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The PARAGLIDING WORLD CUP ASSOCIATION is a non-profit association, which was founded in 1990, with the aim of organizing each year a competition circuit for the world's best pilots, based on highly professional organization criteria. The standard was set by the World Championships held in 1991 in Digne (France).
The association, based in France, has been managing the Paragliding World Cup since 1992.
The World Cup consists of at least 5 competitions held worldwide during one year. The association is financed from the pilots' membership and entry fees, and sponsorship from companies whose names appear on all advertisements for these international events.
Paragliding World Cup events are opened to pilots who have been selected by the PWCA office depending on their ranking from the previous competitions (National Championships/Open/League or previous Paragliding World Cup ranking).
During each Paragliding World Cup competition, pictures, summaries and results of the day can be found on the PWCA website (www.pwca.org).
Recognized and supported by the best pilots worldwide, but also by many occasional top-level competitors, the Paragliding World Cup currently meets with growing success. Thus in 1999, 370 pilots took part in the Paragliding World Cup and very important work was done in the production of television images. This was translated into programs on Eurosport (in cooperation with the French Free Flying Federation), Transworld, MCM, France 2 and 3, and M6. In addition, in the fall of 1999, 22 airlines showed a film on board their intercontinental flights.
During the final Paragliding World Cup event, the General Assembly of this association will also take place, at this meeting we will announce the 2007 Paragliding World Cup calendar.
The PWCA Committee, elected directly by the pilots is currently composed of:
- Hans Bollinger (Treasurer and pilot)
- Tomas Brauner (Pilot)
- Franck Brown (Pilot)
- Alberto Castagna (Vice-President, Pilot)
- Stefan Mast (General Secretary, Team leader)
- Xavier Murillo (Vice-President, PWCA Technical Delegate and photographer)
- Volker Nies (Pilot)
- Christian Quest (President)
- Semih Sayir (Pilot)
- Martin Scheel (Team leader, photographer)
- Torsten Siegel (Pilot)
- Gin Seok Song (Pilot and paraglider designer/manufacturer)
Paragliding World Cup winners:
- 1992: Uli Wiesmeier (Germany)
- 1993: Richard Gallon (France)
- 1994: Jimmy Pacher (Italy)
- 1995: Hans Bollinger (Switzerland)
- 1996: Christian Tamegger (Austria)
- 1997: Jimmy Pacher (Italy)
- 1998: Peter Lüthi (Switzerland)
- 1999: Kari Eisenhut (Switzerland)
- 2000: Andy Hediger (Switzerland)
- 2001: Patrick Bérod (France)
- 2002: Alex Hofer (Switzerland)
- 2003: Achim Joos (Germany)
- 2004: Oliver Rössel (Germany)
- 2005: Christian Maurer (Switzerland)
- 2006: Christian Maurer (Switzerland)