Mission statement
The mission of the Paragliding World Cup Association is to put on the world’s premier paragliding competitions, and to promote the growth of the sport around the world through partnerships with local organizers, local officials, and organizations involved in the sport.
PWCA Structure
The PWCA is a non-profit organization. All income is re-invested to improve future competitions.
The Paragliding World Cup Association (PWCA) is an association of pilots, the PWCA members.
The members elect the PWCA committee to run the organization.
PWCA Events
The World Cup season contains of number of Superfinal selective events and one Superfinal. Details on selection procedure are to find in RULES
Pre-PWCA events provide a way for pilots to earn letters in order to qualify for the main PWC tour, as well as a mechanism to vet new potential competition locations and organizers.
The PWC Asian Tour events are also selective for the Superfinal, and are aimed at growing the sport in Asia by hosting world-class events, helping create new venues for the sport, and training new organizers.
Any cross country paragliding event organizer wishing to organize any of the PWCA events are invited to contact the PWCA office at pwca@pwca.org.
PWCA committee
Goran Dimiskovski
President
2008 - present
Laura Sepet
Executive Secretary
Martin Scheel
Treasurer
elected in 2021
Bill Huges
General Secretary
elected in 2021
Eduardo Sanchez Granel
Member
elected in 2021
Washington Luis Peruchi
Member
elected in 2022
Martin Jovanowski
Member
elected in 2021
Anca Tabara
Member
elected in 2022
Baptiste Lambert
Member
elected in 2022
Tim Rochas
Member
elected in 2022
Brief history
The Paragiding World Cup Association was founded on 9th August 1991 in Verbier, when the first Pilots Committee was elected. The creation of the PWCA was motivated by the fact that the only strong competition that pilots could attend was the World Championship, but selection to this event is dependent on national federations and only limited number of pilots per country can participate. Pilots dreamed about a high level competition, where pilots qualify themselves purely with their own results, with no limits of participant numbers per country.
1991
Initially, the Paragliding World Cup was run as a tour of five events held all over the world. The winner of the season was defined by showing high level of results over the entire season. A simple discard system was applied: 2/3 of task results were used in the overall season score. At the last event, the overall World Cup season winner was crowned. (photo: Martin Scheel)
2009
After the Association voted in favor of Xavier Murillo's proposal for the Super Final system, the World Cup changed, in 2009, to run a number of selective events and one Super Final per season. This format has remained in place until the present. For two season a concept of Continental PWCA Championship was run.
1991- 2000
Until 2000, paragliding competition results were scored by placing a pin on a map and examining photographs of a FAI sector around a turn point.
1996
From 1996, competitions were scored with ScoreX software developed by Hannes Pepesch. After the introduction of GPSes to civil use, GPS data processing software such as Christian’s Quest's CheckIn were created and used to verify pilots performance in the task. Paragliding competitions entered new era.
2001
GPS was introduced in the Paragliding World Cup as "primary evidence", with photo backups then, from season 2001, the World Cup was scored only by GPS and transited to 400m cylinders on turn points.
2009
From 2009, the PWCA started using Ulric Jessop’s CompCheck as results processing software.
2010
From 2010, the PWCA introduced live tracking.
2023
From 2023, the PWCA started using Live Scores (SVL), developed by Daniel Dimov, which provides results almost in real time ( under 2 minutes of delay).
Since the beginning of its history Paragliding World Cup has been a leader in innovation and pushing not only competitive paragliding sport, but also the development of competition wings, scoring systems and new rules.
Paragliding World Cup Presidents:
1991 – 1996: Otto Max Fischer.
1996 – 2004: Olivier Burghelle
2004 – 2008: Christian Quest
2008 – present: Goran Dimiskovski
Paragliding World Cup Champions
Superfinal Format
| Man |
2018: Pierre Remy (FRA)
2017: Michael Sigel (SUI)
2016: Aaron Durogati (ITA)
2015: Stefan Wyss (SUI)
2014: Maxime Pinot (FRA)
2013: Ayumu MIYATA (JPN)
2012: Aaron Durogati (ITA)
2011: Peter Neuenschwander (SUI)
2010: Yann Martail (FRA)
2009: Charles Cazaux (FRA)
| Women |
2018: Méryl Delferriere (FRA)
2017: Laurrie Genovese (FRA)
2016: Sejko Fukuoka Naville (FRA)
2015: Sejko Fukuoka Naville (FRA)
2014: Laurrie Genovese (FRA)
2013: Keiko Hiraki (JPN)
2012: Nicole Fedele (ITA)
2011: Petra Slivova (CZE)
2010: Petra Slivova (CZE)
2009: Keiko Hiraki (JPN)
Tour Format
| Man |
2008: Andy Aebi (SUI)
2007: Christian Maurer (SUI)
2006: Christian Maurer (SUI)
2005: Christian Maurer (SUI)
2004: Oliver Rössel (GER)
2003: Achim Joos (GER)
2002: Alex Hofer (SUI)
2001: Patrick Bérod (FRA)
2000: Andy Hediger (SUI)
1999: Kari Eisenhut (SUI)
1998: Peter Lüthi (SUI)
1997: Jimmy Pacher (ITA)
1996: Christian Tamegger (AUT)
1995: Hans Bollinger (SUI)
1994: Jimmy Pacher (ITA)
1993: Richard Gallon (FRA)
1992: Uli Wiesmeier (GER)
| Women |
2008: Anja Kroll (CHE)
2007: Anja Kroll (CHE)
2006: Karin Appenzeler (SUI)
2005: Ewa Wisniewksa (GER)
2004: Petra Slivova (CZE)
2003: Petra Slivova (CZE)
2002: Petra Slivova (CZE)
2001: Louise CRANDAL (DNK)
2000: Louise CRANDAL (DNK)
1999: Sandie Cochepain (FRA)
1998: Claire Bernier(FRA)
1997: Claire Bernier(FRA)
1996: Nanou Berger (FRA)
1995: Camilla Pemer (AUT)
1994: Nanou Berger (FRA)
1993: Camilla Pemer (AUT)
1992: Nanou Berger (FRA)
Paragliding World Cup Continental Champions
Europe
2011:
Nicolas Rieusset FRA
Seiko Fukuoka Naville FRA
2012:
Marco Littame ITA
Klaudia Bulgakow POL
America
2011:
Nicholas Greece USA
Camila Antonorsi VEN
2012:
Raul Penso VEN
Camila Antonorsi VEN
Asia
2011
Ayumu Miyata JPN
Junghun Park KOR