Gliders on the grid ready for a start at Centennial Park in 2019.
Gliders on the grid ready for a start at Centennial Park in 2019.
The Northern Regional Gliding Championships will return to Taupō from tomorrow.
Thirty gliders will gather at Centennial Park for the annual contest, which finishes on January 28.
Top glider pilots will compete in daily competitions by flying a “task” course, which can range from 100 kilometres to more than 300km,set every morning according to the weather and conditions.
There is a range of contests, which include races and assigned area tasks, where pilots aim to cover the most distance in a set time.
As the craft have no engines, they descend as soon as they get into the air, but can still reach speeds of up to 200km/h, or 300km/h for larger, newer ones. They can remain in the air for more than five hours in the right conditions.
Gliders will be assembled at the Taupō Gliding Club, where members of the public are invited to drive in for a chat with club members.
Those wanting to see the action are advised to stick around for the gliders’ launch, where tow planes aim to get as many into the sky as quickly and efficiently as possible. Towing is set to happen between 12.30pm and 2pm each day.
