Bruce Goldsmith has been writing for Cross Country magazine for over 20 years. A former World Champion and multiple national champion, he has experience in flying and designing hang gliders and paragliders stretching right back to the start of the sport. Each issue he takes a topic and discusses it, examining how it can […] …read more
‘Flirting all the way’: The Gin Carrera, EN B
Hugh Miller reviews the new GIN Carrera in Cross Country issue 153 (May / June 2014) – and goes weak at the knees. Is she an EN B or an EN C? Is it late nights and shots all the way, or Ikea catalogues and cups of Earl Grey tea? Hugh writes: The Carrera is […] …read more
Nova Ion 3, EN B: Champagne moment
Paragliding coach Pat Dower is usually found on a racing blade, carving out long XCs and pushing at the edge of performance. So we asked him to jump on Nova’s latest all-round EN B, the Nova Ion 3. Aimed at ‘everyman’, from new pilots to those who want to fly XC with maximum passive security, […] …read more
‘Never again’ – Andy Pag on a bad season in Nepal
When Andy Pag met up with Cross Country in March he was still wearing his duvet jacket from Pokhara to ward off the chill of an early spring wind in England. The dust on it stood out against the clean blacks and greys of the city folk milling around. Sitting down over hot coffee […] …read more
Hang 10: Top Ten Best Alternative Comps
It’s comp season in the north and that means pointing your toes and banging it hard on the bar, right? Well, maybe not. We round up 10 of the best competitions and events around the world that combine a healthy does of competition with a large slice of fun while mixing it up with […] …read more
21 Tips for Getting to Goal for new Competition Pilots
For Cross Country 153 we wanted to write the definitive guide for pilots new to the competition game. And if there is one piece of advice that all our experts came back with – and we asked National Champions, European Champions, World Champions and the hotshot on the hill – it was this: “Don’t race. Get […] …read more
Cross Country 153: What’s in this issue
The latest issue of Cross Country magazine features a stunning shot from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Shot by Jerome Maupoint he spent 12 days on the island last year, waiting to seize the moment between rain showers, blown-out days and sparkling sunshine. The result is a photo feature we called Wild […] …read more
CIVL Plenary 2014 minutes published
CIVL have published the minutes from their annual meeting. The CIVL plenary was held in Bali in February and discussed the rules surrounding competition paragliding and hang gliding. Twenty-two nations were represented, with five voting by proxy. Subjects under discussion included the adoption of new helmets for competition, and the introduction of CCC class […] …read more
Brothers Petiot win the Bornes to Fly 2014
Two brothers won the Bornes to Fly hike and fly race held in Annecy, France over the long weekend of 1-4 May. Gaspard and Basile Petiot crossed the line together at 8.40pm on the Saturday having taken off an hour earlier from the last turn point. They used convergence in the valley to help […] …read more
GAP 2014 scoring formula released
The latest version of the GAP scoring formula for hang gliding and paragliding competition has been released. GAP 2014 includes updates and significant changes for paragliding, with a few changes applicable to hang gliding too. The majority of those changes originate from the Paragliding World Cup Association (PWCA). The report says that 2014 will […] …read more