15 Aug 2023

HG Worlds 2023 - women are fighting for gold, men for silver

The Hang Gliding World Championships that is going on in Krushevo North Macedonia has got 6 competition days. This year "free-flying paradise" experiences atypical weather conditions so this adds suspense to the results. Totally there were planned 11 flying days but one day was canceled due to the rain, another rainy was selected as the official rest day, and on one more only Class 5 managed to have a valid task. So Class 1 has got 5 valid tasks for both Overall and Women's Worlds and Class 5 has got 6 valid tasks.

In the national overall, after 5 valid tasks, Italy has climbed the podium and feels relatively safe with over 400 points of superiority in Teams and 250 points for Alex Ploner in Overall. But there is a fierce battle for the second place - the Swiss pilot Franz Hermann and Brazilian Alvaro Sandoli (more known as Nene Rotor) have only 7 points of difference. Besides, there is huge pressure from just under: Italian Marco Laurenzi, Australian Jonny Durand, Hungarians Balazs Ujhelyi and Atilla Bertok, Grant Crossignham from the UK, Arne Tanzer from the Netherlands, and Pedro Garcia from the USA are striving to climb the podium too. As at least half of them did win a task in this comp, their chances to raise are quite significant. In teams, after 5 tasks Brazil is the second and Australia is the third.

On photo; Alex Ploner ITA, Franz Hermann SUI and Nene Rotor BRA.

In the Women's World Championship, the tension is immense. The two best female pilots: Corinna Schwiegershausen GER - the defending Champion, and Sasha Serebrennikova AUT - the challenger, are going head to head during the whole comp. The first task was won by Corrina, the second by Sasha with 1000 points, Corrinna overtook two consecutive, but Sasha got 1000 points again in the next. Unless something really drastic the gold and silver will be distributed between these two - they have 2000 points above the rest of the female pilots. While the bronze medal winner is still in the darkness. After 5 tasks Japanese pilotess Chisato Nojiri is currently the third but she is seriously challenged by another famous female pilot Claudia Mejia de la Pava from the USA.

On photo Sasha Serebrennikova AUT and Corinna Schwiegershausen GER

In Class 5 Championships the main competition goes on between Austrians Anton Ramauf and Christopher Friedl and German Dirk Ripkens. Anton has won only one task (task 6) showing steady good results in the rest. While Dirk and Christopher have 2 victories in task each but happened to bomb out in some others which greatly reduced their chances to win the gold. Still, Germany leads in nations with Austria and Spain following. Spanish pilot Benito Rodríguez González is also the third in Overall after task 6 while Christopher Friedl moved down to 7th place.