The competition Monarca Paragliding Open took place in a beautiful valley Vale De Bravo, Mexico for the fifth time in the end of January. The class of the competition is FAI 2 which means a high quality race where you can see 130 pilots from all over the world and well known names as Steve Cox and Ewa Wisnierska among them. Rarely a Czech or Slovak pilot takes part of the competition, exactly said no one. I decided to change it this year.

    Splendid green slopes, dry and warm climate in winter time predetermine Vale de Bravo for excellent cross country flights and that's why one part of PWC 2009 will be flown here. Local mountains reach 1000 meters in a vertical distance which brings perfect conditions for flying in a height of 3000 meters above the sea level and you can register a speed of thermals up to 5 m/s every day.

    Six tasks of all six racing days were flown in distances from 41 to 70 kilometers. In spite of the fact that fourth, 48 kilometers long task was flown under extremely cloudy sky in weak thermals of a speed up to 1 m/s, 25 pilots succeeded in reaching the 20^th kilometer and Steve Cox with his prototype even landed just ten kilometers before the goal. We can also mention the fifth task where six of pilots were forced to throw their reserves. That day was considered to be exceptionally dynamic one, very low flying pilots got into difficulties and sometimes the reserve was the best solution. When the whole leading group, where all favourites flew, was forced to land that day, the total ranking changed completely.



    The last sixth task didn't bring any considerable changes in the total ranking and thus Mexican Santiago Baeza won the competition. To a great delight of all local people the second pilot Albert Martinez Brunn was Mexican too. It seems that knowledge of local conditions is very important. Szilard Forgo from Hungary finished as the third. Ewa Wisnierska won the women category.

    I succeeded in reaching the fifteenth position in the first task when I flew my six years old paraglider. Unfortunately, my old wing caused me troubles in the second task and I even had to throw my reserve in the fifth task because of crumpling my paraglider.

    After that unfortunate incident I finished the competition flying a tandem, when I tried to gather last points for the total ranking, at last.

    When you go to fly your paraglider in Vale de Bravo, I can assure flyable conditions every day on January and February. And because not just paragliding is the way of life I have to remind fresh fruit, mexican specialities Tacos and nice and cheerful natives in their small town which doesn't sleep all night long.