Adventure Takes Over Destination Paradise with the 2009 Paragliding Atmoxfera Cup

Tuesday, 11 August 2009 00:00

Rivers, mountains, and many cultural riches will be the stage for the 2009 Paragliding Atmoxfera Cup, which will take place in Cerrito, Department of Valle del Cauca, from August 14 to 17, 2009.

The Atmoxfera Cup is being held since 2005 in response to the needs of Colombian pilots who invigorate the circuit with more and better competitions, while raising their performance.

History of the Atmoxfera Cup

The Atmoxfera Cup was planned to be held every year in a different location of the department of Valle del Cauca. Over time, it was determined that it should become an event of the municipality of Cerrito in order position this destination as a required site for free flight lovers.

Learn about paragliding

What to Search for in the Sky

The first and most important classification sought by paragliders in Colombia is to become part of the Colombian paragliding team. For eighteen months, pilots certified by Fedeaereos compete in the national circuit in various cups across the country and win points to obtain a good place in the national ranking.

A Circuit of Long Breaths and Good Winds

The cups in the national circuit are held in Santander, Valle del Cauca, Antioquia, and Tolima. There are six in total, and the Atmoxfera Cup is the third one this year. The circuit intends to reach all the areas in the country that offer good winds.

Paragliding in Valle del Cauca

Flights with Great Honor

To be a circuit champion is the greatest paragliding acknowledgement in Colombia. Daniel Vallejo, from Valle del Cauca, has held the title for three consecutive years. With a sense of pleasure, he remembers the birth of paragliding: Mountaineers used to trek long hours to arrive at a mountain top until one day… they came up with the idea of flying.

Favorites: Valle del Cauca and Santander

Valle del Cauca and Santander have the greatest chance to win the 2009 Atmoxfera Cup. Their pilots occupy the best places in the national ranking, and the two departments have the best winds and sites in Colombia for practicing free flight paragliding.

One Adjective is the Correct One

Paragliding is an adventure sport, yet it is not extreme. It is a calm, passive activity where the only demands made of the practitioners are determination and desire.

Must-haves:

For competitions, pilots must have with them a GPS to mark the points along the route to follow; a radio telephone to listen to recommendations and alerts from the director of the competition, and a wind sleeve or a piece of cloth to indicate the wind’s direction. The basic equipment for recreational flights is a paraglider (sometimes called a sail due to its similarity to the sails of sailboats), bands, ropes that join the paraglider to the harness or a connection system from the pilot to the paraglider, and an emergency parachute.

Paragliding in Valle del Cauca

A Sport for All:

Paragliding is not an expensive or elitist sport. Anyone can engage in it, as long as he or she receives adequate training and advice. In Colombia, the sport is practiced by adults between the ages of 25 and 35. In other countries, people beyond 40 years of age still enjoy the sport. Germany, Switzerland, and France are the world’s top powers in the sport.

At Take-off Time

Taking off is done from a high point where the wind and the scenery make for a good flight. The more the wind, the less the running.

For additional information on Atmoxfera Cup 2009, visit www.atmoxfera.webs.com.