On The Up: Northlander wins NZ hang gliding title for second year in a row

Tom Kellner, on his competition Aeros Combat hang glider, says reading the sky is the hardest part of the sport. Photo / Wendy Roberts

Reading the sky and looking for thermals is the most challenging thing about being a successful hang glider, according to Northlander Tom Kellner.

The Kāeo man won the New Zealand Hang Gliding Championship open division for the second year running.

The competition, in Murchison in January, involved more than 20 top New Zealand pilots and a handful of international competitors.

The event has been held in Murchison for the past nine years. However, Kellner said this year’s conditions were challenging, with the cold and wet weather on the ground resulting in unstable thermals.

“The contest is in the natural knowledge of the sky and being able to read the sky – how well it works and how it changes during the day.

“[This year] the thermals were very broken and very narrow.”

The pilots competed in daily races over six days, with the winner being the one who navigated the course the quickest.

They spent up to four hours in the air, at altitudes of up to 8500ft (about 2500m), covering distances of up to 100km a day.

Kellner said consistency over the six days was the key to success, rather than simply winning on one day.

His success in winning the 2026 National Open Class qualified him to compete in the Hang Gliding Worlds in Italy in June 2027.

Northlander Tom Kellner (centre) won the 2026 National Open Class, followed by Abe Kemp (left) and Matt Barlow, both from Christchurch. Photo / Maree McNabb

Kellner represented New Zealand at the World Championships in Italy in 2019 and also qualified last year, but was unable to attend.

He hoped to find sponsorship to compete as part of the New Zealand team next year, as well as to attend a pre-worlds event in the same location this year, to help learn the conditions.

Kellner is also learning gliding with the Kaikohe Gliding Club to help hone his sky-reading skills.

“It’s the next step up ... They’re the ultimate soaring machines.”

Whangārei pilot Bernie Massey took first place in the class 5 – rigid division (for gliders with hard wings) at the New Zealand champs.

Bernie Massey from Whangārei took first place in the rigid competition. Photo / Maree McNabb

Both are members of the Northland Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, of which Kellner is president.

He encouraged anyone interested in the sport to email him at tkmechanicalnz@gmail.com for more details.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism.