying. This time of year gets the most flyable days with the least strong winds and turbulence, but it’s still hot and dry so gives the most XC flying opportunities. Launch and landing areas are massive and the event is stress free; there’s no queues or waiting.

Don’t be put off by stable forecasts, it’s usually better than on the forecasting apps, sometimes there is wave and a stable day at Omarama beats coastal flying. Strong winds are more common in November to January, so if it’s not too windy, it’s on.

Fly open distance, in any direction from any site in the Omarama area. Enter any number of flights and improve your personal best flight. Scoring is by GPS or you can use witnessed launch & landing positions and you can use XContest or other online scoring as always.

Fly the whole week, just the weekends or just the days you want, when you want; it’s up to you, only your best 3 flights are scored. You decide if, when and where to fly and a couple of unlucky flights won’t ruin your total.

There’s no pressure and you can make it as safe as you want. If you don’t like the conditions; don’t fly, you’re not penalised for being careful or sensible.

The object is to get cross country flying and learn from others but there’s awards for best total of 3 flights, best single flight, most improved personal best and for best driver. Accommodation; free camping, cabins, caravans, motels and hotels are all available. The gliding airfield campground is recommended as it welcomes hang glider pilots, has weather briefings and a cafe that’s often open late.

REQUIRED; Advanced rating with mountain/ XC skills. Pilots with lower skill ratings may fly under supervision if conditions are suitable. Printed site briefings are available.

The tracks up local mountains do need 4WDs with low ratio gearing for safe descents or brakes will burn out. There’s usually plenty of 4WDs and a spare place or 2 but best to team up earlier if you can. To maintain the Magic Mountain track we ask pilots for a donation but the competition is free of charge. Buscot and Twinburn sites are just as high but less scary for drivers. All the same its worth having a spade on board plus good tyres and a spare!

Bring; spare glider parts, a driver that’s comfy with steep mountain tracks, radio, (airband for the MBZ if you want to fly to Mt Cook), camelback, spare sim card, satellite messenger. Bring your mountain bike and kite/windsurfers for days off.

If you don’t have a driver, pilots can take turns: this results in expert drivers and a welcome rest day for tired pilots. There’s often time for more than 1 flight per day too.

For more information, updates, registration, site briefings etc; contact Bill Degen at aero@xtra.co.nz and check www.hgpg. co.nz for updates.

Club Competition

Rigid Wing

The web site for scoring and uploading your track logs is at: www.xcontest.org/newzealand/

NZ Competition Organiser’s Responsibilities

It is the Comp Organiser’s responsibility to;

1. Obtain a list of current members from the Administrator.

2. Ensure every competition entrant is a current NZHGPA member.

3. Sign up any non-members. Any competitors found to be nonmembers will be listed and scored as ‘disqualified’.

NZ Hang gliding National Champs 2023

Registration is open for the HG Nationals. Tom Mulder is organising with Shane McKay and Steve Cronin. Matt Barlow has stepped away from organising the Nationals this year.

Murchison 2023 Hang Gliding Nationals

Competition Dates:

Practice Days: 2nd - 3rd February 2023

Competition Days: 4th - 11th February 2023

Registration: https://airtribune.com/nzhgnats23/info