In contrast to last year's race, which was held at Kriska Gora, this year's championship of the Czech Republic takes place on the crest of Golte, approximately 60 km northeast of Ljubljana. This time the starting ground, which is about 1,500 meters above sea level, is not, surprisingly, accessed on foot. Even though it is barely a four-hour hike ...!

    The organizers have negotiated a group discount on accommodations at "Camping Menina", (N 46° 18.696' E014° 54.598'), near the town of Varolje, about 6 km from the landing ground. One night costs each person 7DM. What a deal when you've got a mountain stream running by the camp, you can swim in a small lake and the showers have hot water! Except for those Slovenian girls - we all know what we know.



    Already by Wednesday evening tens of racers from the Czech Republic, Moravia, Slovakia and even Poland are wandering around the campground. And while some are setting up tents, others already have several days experience with the local terrain. The best have even tried the skills of Slovenian surgeons and are now limping around camp. A group of un-named Czech favorites are sitting around a little table and each to the last is stuffing himself with grains to be able to fly like a bird tomorrow. I politely refuse the proffered portion and head off to secure tomorrow with the tried and true chicken schnitzel. Beneath the pine and beech trees of the camp it is really pleasant and I'm even looking forward to the bathroom, apparently they've even got a radio playing there.


Thursday July 5, 2001
    "There's a shitload of us here!", declares accurately one un-named organizer as he reviews the number of registered competitors. Then Milan Michna goes on to devote himself to the morning registration of more and more pilots. For today the start list consists of 72 names among which are even six girls! Well this is something new!

    Even though in the damp air, cloudiness forms quickly in the morning. It is now just after 9 a.m. and it is decided at the briefing in the camp to make a quick trip up to the starting ground on the crest of Golte. Another briefing which will include an announcement of discipline is to be held up above at 11:30.

    "I don't feel the need to prove anything to myself or anybody else, I'm too old for that.", calmly declares Jirka Sramek and evidently isn't hurrying anyplace. "But I'm young and have come to conquer!", adds humbly to himself Mirek Volny and rushes to load up his backpack. The racers gradually drive off and within 20 minutes the camp is almost empty.

    Some less ambitious individuals, following a sober evaluation of the meteorological situation, break out the somewhat-damaged-in-last-night's storm grill and in a short while the aroma of wine basted chicken fills the air. I don't dare refuse an invitation to taste, as I happen to be walking by, and I must admit that good spices do wonders with chicken.




    By 10 a.m. the surrounding mountains are drowning in heavy clouds and after driving to the top, the first small problem occurs. Many pilots who are not yet familiar with the local terrain wander helplessly after leaving their cars in the thick fog with heavy backpacks on their backs an making the normally 20-minute walk to the starting ground takes them more than an hour. Not even using the GPS proves to be a practical idea. The organizing company, SKY Paragliders gave the pilots incorrect co-ordinates of the starting ground, so that a few un-named unfortunates find the starting ground totally exhausted several hours later.

    At the briefing in the clouds before noon the decision is postponed to 1:30 p.m. And because the cloud bases continually lie at an altitude of roughly 400 meters below the starting ground, at 2:00 p.m. it is decided to move all competitors 400 meters lower to a second starting ground from which it is, at times at least, possible to see the landing ground. Even at this lower starting ground an over-height of a good 550 meters still remains.




    Even after 3 p.m. the situation doesn't improve much and at 4p.m. the 15km discipline under consideration is cancelled. Most racers fly down to the landing ground near the lower stop of the able car while some head for a landing all the way to the village of Varpolje, to get closer to the camp. Pave Iker even before 5 p.m. daringly flies above the camp and to the great delight of Polish children bravely lands on a small meadow in a cramped space right by the camp. The camp supervisor Jurij Kolenc however isn't so delighted. It is not possible just to land where one feels like it here.

    After the first day, all are without a point. Fortunately the weather report promises much better weather conditions for tomorrow.