The World Games 2017, slated for July 20-23 in Wroclaw, Poland, will feature 66 athletes from three air sports: Parachuting Canopy Piloting, Glider Aerobatics, and Paramotoring events. The air sports will take place at Szymanow Airfield.
In total, 37 sports with 60 disciplines are represented at the World Games, which will see 3,500 athletes from 100 nations competing.
Taking place under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the games are an international multi-sport event for sports and disciplines that are not in the Olympic Games.
Glider Aerobatics
Glider Aerobatics is a test of a glider pilot’s ability to perform aerobatic maneuvres within the boundaries of competition. The pilots aim to impress the judges with their precision and skill as they execute a pre-planned routine in a 1,000m aerial box in the sky.
Pilots must manage the glider’s speed, energy and position all while knowing exactly which way is up. Routines typically last three minutes and will see pilots pull up to 6G during the toughest manoeuvres.
Parachuting Canopy Piloting
Parachuting Canopy Piloting is relatively new in air sports. The idea is to test a parachutist’s ability to control their canopy accurately at high speed. After jumping out of the aircraft, competitors spiral down towards the performance zone, a long stretch of water known as a “swooping pond.”
There, as they pass through the course across the swooping pond, they are scored on speed, accuracy and distance. In the Freestyle round scores are given for technical difficulty, presentation and landing.
Paramotoring
Also known as powered paragliding, paramotoring is one of the most accessible forms of flight there is, according to officials.
Flying a paraglider and using a back-mounted engine, pilots launch with a quick run from the ground to get into the air. In Poland pilots will compete over a series of five tasks that measure precision flying skills, from Accuracy Landing to Paramotor Football.