Newsletter – December 2025

The Launch | December 2025

Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association of Canada (HPAC)

Election results, Competition News and
Call for Award Nominations

Election News

Voting has now ended for the regions having Elections this year – YT, AB/NWT and QC.

We would like to announce results for the following Board of Director positions:

Yukon: Welcome back Dave McDonald for another term
Alberta/NWT: Welcome back Robert Maguire for another term too
Quebec: Congratulations to Jimmy Giroux! He will be starting his term in the new year.

We’re glad to have both Dave and Robert continue volunteering on our Board of Directors, your contributions are greatly appreciated!

We wish Sandra a heartfelt goodbye. Sandra Ducasse has been an invaluable member of the HPAC Board, serving with dedication and heart for many years. Her commitment to our community, her thoughtful voice at the table, and her willingness to consistently show up for the sport have made a meaningful impact on pilots across the country. We are grateful for her years of volunteer service she has given to HPAC. Thank you, Sandra, for everything you’ve contributed. You leave HPAC stronger because of your work.

Funding Recipients

HPAC opened up the “general fund” last year to help make funds for our members more accessible. This fund is available for:

  • Qualified pilots going to FAI championships, World Cup Superfinals and the Red Bull X-Alps to help offset costs such as airfare and entry fees when representing Canada at a world level
  • Competition Directors to help with costs such as retrieve drivers/fuel, equipment rentals, etc.
  • Instructors traveling to regions that have no one local to teach
  • Supporting events focused on education, safety, etc that benefit the flying community in their region.

Pilots are urged to contact their provincial associations first to see if any funding is already allocated for local initiatives, and then are welcome to fill out the form linked below. The Board will review each application and may ask for additional information before voting on the request.

Funding Application Form

Some pilots and projects we have supported this year!

  1. Supporting paragliders competing at the 19th FAI Paragliding World Championship in Brazil (Jose Miniet, Lynsey Haynes and Brett Hazlett (also team leader)


  1. Assisting in costs to send a Hang Glider instructor (Pedro Pedersen) to teach hang gliding in Central/Northern BC
  1. Bringing an instructor in to the PEI Festival of Flight to teach new students and administer exams/ratings to pilots who moved into the region from another country
  1. Supporting a combined work party to improve launches and safety seminar for a Nova Scotia Safety Day

Award Nominations for 2025 open now

Do you want to recognize a pilot, volunteer or landowner for their contributions over the past year? We’ve simplified the nomination process – to nominate someone for an HPAC award, please click on the link below to fill out a nomination form:

Nomination Form

Nominations will be reviewed and voted on at the Annual Directors Meeting in February, so please make sure you have submitted your nominations by January 31, 2025.

Competition News

Are you competing in 2026? 

HPAC/ACVL is excited to announce that starting January 1, 2026 we will be covering the fees for the FAI sporting licences for all pilots on a trial basis. If you wish to accumulate points towards your FAI world-ranking or enter a competition in which an FAI Sporting License is required, HPAC will be covering the $75 fee. 

The new application form will be available soon on our website.

Upcoming Competitions:

  • Dec 15-20, 2025 – WCSC Cup Mexico (article below)
  • July 11-16, 2026 – 50th Anniversary of Lumby Air Force, Lumby BC

Note from Randy re 50th Anniversary Event:

In case anyone feels like a little 2026 summer flying vacation of interest and fun, The Lumby Airforce flying club, The Freedom Flight Schools and the Freedom Flight Park will be celebrating 50 years of hang gliding flight, flight instruction and free flying in Lumby BC Canada on July 11 2026. All retired free flyers and current free flyers are welcome to come out and join in the fun as a big dinner and hang glider flyers reunion will happen with a live music dance afterwards.
For more info just contact randy@rauck.ca or send a SMS to 250-307-7553 (best).

LAF Invite

WCSC Cup Mexico Dec 15-20

Valle Update & Sponsored Awards (by Moon Choi)

Reporting from Valle de Bravo: I’m here ahead of December’s WCSC Cup hosted alongside Club Peñon XC Cup doing final checks and enjoying some truly fun thermic flying. After months of rain, the hillsides are lush and green, the most vibrant I’ve ever seen in Valle. All that moisture is giving Valle’s air a resemblance to the soft, smooth thermals of Colombia. The flying conditions are expected to be exceptional this year. Our upcoming competition is shaping up to be an exciting restart for Canadian racing abroad.

The main launch at El Peñon now has new, slick, clean-looking Astroturf and a pebble walkway among several other upgrades. On the safety front, the lake LZ is lush and green but has shrunk due to higher water levels, so please think carefully through your plan for a potential water landing. Bring a hook knife, and an inflatable vest would be a good addition if you already have one. If you’re flying with ballast, non-floaty protection (e.g., Neo-Koroyd), or a sub-style enclosed pod (e.g., Submarine), make sure you have a clear and reliable exit plan. The local kayak operator will be on standby and the organizer has a rescue boat, but preparation remains our best safety tool.

This year’s WCSC Cup also features sponsored podium awards that directly support Canadian pilots and demonstrate true commitment to our community:

1st place: $1,000 discount voucher toward a new wing from GIN CANADA (https://www.flygincanada.com), generously sponsored by Brett Hazlett. 

GIN is known for continuous innovation, including their wave leading edge design that enhances stability and stall behaviour. Their latest sports class flagship EN-C wing, the Gin GTO 3, has claimed numerous podiums in international competition and is widely regarded as one of the highest performing XC gliders available today. This award gives the winner access to truly world class performance.

2nd place: $400 discount voucher toward a new Niviuk glider, sponsored by NIVIUK CANADA (http://cayooshexpeditions.ca) who are also generously providing additional T-shirts and neck warmers for our competitors. 

NIVIUK CANADA proudly distributes Niviuk equipment across Canada with free shipping nationwide. Coco (Corinne Stoltz) and Jim Orava have been pillars of the Canadian paragliding community for decades, offering mentorship and reliable after-sales service you can trust. Their newest sports-class model for performance and safety, the Niviuk Artik R2, features the second iteration of their EN-C two-liner design for exceptional climb rate, excellent stability in strong air, and a glide at top speed that rivals higher class wings. This generous award underlines their genuine care for elevating Canadian free flight.

3rd place:  $300 gift certificate for gear, sponsored by Dave Underwood of Freedom Flight School (https://www.freedomflightschool.com). 

Freedom Flight School is a long-established and well-respected part of the Canadian paragliding community. Students benefit from a strong culture of mentorship, structured progression, and supportive post-training guidance. Their shop offers a solid selection of equipment, including Sky, MacPara, Supair, and SkyMan, Nova, BGD, UP Paragliders, Woody Valley as well as the highly regarded Stodeus UltraBip vario, along with helmets, harnesses, and other essential accessories. By supporting this award, Freedom Flight School continues its long-standing commitment to developing capable, confident Canadian XC pilots and Canadian competitions.

Jonathan Klimow Award: $300 scholarship prize for the top-scoring Sports-class (EN-C or below) pilot, sponsored by Norman Krcmar of Paraglide Canada (https://www.paraglidecanada.com). 

Paraglide Canada is another key contributor to the Canadian paragliding landscape, providing training, community support, and a broad selection of high-quality equipment. Their gear lineup includes Advance, Skywalk, Niviuk, and BGD gliders, as well as the X-Alps-tested XCTracer varios among many other essential gears. The Jonathan Klimow Bursary is Norman’s ongoing effort to honour Jonathan’s legacy. Valle de Bravo holds special meaning in his story and in the hearts of many who knew him. This Sports-class award serves as a tribute to Jonathan’s spirit, dedication, and enduring connection to Valle. Through this bursary award, Paraglide Canada reaffirms its dedication to supporting developing pilots and the future of Canadian XC competition.

As previous acting competition chair and a fellow paragliding pilot, I want to thank the four sponsors for choosing to step up and contribute directly, supporting our pilots and strengthening the foundation of competition flying in Canada. Their generosity is a genuine, actionable demonstration of their commitment to the sport and to the Canadian freeflight community.

Follow along here! https://civlcomps.org/event/pre-pwc-club-penon-open/info