Task 4 of the Paragliding World Cup in Feltre began with stable conditions once again dominating the early part of the day. Originally set to start at 13:15, the launch was quickly postponed to 13:45 to allow time for conditions to improve.

Once pilots managed to climb through the stable layers, they were rewarded with strong thermals—but also had to contend with turbulent lee sides caused by the easterly winds. As a result, many avoided the lower flats and instead chose to follow longer mountain routes, often veering far off the optimized task line to tag turn points with better lift and safety.

One of the day’s boldest moves came from Hippolyte Melo, who chose to fly entirely alone along the opposite mountain range. His line worked incredibly well, and offered a fascinating alternative to the main gaggle’s approach—showcasing exciting, creative racing.

In the end, it was Tilen Ceglar who took the task win, moving up to second place overall behind Juan Ospina. In the women’s category, Johanna Hamne continued her consistent form with another category win.

With fresh strategies and dynamic mountain flying on display, Task 4 brought both challenges and bold decisions to the front of the pack.

Photos by Martin Scheel