SAFA Skysailor Magazine

12 SKY SAILOR March | April 2021 For the 2021 season, Willy Ludwig and Tomy Hofbauer, the organisers of the NOVA Bordairrace series, have chosen three venues that are as beautiful in terms of landscape as they are attractive in terms of cross-country flying: Altaussee in the Styrian Salzkammergut (30 April to 2 May), Sillian in East Tyrol (4 to 6 June) and the Wildschönau in Tyrol (2 to 4 July). The registration form at www.bordairrace.com opens four weeks before each event – and they sell out fast. The series will open in Altaussee from 30 April to 2 May 2021 (alternative dates: 7-9 May 2021). In the beautiful lake landscape of the Styrian Salzkammergut with steep limestone cliffs and dreamy lakes, athletes can choose from a variety of possible routes, as the topography here does not impose any particular route – except in particularly good XC weather conditions. The local organiser is the Para and Hang Gliding Club Ausseerland. The second race will take place from 4 to 6 June in Sillian, East Tyrol, organised locally by the Blue Sky Paragliding School. Sillian is located directly on the Pustertal ‘XC highway’. If the weather conditions are reasonably good, distances of well over 200km are possible here – with magnificent views of the Dolomites and main Alps chain. The final event of the race series takes place from 2 to 4 July in Wildschönau, supported by the Wildschönau Para- gliding School. This area is considered ideal for paragliding instruction because it is well protected. It is not yet ‘famous’ as a site for really long cross-country flights, but perhaps only because so few XC heroes have tried it so far? We’ll see. High demands on the athletes The Bordairrace is a Hike & Fly competition in which the athletes have 33 hours to cover the greatest possible distance between the starting point and the return point and to reach the finish line again in time. In doing so, they are only allowed to fly with their paraglider or to walk. The participants themselves decide in which direction they move and where they set their personal ‘turnpoint at the limit’. Distances of 200km are flown and over 100km with 3000m altitude gain or more will be covered on foot – all within 33 hours! This competition mode requires enormous physical fitness from the athletes, excellent piloting skills, good preparation and, last but not least, a high degree of tactical planning depending on the weather. No wonder many par- ticipants in the Red Bull X-Alps qualified via the Bordairrace. Fully booked overnight The Bordairrace series evolved from the event ‘Crossalps’ and has been held as an event series since 2008 (at that time still as ‘Bordairline’) – the oldest in the world. The Bordair- races are so popular that the limited field of participants is usually booked out within 24 hours after registration opens. Since 2016, the Bordairrace series has been organised by Thomas Hofbauer and Willi Ludwig – always with a local partner, mostly paragliding clubs or schools. The two Styrians are not professional event organisers – which in no way means that the Bordairraces are not perfectly organised – but they are passionate Hike & Fly athletes themselves (Tomy participated in the Red Bull X-Alps, Will was Austrian Hike & Fly Champion in 2018). As a result, each event is characterised by heaps of enthusiasm, by heart and soul. Tomy Hofbauer says: “You have to be a little crazy to organise such a series. There is so much work behind it. But at the end, the euphoria and the smiles of the participants at the finish line are so rewarding.” A certain amount of craziness and capacity for suffering is also required from the participants. Some have already loudly proclaimed at the finish line: “Never again will I do this to myself!” Yet three weeks later they sit in front of the computer at midnight to secure a starting place for the next event... For more information, visit www.bordairrace.com There is a Bordairrace playlist on YouTube - ideal for whetting your appetite. Hike & Fly: NOVA BORD AIR RACE 2021