The FAI Paragliding World Championship for 2011 in Piedrahita

Steve Ham with a delegation from the Town hall of Piedrahita, the Provincial Government of Avila and Chris (Calvo) Burns  presented a bid for the Worlds at the last CIVL Plenary meeting in Austria.  We won 19 votes against 2 for Italy and 3 for Turkey.
Thanks to the professionalism of Steve and his long history of experience in organising international events, to the unconditional support of the Mayor Federico Martín Blanco, his wife Loli (who speaks good German), María Carmen Zafra Fernández, Calvo and Pepe, Piedrahita was considered as the best option.   Congratulations!!

Within the presentation the improvements to the Peña Negra take-off planned for 2009 were described.  The project, designed by the architects of the provincial Government, was requested by the Club LA CORNEJA DE GREDOS last autumn in an interview with the president Agustín González.   The last details are yet to be defined, but we hope they will be made as soon as possible along with other aspects of the flying infrastructure in the region such as alternative takeoffs and landings for South and East winds such as La Lastra del Cano o Solana.

Safe authorised take-off and landing fields, with various wind orientations are the base on which flying tourism in our area can be rejuvenated.  The World Championship event will give us the necessary publicity in the media to achieve this aim.

The Delegation in Hall, Austria