Hundred paragliders, including 12 women, from 20 countries have been allowed to participate in India Open 2018 Paragliding World Cup that started at Bir Billing in Kangra district on Sunday.
The organising committee had decided to allow 150 paragliders. However, at a meeting last evening, the organisers decided to restrict the numbers to just 100 due to accidents in which two foreign paragliders had lost their life and three sustained injuries. Seven paragliders are from the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The organisers heaved a sigh of relief after the Army decided to provide them all logistic support. Experts from the Army briefed the paragliders regarding the topography of the area and the precautions they should take while flying at high altitudes.
Minister for Health Vipin Parmar inaugurated the World Cup. He said the state government had envisaged a plan of Rs 1,900 crore to create better facilities and promote tourism.
SDM Baijnath Vikas Shukla, coordinating the event, said at a time six paragliders would take off. They would be given tasks to complete, including attaining certain heights and touching various points in the air.
Results on Day 1
-
- The paragliders were given a task to complete 69.9 km
- Matt Senior (New Zealand) completed the goal in 3 hours 23 minutes and 45 seconds
- The second position was held by Debu Choudhary clocking 3h 24 min, 19 seconds
- Louis Tapper third 3 hours 25 minutes 08 seconds
- Vijay Soni fourth 3 hours 31 minutes 07 seconds
Austrian loses way, lands in Mandi
- Mandi: Helmut, an Austrian paraglider, had a narrow escape in Mandi on Saturday when he lost his way and made an emergency landing at Padhar in the district.
- According to the police, he flown from Billing and lost his way.
- Getting no way to return, Helmut decided to land his glider in an open field at Padhar.
- The paragliding in Bir Billing is proving fatal these days, where two deaths were reported recently.
with agency inputs
